Washington’s food-truck craze has resulted in the availability of every cuisine — from crepes and waffles to kabobs and kimchi and all else in between. But one blue-and-white truck graced with a cartoon surfer-dude character presents an all-American eats festival. The truck? Doug the Food Dude.
While Doug the Food Dude (aka Doug Maheu) may not serve pot roast, he does take contemporary American dishes, and with a tweak here and there, offers an appealing menu. Imagine standing on a curb downing an order of parmesan-crusted salmon, crispy fajita egg rolls, a Maine lobster roll, or even a chipotle taco.
What makes the story of Maheu’s cooking career so compelling is this: Maheu had his own publishing company in Northern Virginia before the economy soured. But rest assured that Maheu has never been a stranger in or to the kitchen. Describing himself as a “Navy brat” whose family moved all over the United States, Maheu started cooking very early, though not at high-end eateries. “While growing up,” he said, “I flipped burgers at every fast-food restaurant around. And by 16, I managed a Dairy Queen.”
| If you go |
| Doug the Food Dude |
| For location information, visit dougthefooddude.com |
| Phone: 703-772-5182 |
| Email: [email protected] |
When his publishing company closed, Maheu relied on his set of cooking skills to start another business. “I have always cooked and always loved to cook,” he said. “Other than shadowing chefs, caterers, and doing a lot of reading, I have not attended any schools.” But his daughter’s health issues may have been his best teacher. “I learned to read ingredients, and looked at cans for preservatives,” he said. “I threw all that out the window, and started cooking all-natural, from-scratch meals. I really dived into cooking.”
What started out as a small catering business and making lunches for people turned into something much bigger. “We had a friend who convinced me to hop into a truck and get out into the streets,” he says. As it has turned out, Maheu hit the streets at a good time. When bad weather does slow business, he turns to corporate catering. Maheu also caters for weddings and brings his truck along for informal events. “The whole food-truck phenomenon is hitting everyone,” he said. “So I give tours of the truck. That’s more interesting than even the cooking.”
But out on the streets on a typical day, it’s Maheu’s menu that draws the crowds. “Our menu is really different,” he explained. “This is like a mobile restaurant,” adding that most trucks really only feature one type of food. Maheu has even had customers complain that he offers too many choices. “Some say we have too many items,” he said. “I had a woman lecturing me on that before.”
Generally parked somewhere in Northern Virginia, Maheu says it has all been a learning experience. And it is one that has involved his family. “When kids out of school, find on truck,” he says. “My 11-year-old daughter did our logo. … My 20-year-old is often on the truck working with me. And my 7-year-old son and wife are also there,” he said.
Q&A
What is your comfort food?
I am a big eater. I think I am a beef stew guy. When snow on ground, cold outside. Summer, I am a big seafood guy, like with spiced shrimp.
What has been the greatest influence on your cooking?
I would say the Food Network. Especially, Robert Irvine. I am a big fan of his. And I Guy Fieri. I am a big fan of his, too. But Irvine is no nonsense.
Which is your favorite restaurant? Cuisine?
There’s actually in Annandale a Silverado’s. But the family doesn’t let me go out too often, they have me cook at home.
What’s in your fridge?
A London broil, lunch meat, smoked cheddar cheese, blue cheese, 2 percent milk, and sour cream.
What is your signature dish?
There are two of them, the Caribbean slow-roasted pork and the parmesan-crusted salmon.
Recipe
White Meat Chicken Chili
Serves 4 to 6
1 (16 ounce) can dark kidney beans
1 (16 ounce) can light kidney beans
2 (8 ounce) cans diced tomato
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 white onion, diced
1 chipotle pepper, or more as desired
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup ground cumin
3 tablespoons granular garlic
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 pound chicken breast meat
Combine all ingredients except the chicken, and cook over medium-low heat for at least four hours. Grill the chicken, and dice into 1/4- to ?-inch pieces. Add chicken to chili the last hour of cooking.
