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     The Clements family began their journey into the restaurant industry in 1995.  Patrick Clements began his career in the restaurant business when he was just thirteen years old as a busser. He then became a cook at a Chinese restaurant and went to school for Hotel Restaurant Management. By the time he was 20 he became a manager for the Bonanza and Pasta House Company food chains.  In 1992 he opened Patrick’s in Carlyle.  This was a full service sit down restaurant that served a myriad of dishes. The restaurant also did catering in the surrounding areas. It was an integral part of the community in Carlyle. For over twenty years, it served the people and visitors of Carlyle with joy. The key to success in this establishment was due to the axiom of the owners which was “customers come first”. A high emphasis was placed upon service and respect. This still encompasses the business ethos of the owner. In 1997 his wife joined him in the day to day operations of the restaurant. Together they opened Dockside Diner, Ethan’s Place, Brieties Again, and purchased a Best Western motel. Each of these restaurants had its own style of food which has given Patrick and Melody a diverse culinary background.

      In 2010 all the operations were closed, and we embarked upon a different path. Patrick became a licensed Southern Baptist preacher and Melody became an adjunct Professor. All of this has given them a new perspective of what business is. This new perspective means that while profits are important, it is community that is the most important.  It is with this new perspective that they are opening The Food Dude Catering & Food Truck Company operations. With a small location, the owners will be able to focus more on customer service which is at the heart of our philosophy. In a world where kiosks are taking the place of personal interaction, automated tellers take care of problems, and ordering something online is done with a click, we promise to answer our phone and talk with you about your needs. That is not to say that we will not have automated options for our customers if that is what they feel more comfortable using.

Every event is equally important to us. There is no such thing as less important. We understand that people work hard to earn their money and spending it with us means that it is not being spent elsewhere. In these financial times this is not easy for people and we will never take our customers for granted. Your satisfaction is our number one goal.

     The concept will be farm to table using only the freshest ingredients when possible. With that goal in mind we will also strive to purchase organic products when possible. This will obviously be hampered by our geographic location in the Midwest, but again, when possible we will also strive for farm to table products. Delivering fresh products, made in an environmentally sustainable way, with a warm smile and appreciation is our axiom.

     The Staff and Management of The Food Dude Catering & Food Truck Company look forward to serving you and your guests and assisting you in creating an exciting and memorable catering event. There are numerous catering choices to choose from ranging from a drop off/pick up options to full catering options and everything in between. One of the more unique aspects of our catering is that once we have the food truck up and going, we will soon be able to bring our food truck to you or your place of business so that your guests can participate in the food truck experience. Please take your time when looking through the various options and levels of service. We here at The Food Dude aim to cater to everybody regardless of their budget.