If you’ve been fortunate enough to have discovered this summer’s arrival of PotLuck by Cheyenne Galbraith, here’s the part that may well astound you. The amazingly talented former Executive Chef at Bistro on the Boulevard never intended on becoming a chef. Imagine the loss our entire region would have incurred had she not stumbled across a TV ad for Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School. Especially now that she has launched her new PotLuck venture.
The multi-gifted and talented chef who transformed the Bistro where she and her staff featured local ingredients into their eclectic dishes was a student at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana when that brief video lured her to the profession that allows her to play out her passion. She tells me, “That was my ‘aha’ moment.” She packed up and moved to North Carolina where she earned her Associates Degree in Culinary Science from Guilford Technical Community College.
After picking up her degree, Cheyenne worked at one of the most popular restaurants in the Greensboro area for two years, and met her future-husband, Milos. While in North Carolina, a colleague from culinary school recruited Cheyenne to New Mexico to help open a restaurant, and that’s where she and Milos were married.
Like many families who recognize that Michigan’s Great Southwest is a nearly perfect place to start a young family, Cheyenne and Milos returned to her roots here ten years ago in 2008. She worked as Special Events Manager at Shadowland on Silver Beach, where she built her expertise as a caterer. When the Bistro recruited for a new Executive Chef in 2015 she was ready to lean a team and change-up the menu and the dining experiences for guests and locals.
The wanderlust attraction of being that Maverick that always assures her opportunity to feature her unique spin on the simple flavors of Michigan’s fresh coast was too much, and earlier this summer Cheyenne stepped away from the Bistro to launch her multi-faceted adventure which she appropriately has dubbed PotLuck, because there’s a bit of everything she loves involved in this new venture.
In addition to her colorful approach to fresh coast ingredients which she shares in several ways, she is also booking private parties…performing in-home cooking classes…and collaborates for front-of and back-of-the-house team building as a consultancy to those searching for direction and structure.
Best of all for those in search of her culinary talents however, she is offering delectable dishes at pop-up food truck events around the region. Because she doesn’t have her own food truck, she is co-oping with the Lake & Farmer Truck by posting up every Tuesday for Taco Tuesday at Watermark Brewing Company in downtown Stevensville.
She also has food truck gigs lined up for Artoberfest & PechaKucha this Saturday in the Benton Harbor Arts District, where she will be making fancy grilled cheeses including her decadent Red Coach Donut & Bacon Grilled Cheese.
Look for her as well at Roots & Brews in downtown St. Joseph on Saturday, the 22nd of September where tacos will be featured including her Drunken Pig Tacos and Buffalo Chicken Tacos.
Additionally, she will be competing for the third time at the Taste Sensation Event on October 5th while raising funds for the Hanson Hospice Center.
Meanwhile, thanks to rapid word-of-mouth sharing and amazing Instagram photos like the one shared here on Moody on the Market she is booking private parties like wildfire. For the record, however, the food truck is not part of the private party scene.
Cheyenne tells me, “I am very excited about this next step in my culinary career.” She adds, “As a chef, I want to create a phenomenal experience for my guests to enjoy the flavors, textures, and combinations of the local and fresh foods that we are so fortunate to have access to right here in Berrien County. My training and opportunities at various kitchens and organizations have put me in this very fortunate position.”
If you’d like to stay up-to-date with PotLuck’s availability and locations for pop-up events, be sure to follow PotLuck Truck on Facebook and Instagram. Her contact info is also available at her website linked below. If you’d like to book PotLuck for an event, a cooking class, or for her consulting prowess, contact Cheyenne by phone at 269-363-3031 or by e-mail at potlucktruck@gmail.com.
As Cheyenne puts it, “I want to share what I have learned not only about cooking, but how to effectively build a team that will offer stellar experiences to guests.” Well, folks…she’s well on her way so keep an eye out and get ready to sample culinary greatness wherever you happen upon the PotLuck experience. Here’s her weblink:
