BEYOND THE PLATE WITH CAROL
Some stories start long before the business ever does.
They start in a kitchen.
Around a table.
With recipes, routines, and moments that stay with you long after the meal is over.
That’s exactly what I felt sitting down with Sue Pepalardo on Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast.
Because what she’s building with Auntie’s Italian Kitchen isn’t just a food truck—it’s a story of family, tradition, and finally saying yes to something that had been waiting for years.
“She loves feeding people.”
It all starts in the kitchen
Sue’s story doesn’t start with a food truck.
It starts in her childhood kitchen.
A big Italian family in Lawrence, where food wasn’t just something you ate—it was something you built your life around.
And what I loved most is that in her home, it was her father who did the cooking.
Every Sunday, he would prepare meals for the entire week.
Sauce.
Meatballs.
Roasted chicken.
Pasta.
Everything ready, everything intentional.
And as Sue shared that on Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast, you could feel what those moments meant.
Because those aren’t just meals.
Those are memories.
Cooking from where it comes from
When I asked Sue who inspired her, she didn’t hesitate.
Her dad.
The recipes she’s using today?
They’re his.
The sauce she serves?
Rooted in everything she grew up with.
And you can feel that.
Because there’s a difference between cooking food and cooking from memory.
And when you’re cooking from memory, people taste it.
A dream that waited its turn
What really stood out to me is that this didn’t happen overnight.
This idea had been sitting there for years.
Her husband had suggested a food truck nearly ten years ago.
And at the time?
It wasn’t the right moment.
Life was full.
Busy.
But something shifted.
And suddenly, it was time.
Seeing potential where others wouldn’t
When they finally went to look at a truck, it wasn’t what you’d expect.
It was dirty.
Really dirty.
The kind of place most people would walk away from.
But underneath all of that, they saw something else.
Potential.
And that’s such a big part of this business.
Seeing what something could be, not just what it is.
Building it the hard way
What came next wasn’t easy.
It was hours of cleaning.
Scrubbing.
Reworking.
Doing whatever it took to make it right.
Sue talked about spending hours just getting the stove clean.
Bringing in help.
Then going back in herself to make sure it met her standard.
And that tells you everything you need to know.
Because if you’re going to serve people, it has to be right.
Quality above everything
When we talked about what makes Auntie’s Italian Kitchen stand out, her answer was simple.
Quality.
Everything is made fresh.
Everything is from scratch.
Nothing is rushed.
And on Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast, you could hear how intentional that is.
Because in a world where convenience often wins, she chose something different.
She chose to do it the right way.
The menu is exactly what you’d hope it would be.
Meatball sandwiches.
Chicken parm.
Pasta.
Sausage.
Cutlets.
And desserts that tie everything together.
But what I love is that every item connects back to something real.
A memory.
A place.
A piece of her story.
A true family operation
This isn’t just Sue running a truck.
This is a family working together.
Her husband.
Her brother.
Her nephews.
Everyone playing a role.
And that matters.
Because this business isn’t just about food.
It’s about building something together.
Learning as she goes
One of the biggest challenges she talked about?
Running out of food.
And honestly, that’s a good problem to have.
It means people are showing up.
It means they’re coming back.
It means you’re doing something right.
But it also means learning.
Adjusting.
Figuring out how much to prep.
How to scale.
And like everything else in this business, that comes with time.
Why this works for her
What I really appreciated was her honesty.
She doesn’t want a full restaurant.
This is what works for her.
The rhythm.
The flexibility.
The ability to prep, serve, and step away.
And that’s important.
Because success doesn’t have to look one way.
What it’s really about
At the end of the conversation, it came back to something simple.
She loves feeding people.
She loves seeing them enjoy it.
That’s it.
That’s the driver.
And honestly, that’s the kind of thing you can’t fake.
Final thoughts
This episode of Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast reminded me why I love these conversations so much.
Because food is never just food.
It’s family.
It’s memory.
It’s taking something that’s been part of your life for years and turning it into something you can share with others.
Sue did that.
And she did it with heart.
🎧 Listen to Episode 19 of Beyond the Plate with Carol Podcast
Watch and listen to my full conversation with Sue Pepalardo and hear the story behind a food truck built on family, tradition, and love.
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ABOUT CAROL ERICKSON
Carol Erickson has owned Red Arrow Diner since 1987 -- four locations across New Hampshire, open 24/7. She started Beyond the Plate to tell the real stories behind the people who make New England's food and hospitality scene what it is. Not just what's on the menu. What's behind it.
Red Arrow Diner: redarrowdiner.com | @redarrow24diner