Jackson couple smoke all the dishes they serve from food truck, reception space

JACKSON, MI – Jennifer and Ron Brown have loved cooking their entire lives and wanted to share this passion with others.

So, they started their catering business Oak Fire Kitchen around a year ago with a food truck and a small reception space inside of the Biggby Coffee at 1025 N. Wisner St.

Everything is smoked in-house using 500-gallon offset smokers with red or white oak, Ron said. They smoke everything from burgers and street tacos to macaroni and cheese, brisket and ribs.

The Browns also try to come up with unexpected dishes, and Ron is creative when crafting recipes, Jennifer said.

For example, Ron often adds fruit toppings on his pulled pork sandwiches. A popular one is the cinnamon apple sandwich, made with pulled pork, maple syrup, raisins and apple slices between a cinnamon raisin bread, he said.

“It’s kind of a brunch thing, and a lot of breakfast is going sweet and savory,” Ron said.

The loaded macaroni and cheese are a hit as well, especially with the younger generations, Ron said. The homemade macaroni and cheese is smoked in the food truck, topped with pulled pork and drizzled with barbecue sauce.

“It’s just simple,” Ron said.

Aside from the food truck, they also offer a full catering menu for weddings, baby showers and other celebrations. The catering menu features a variety of meats, including turkey breasts, meatballs, ham, brisket, chicken, sausage and pulled pork, along with sides and sandwiches.

Additionally, they offer a small reception space inside of the Biggby Coffee on Wisner Street. The space can fit around 30 people and is the perfect space for bridal showers or tastings, Ron said.

“They like how it’s all nice and decorated, they’re not just having it in some side room at a restaurant,” Ron said.

So far, they’ve enjoyed getting to serve people. The food truck also brings some new variety to areas with not a lot of food options, Jennifer said.

“There’s people that show up, they see a food truck and they have to stop,” Jennifer said. “Then there’s families that come by because it’s something to do.”

Oak Fire Kitchen serves food from the food truck at the Biggby Coffee from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. People interested in catering and the reception space can call 517-960-6326.

More information can be found on its Facebook page and website.

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