+++
title = "Käsewerkstatt"
description = "Building a mobile food trailer and selling my first street food"
date = 2024-07-05
authors = ["Aron Petau"]
banner = "cheese.jpeg"

[taxonomies]
tags = [
  "bruschetta",
  "food truck",
  "mobile workshop",
  "raclette",
  "street food",
  "urban intervention"
]

[extra]
show_copyright = true
show_shares = true
+++

## Enter the Käsewerkstatt

One morning earlier this year, I woke up and realized I had a space problem.

I'd been trying to build out a workshop to tackle increasingly complex
woodworking and plastic fabrication projects. After yet another disagreement
with my girlfriend following my repeated violations of the
"No-Sanding-and-Linseed-Oiling-Policy" in our living room, something had
to change.

I'm based in Berlin, where the housing market has gone completely haywire
(quick shoutout in solidarity with
[Deutsche Wohnen und Co enteignen](https://dwenteignen.de/)). The reality:
I won't be able to afford renting even a small workshop anywhere near
Berlin anytime soon.

As you'll notice in some of my other projects—
[Autoimmunitaet](/autoimmunitaet), [Commoning Cars](/commoning-cars), or
[Dreams of Cars](/dreams-of-cars)—I'm quite opposed to the idea that parking
private cars on public urban spaces should be considered normal.

## The Idea: Reclaiming Space

So the concept was born: reclaim that space as habitable zone, take back
usable space from parked cars. I would install a mobile workshop inside a
trailer—lockable, with enough standing and working space.

As it turns out, food trailers fulfill these criteria quite nicely. I set
out on a quest to find the cheapest food trailer available in Germany.

Six weeks later, I found one near Munich, hauled it back to Berlin, and
immediately started renovating it.

## From Workshop to Food Truck

Due to parallel developments, I was invited to sell food at the official
premiere during Bergfest—a weekend format in Brandenburg an der Havel,
initiated and organized by [Zirkus Creativo](https://zirkus-creativo.de).
Many thanks again for the invitation!

I spent several afternoons renovating and outfitting the trailer, did my
first-ever shopping at Metro (a local B2B foodstuffs market), navigated all
the paperwork, and completed the necessary food safety courses and
certifications.

## The Menu

For my debut, I chose **raclette on fresh bread**—a Swiss dish that's quite
popular in Germany. Looking ahead, the trailer will tend more toward vegan
offerings, but as a first test, I also sold a bruschetta combo. This turned
out perfectly: the weather was hot, the bruschetta provided a light and
refreshing option, and I could use the same bread for both dishes.

The event was fantastic and started paying off the trailer investment (at
least partially!).

{% gallery() %}
[
  {
    "file": "./trailer.jpeg",
    "alt": "The finished Käsewerkstatt trailer",
    "title": "The renovated food trailer ready for business"
  },
  {
    "file": "./cheese.jpeg",
    "alt": "Scraping the raclette cheese",
    "title": "Preparing fresh raclette"
  },
  {
    "file": "./combo_serve.jpeg",
    "alt": "The recommended combo from Käsewerkstatt",
    "title": "Bruschetta and raclette combo plate"
  },
  {
    "file": "./logo.jpeg",
    "alt": "The Käsewerkstatt logo",
    "title": "Logo carved with the Shaper Origin"
  },
  {
    "file": "./product.jpeg",
    "alt": "Food preparation in the trailer",
    "title": "Behind the scenes"
  },
  {
    "file": "./welcome.jpeg",
    "alt": "Welcome to Käsewerkstatt",
    "title": "Ready to serve customers"
  }
]
{% end %}

<div class="buttons centered">
  <a class="big colored external" href="https://kaesewerkstatt.petau.net">
    🧀 Visit Käsewerkstatt Official Page
  </a>
</div>

## Looking Forward

We received lots of positive feedback, and I'm looking forward to the next
event. The trailer continues to serve its dual purpose: mobile workshop when
needed, food truck when the opportunity arises.

**Want a food truck at your event?** Get in touch!
Contact: [käsewerkstatt@petau.net](mailto:käsewerkstatt@petau.net)