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FREELAND, MI – It’s quite a challenge to find an authentic Philly cheesesteak sandwich in the Tri-Cities.
However, Big, Meaty, Phillys aims to change that.
Owners Kelsey and Zach Schatzer opened their food truck to the public on Feb. 20, serving the classic hot and cheesy Philly so many have grown to crave.
Zach Schatzer said it’s been a goal of his to own his own food truck and it helps that they are good friends with the owners of Wonder Burger, another food truck in the area.
“Having their guidance was huge because they’re established, they’re one of the bigger food trucks in the area,” Zach Schatzer said.
Nonetheless, Zach Schatzer said the mission of the food truck is one thing, and that is to have someone from Philadelphia taste his Philly cheesesteak and be thrilled to find an authentic one.
Creating the authentic Philly cheesesteak requires using some of the ingredients straight from Philadelphia, Zach Schatzer said.
So, they use Cooper Sharp White cheese and Amoroso’s Bread Rolls, both of which they have shipped from Philadelphia and use to create their product, Zach Schatzer said.
On their first day of business serving at Tri-City Brewing Company, 4170 Shrestha Drive in Bay City, Zach Schatzer said three people from Philadelphia purchased Philly cheesesteaks.
After moving to the area, they told Zach Schatzer they haven’t been able to find a Philly cheesesteak that reminds them of home, until they had one from Big, Meaty, Phillys.
“That was the whole goal, right? To be able to achieve that was awesome,” Zach Schatzer said.
Bringing authentic Philly cheesesteaks to Michigan was also because Zach Schatzer tends to order Philly cheesesteaks anytime the two of them go out to eat, he said.
“I went to all these different restaurants, and you know, they all kind of taste the same and so I wanted it to be different,” Zach Schatzer said.
Their menu of course offers the ‘OG Philly’ which features ribeye steak, cheese and onion on an eight-inch roll.
They also offer ‘The Meaty’ Philly, ‘Merryaki’ Philly, ‘The Herbivore’ Philly, plain French fries, Philly fries and cheese fries.
Big, Meaty, Phillys also offers add-ons, such as mushrooms, green peppers and homemade garlic aioli.
Also, instead of waiting to hear your name being called, they do have a wireless calling system, just like those restaurants that provide the square or rectangle buzzer to let you know it’s your turn.
It makes it easy to wait in your car if it’s too cold to stand outside or to find a seat in the warmer weather while you wait for your food to be ready.
Both Kelsey and Zach Schatzer are from mid-Michigan and so they plan to set up throughout Saginaw, Bay and Midland counties, Kelsey Schatzer said.
The community excitement for their food truck has been awesome, Kelsey Schatzer said, and they both are very proud to be able to serve the area where they grew up.
They hope to continue building relationships and give back to the communities themselves as well as the food truck community.
Zach Schatzer said they helped at the Wonder & Friends Feed Saginaw event in Hoyt Park in December, giving away items from the Wonder Burger menu.
“That event gave away 14 or 1,500 meals that day in three hours. There was constant flow of the line, so we will definitely do that again,” Zach Schatzer said.
Kelsey and Zach Schatzer said they want to make sure the community knows how appreciative they are and will always take the time to respond to everyone in person and on social media.
“Our roots are here, you know what I mean, and we want to continue to build those and grow those, that’s important,” Kelsey Schatzer.
The food truck community in the area has also given endless support to Big, Meaty, Phillys, Kelsey and Zach Schatzer said.
Big, Meaty, Phillys can be booked for private events and can be reached at their email address [email protected].
Kelsey and Zach Schatzer said they will be at the Freeland Walleye Festival, which is April 24-27 this year.
Follow Big, Meaty, Phillys on Facebook here to find out where they plan to set up next.
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Would you like MLive to feature your favorite restaurant in Michigan’s Best Local Eats? Send the details, including business name, address and best menu item, to Kaytie Boomer at [email protected].
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