Kate Pearl's Kitchen brings satisfaction

It was the lunch hour on a weekday, but customers who saw the “breakfast” banner next to Kate Pearl’s Kitchen, a food trailer parked along Waseca’s West Elm Avenue that day, were buying two and three sandwiches at a time. One customer mentioned it had been a surreal moment; she had only just uttered the words, “And now it’s too late to get breakfast,” when the banner came in sight.

 

Others said they had been unable to resist the aroma of the cooking sausage and eggs.

Inside the trailer, owner and operator Katelyn Klug, 32, circulated among the various stations as she prepared, served, and received payment for the sandwiches.

 

She has been operating her own enterprise since May, after starting out in food service about 10 years ago. She has worked at various venues in the field, most consistently as backup and heir apparent to her uncle Tom Klug of Otisco Valley Growers, who began selling breakfast sandwiches at the Mankato farmers’ market about 25 years ago.

 

With Tom currently selling sandwiches and frozen forage-fed meats at the Waseca market, Katelyn says the largest share of her business is filling the role he left open by moving. The Mankato market is a bustling place, she comments, with sandwich sales frequently reaching as many as 220 in a morning.

 

“Something that really inflates my ego,” she says lightheartedly, “is when people tell me my sandwiches are better than Tom’s.” Compliments of any sort, she adds, help her feel she’s in the right place.

 

“The food service industry can be unpredictable,” she comments. “But there’s satisfaction in knowing you’re giving people something they enjoy enough to come and buy again.”

 

She credits the aroma and flavor of her food to using quality local ingredients, including meats from Geneva Meats, Bongard’s cheese, farm-laid eggs, Hope butter, and specially-made Italian-seasoned focaccia bread from Nancy Jane’s Bakery in New Richland.

 

Katelyn observes her work in food service has taught her more than how to prepare good food.

 

“You need good communication skills,” she comments. “You have to take the time to listen, so you hear people’s orders correctly. You have to speak clearly, so people understand you, even when there’s a crowd or there’s background noise.”

 

Another important form of communication is maintaining her Facebook page, which lets loyal customers know where to look for her.

 

When it comes to preparing and serving food, she acknowledges that it may seem as if her work is very straightforward, but points out many details must be planned for.

 

“The day before, I spend three to four hours making sure I have all my supplies,” she begins, noting that includes the various fuels for the grill, the generator, and the pickup which pulls the trailer. “Then I make sure to get a good night’s sleep.”

 

The next morning she’s up at 5 a.m. or so, depending on how far she has to drive to the venue. When a large crowd is likely, she brings in an assistant. For smaller “gigs,” she can run the operation by herself.

 

There are many elements of the work which bring her pleasure, she says. The satisfaction of providing good food, the “internal flow” of a system that functions smoothly, the confidence of knowing she’s good at what she does.

 

“The best part is being in business for myself,” she finishes. “It feels good knowing my hard work is helping build my own business base and my own reputation. I like working for myself and I like making my own schedule.

 

“It feels really good to captain my own ship.”