The Temptations singing “My Girl” filled the air in and around Rodney Jones’ The Copper Kitchen food truck and customers relaxed on nearby picnic tables beneath brightly colored, windsails as Jones prepared their dishes.
This is no ordinary lonchera. This food truck doesn’t move. It’s more an eclectic outdoor restaurant that happens to serve food from a truck — a very distinctive truck.
The Copper Kitchen is the brainchild of Rodney Jones, 55.
Once an activities director at a large corporate health facility, Jones found inspiration to expand his horizons and went gung ho for a new career in cooking and artistry.
“I basically reinvented myself and then forged ahead with my new goal deliberately, and with foresight,” he said.
Jones said he struck gold immediately when he found a little Mexican lady in Ruskin who wanted to sell her mobile food truck — a truck she used to make wraps and tacos in for hungry workers. It needed a lot of attention but Jones said he was ready to face any challenges.
“I took out all the equipment except for the sink, totally degreased the entire interior of the truck and then spray painted it,” Jones said.
“The fun part was putting all the new equipment in, including a brand new fridge, shelving units …and I used marble and granite on the counters to give it that luxurious touch,” he said. “It’s just like my kitchen at home.”
The Copper Kitchen truck is parked on the property of Suncoast Water Gardens on County Line Road.
It’s not just parked any old way. It’s been positioned under some beautiful old trees for some cool shade and customers can linger on custom-made picnic tables on the professionally laid patio in front of the truck. The dining area has brightly colored sailcloths overhead to keep customers cool and dry.
Jones dived into the fridge and got two very thick slices of bread out to make a grilled cheese sandwich.
“Customers love this,” he said. “My jumbo grilled cheese lunch platter …and I serve it with a bowl of my homemade tomato and basil bisque.”
“The bread is crispy, the cheese is all yummy and gooey and dripping down the sides,” he said.
Jones makes fresh soup every day, along with other menu items and everything is made from scratch with fresh ingredients. So fresh that he even grows his own herbs, like mint and basil, right outside the truck’s back door.
From the tender age of 8, Jones has always loved to cook. He comes from a family of restauranteurs.
“I’m a Florida boy from Gibsonton,” said Jones. “My grandma was from a totally Southern family and I just loved watching her cook.”
Jones said cooking is a big part of his life. He said he never eats fast food and all through college, he cooked for himself.
“I like to eat, so I was always cooking,” he said. “I bake all my bread too.”
The Copper Kitchen offers items like chicken salad, pork tenderloin, barbecue, cute little individual meatloaves smothered with gravy, beef brisket and slow-roasted pulled pork with all sorts of herbs, garlic and peppers. There’s also hand squeezed lemonade, fresh sweet tea and collards seasoned with bacon.
“My collard greens are extremely popular,” he said. “So popular that I now make extra portions and freeze some for regular customers.”
“One customer was so disappointed I had run out of my collards one day,” he said. “He returned an hour later with a collard bush for me to plant here – so I’d never run out again.”
Opened on Jan. 5 this year, the food truck has built up a good following from local businesses and from passing traffic.
“I cook a pretty diverse selection of food,” said Jones. “And I can provide custom orders for eight people or more,” he said.
Jones said custom orders can be tailored to whatever the customer wants. A lot of regular lunchtime customers now call in their order first.
Jones’ artistic flair is highly visible not just in his culinary creations. While chomping down on delicious food, customers can feast their eyes on the displays of statues and hand-painted garden ornaments that surround the paved patio.
Once dull, flat concrete forms, they have been brought to life with Jones’ creative skills.
“Creating one of these items can be lengthy because it involves soaking and bleaching and then a drying process,” said Jones. “But once that has been done, I can paint life into the form.”
Jones uses several different techniques to give his forms depth and texture. I use acrylic and metallic paints mostly and then I use stain and marine sealant to protect from the sun and water.
“I paint when I can between customers,” he said. “But when the lovebugs come, it gets tricky,” he laughed.
Jones’ art can be found all around the truck in various stages of completion.
While away an hour or two in the shade at The Copper Kitchen, a true food truck experience. This less than traditional beauty on wheels is ready to drive your tastebuds wild.
Operating hours are from 10 a.m till 3 p.m and then 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. once the weather gets cooler.
The Copper Kitchen can be found Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Copper-Kitchen-1541871436124216/
IF YOU GO:
The Copper Kitchen is located at 9313 County Line Rd. in Spring Hill.
To pre-order your food or to arrange custom lunches or dinners, Jones can be reached at (813) 892-9161.