When Theresa Stark and Jonas Hans launched Brown Chicken Brown Cow Catering in 2020, they never imagined it would grow into a full-time business with a food truck. What started as a side hustle during the pandemic has become a Twin Cities staple known for award-winning burgers and a flexible, client-first approach to catering.
We spoke with Theresa and Jonas about their origin story, the difference between their food truck and full-service catering, and what event planners should know before hiring a caterer.
Question 1: What led you and Jonas to start Brown Chicken Brown Cow as a husband-and-wife catering company?
"Our company started as a side hustle, primarily for Jonas, and as a passion project during COVID." In February 2020, Jonas—a certified sommelier—and his then-business partner had just received licensing for a restaurant-exclusive wine distribution company. Then the pandemic hit, and restaurants closed.
A friend who was also a sommelier started hearing from customers looking for in-home dining experiences. Jonas and his friend Nico partnered to offer intimate, coursed dinners with wine pairings. When Nico's partner, who organized events for a local sailing club, needed help with grilling and catering, the couple stepped in. Theresa focused on service and administration, while Jonas handled food preparation.
"From there, the catering business slowly grew through word of mouth." They still work with the sailing club today. A couple of years ago, they bought a food truck "somewhat on a whim." After the first year, they knew they had decisions to make. Theresa left her corporate job in March 2026, and now both are fully focused on growing the business.
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Question 2: How does BCBC on the Mooove food truck differ from your full-service catering?
The food truck is an extension of the catering company, but the menu is intentionally focused exclusively on smash burgers. In contrast, full-service catering is highly customized.
"With catering, we work closely with each client to develop a custom menu based on their tastes, vision, and budget." They also consider event size and how food will be prepared and served.
One thing that sets them apart: "We don't simply drop off food for events. We want to oversee the preparation, service, and execution so we can maintain the quality and integrity of what we're serving." This hands-on approach ensures food tastes just as good for 20 guests as for 200.
Question 3: What does "high brow to low brow" mean in practice for your menus?
"'High brow to low brow' means we can create just about any kind of dining experience you'd like." That could be an elegant coursed dinner with wine pairings, appetizers like lobster rolls or caviar canapés, or a casual backyard BBQ with chopped pork and potato chips.
"We love that we don't have to fit into one particular box. Great food doesn't necessarily have to be fancy." Whether it's caviar or a really great burger, they want it to be delicious, thoughtfully prepared, and right for the occasion.
Question 4: What is the most memorable event you have catered, and why?
They've catered weddings, graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, and more. Three stand out:
- A high-profile fundraising event for a presidential candidate, where they provided butler-passed hors d'oeuvres and wine.
- A 90th birthday celebration for a woman who had visited all seven continents. "We created a menu inspired by a country from each continent, with the exception of Antarctica."
- A Make-A-Wish Minnesota event for a little girl who loved cheeseburgers. They served smash burgers from the food truck and renamed menu items to reflect her love of Disney princesses.
"Being able to give back to our community in that way, doing what we love and using our food to help create a really special memory, meant a great deal to us."
Question 5: What should event planners or couples know when choosing a caterer in the Twin Cities?
Their advice: look for a caterer who listens and is honest about what they can execute well.
"If a client has a favorite dish, we want to know about it." They ask about memorable meals, favorite restaurants, cuisines, and family traditions to create a personal menu.
They're also upfront about limitations. "If someone requests something that we don't believe will translate well for a large event, we'll tell them and suggest an alternative." Pasta, for example, can become mushy when held for a large crowd.
Venue challenges matter too. Some venues have full commercial kitchens; others have virtually none. "We bring our own equipment, grills, and sometimes even our food truck, not to serve burgers, but simply because we need the refrigeration and workspace."
"Ultimately, we pride ourselves on being flexible, creative, and highly customized." They want to create a menu that reflects clients while ensuring they can execute it exceptionally well.
For more on Brown Chicken Brown Cow Catering and BCBC on the Mooove, visit their website.
Planning an event? Asking the right questions during caterer interviews can help you avoid common event planning mistakes like unclear scope or poor communication. A caterer who asks about your story and is transparent about limitations is likely a good fit.