Conversations with Vegen Bagdasaryan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vegen Bagdasaryan. Them and their team share their story with us below:

It’s been an 8-year dream of ours to run a food truck. But we didn’t want just any food truck. Vegen wanted to have a novel, unique vehicle. He did research and found the trolley in Chicago. We had it shipped to us in Arizona. It’s been quite the struggle to complete it but we kept our faith and persevered. Vegan was the Executive Chef for the California Institute of Technology for 15 years where he oversaw all food operations for Caltech Dining Services.

He supervised a 45-member team and manage scheduling, purchasing, inventory, sanitation, menu research/development, season promotions, price structuring, and food/labor costs. He was a culinary innovator known for producing top-quality, creative products that contributed to revenue growth. He has proven ability to effectively lead multi-outlet, fine dining, and high volume operations. The Trolley comes from Schaumburg, IL. It was used to shuttle shoppers and office workers to the Woodfield Mall, the streets of Woodfield, and nearby office parks. It began in November of 2000 on a daily basis and it was free to everyone.

Burgers are one of the most popular foods! They are very versatile. You can keep them super plain or super gourmet.

Our burgers are hand-crafted every morning. We buy produce and baked goods from local businesses. The Burger Trolley’s mission: We will treat everyone with the same respect we desire from others. Our food is our passion. Each meal will be prepared with purpose and passion. Most of all we will create a safe, relaxed, hard-working environment that reflects the morals and values of a God-led eating establishment.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Not exactly, the trolley itself came with a lot of mechanical issues, COVID hit just when we took it to have it converted from a trolley to a food truck. It sat in a warehouse for almost a year. Then trying to find a diesel mechanic was a nightmare! But after some time we found someone.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I managed multiple service departments for several dealerships owned by one owner. During this time I always had a passion for the culinary arts. After 16 years in the automotive business, I made the very easy decision to go to culinary school. I attended the California School of Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Bleu, Pasadena, CA. I took continuing education classes at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley.

I was in the top two of my class. I was hired as Head Catering Chef Manager at the California Institute of Technology to run the Citrus Bistro which was also used to run the catering department. My expertise, attention to detail, and masterful artistry will always be what drive him to deliver the best dining experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: theburgertrolley.com
• Instagram: @TheBurgerTrolley
• Facebook: TheBurgerTrolley@facebook.com