Built on Grit, Fueled by Flavor

Chef Steven Winters shares the hard-earned journey of launching and running his food truck, Chef Driven

By Judy Royal  »  Photos by Daria Amato

Celebrating its first anniversary this summer, Chef Driven food truck is the culmination of Wilmington native Steven Winters' dream of bringing his culinary creations to the public.

“I grew up watching cooking channels, so I always knew from a young age that I wanted to do something with food,” he says. “I just enjoy sharing good food with people because I know how much joy it brings. That's kind of what I like to do. I buy what I think is the best ingredients that I can get. I take a lot of pride in serving high-quality and great-tasting ingredients.”

Over 10 years ago, Winters was working full-time in landscaping but got the opportunity to work at downtown Wilmington's Manna restaurant on the weekends. He started out washing dishes, which allowed him to absorb knowledge from the chefs. 

“I did this for about a year, and then I realized the kitchen is where I belong,” Winters says. 

He left landscaping behind and worked at Manna for seven years, eventually advancing to sous chef, thanks to his on-the-job training. Winters then worked at other prominent Wilmington-area restaurants, such as Port Land Grille and South Beach Grill, all the while aspiring to start his own endeavor.

“When I was working in restaurants, I was always thinking how great it would be if this were mine,” he says. “I had the drive and motivation to be my own boss and plan my own menu and source my own ingredients.”

A food truck was a more straightforward way to get started, Winters adds, so he purchased a 1992 Chevy diesel truck that had already been set up for food service and launched Chef Driven in late July 2024.

“I always thought I'd open up a restaurant, but then I decided on a food truck,” he says. “It was financially a lot less risky and a lot more obtainable. What's in right now is food trucks. I felt like it would be a good way to get my name out there and the food I make before deciding whether I want to take the leap to do brick and mortar.”

Winters is passionate about supporting local fishermen and farmers. Most of his menu is from somewhere in North Carolina. He gets fresh fish every day from Seaview Crab Company, Brasstown bologna and burgers from Franklin, and chicken from Joyce Farms in Winston-Salem. Chef Driven's menu changes based on what is available at farmers' markets and what fishermen are catching at that time.

“The menu can change every other day, but I always like to have a fresh fish and some kind of burger and chicken and some type of vegetarian option,” Winters says. “I try to have a little bit for everybody on my menu, including gluten-free options.”

Winters describes his menu as “fresh and new American food.” Some of what you might find on the lineup include:

• Bologna Reuben sandwich featuring thick-cut beef bologna topped with sauerkraut, house pickles, Pepper Jack cheese, and remoulade on thick-cut marble rye

• Grilled NC Drum Sandwich, including lettuce, homemade pickles, and pickled onions, topped with remoulade on a toasted brioche bun

• Colby Prime Rib Burger, including Colby Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, remoulade, homemade pickles, and pickled onions on a toasted brioche bun

• Spring Chicken Sandwich with grilled herb-and-garlic-marinated chicken thigh, local goat cheese, lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, and homemade pickled onions topped with remoulade on local sourdough bread

• Tofu Tacos, including lettuce and homemade pickled onions topped with remoulade on white corn tortillas

In addition to being available for private events, Chef Driven sets up at local breweries and other locations several days per week (see schedule at chefdrivenilm.com/schedule). Follow the truck on social media to find out about special events, which in the past have included guest appearances by Jameson Chavez, formerly the executive chef at Manna, and Kenny Wright from Beyond the Bayou food truck.

Winters describes his first year in business as both rewarding and fulfilling, saying the experience has made all the hard work worthwhile.

“I probably work more hours now than I've ever worked in my life,” he says. “From the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep, I am usually thinking about something for the business. You're always thinking about how to make it better or other things you can do.”

Winters says although he's not one to solicit feedback openly, he gets compliments on his food every day, which is what keeps him going.

“It's nice to know that hard work is paying off,” he says. “You're making someone's day better with your food. I just want to keep improving and hopefully build a good fan base and keep rolling.”