From Van Nuys to NBA All-Star Weekend: The FryDay Food Truck Origin Story

Every great LA story starts somewhere humble, and the FryDay food truck in Van Nuys is no exception. We didn't roll onto an NBA All-Star Weekend stage overnight. We started with a simple idea, a love of bold flavor, and a belief that the San Fernando Valley deserved loaded fries worth lining up for. Founded on the Fourth of July, 2019, by Theophilos "Theo" Okuribido, FryDay was built from the ground up right here in Van Nuys.

This is the story of how a neighborhood food truck became one of LA's most-requested caterers, and why we never forget where it all began.

It Started in Van Nuys

The heart of FryDay has always been Van Nuys. The FryDay food truck in Van Nuys wasn't chasing a trend when it launched. We just wanted to make something honest and delicious: gourmet loaded french fries topped with globally-inspired flavors that reflect the beautiful mix of cultures across Los Angeles.

Van Nuys is a working neighborhood with deep roots and a lot of pride, and that energy shaped who we are. We learned the business one event at a time, serving block parties, backyard birthdays, and local gatherings across the San Fernando Valley. We figured out what crowds craved, refined our recipes, and built a reputation the only way that lasts: by showing up and serving food people couldn't stop talking about.

That early grind taught us our core value. Food brings people together. It didn't matter if we were parked in Van Nuys, Panorama City, or out toward Burbank and Glendale. The reaction was the same. People gathered, ate, and smiled.

From Local Truck to LA's Biggest Stages

Word travels fast in this city. What started as a neighborhood favorite grew into something bigger than we imagined. Before long, the FryDay food truck from Van Nuys was getting calls for some of the most exciting events in Los Angeles.

We served fans at NBA All-Star Weekend, one of the biggest sports celebrations the city has ever hosted. We fed the crowds at the LA Dodgers Divisional Playoffs, where the energy was electric and the loaded fries flowed all game long. We brought our flavors to the BET Fan Experience, partnered up with the LA Galaxy, and rolled onto campus to feed Bruins at UCLA. We've even served students and staff across LAUSD school events.

Each of those moments still feels surreal. But the truth is, the same Nashville Hot Chicken Loaded Fries we served at a Van Nuys block party are the ones we served at All-Star Weekend. We didn't change who we are to play on bigger stages. We just brought the Valley with us.

The Flavors That Carried Us Here

You don't get invited back to events like these on hype alone. The food has to deliver. Our menu is built on bold, globally-inspired loaded fries that turn first-timers into regulars.

Our Nashville Hot Chicken Loaded Fries bring the heat that put us on the map. The Caribbean Jerk Loaded Fries carry smoky island flavor that stops people mid-bite. Our Mango Habanero Loaded Fries balance sweet and spicy in a way that's become a FryDay signature, and the BBQ Bacon Loaded Fries are the comfort-food anchor that wins over any crowd. Those four flavors have traveled from Van Nuys to some of the biggest stages in LA, and they still taste like home.

Still a Valley Truck at Heart

Even as we've grown into private event catering and a ghost kitchen for online orders, we've never lost sight of where we come from. The FryDay food truck in Van Nuys is still the soul of this whole operation. We're proud to be a Valley business, proud of our LA roots, and proud to serve the diverse communities that made us who we are.

From corporate catering in Burbank to weddings in the San Fernando Valley, from quinceañeras to game-day crowds, we bring the same heart to every event. That's the FryDay promise, and it was forged on the streets of Van Nuys.

Growing Into a Ghost Kitchen Without Losing the Soul

As demand grew, we expanded the FryDay food truck in Van Nuys into something more. We opened a ghost kitchen so Angelenos could order our loaded fries online without waiting to catch the truck at an event. It was a big step, the kind of move that can pull a small business away from its roots if you're not careful. We made sure it didn't.

The ghost kitchen runs on the same recipes, the same standards, and the same obsession with bold flavor that we built in those early Van Nuys days. Whether you're catching us at a block party in the Valley, booking us for a wedding in Glendale, or ordering online from your couch, you're getting the real FryDay. That consistency is something we guard closely, because it's the whole reason people kept coming back in the first place.

Why Our LA Roots Still Matter

Los Angeles is a city of dreamers and hustlers, and the food scene reflects that. New trucks come and go. What's kept FryDay rolling is the community that adopted us. The regulars who tracked our location every week, the families who booked us for milestone events, the neighborhoods across the San Fernando Valley, Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadena that showed us love before anyone outside the Valley knew our name.

We carry that gratitude into every event. When we served NBA All-Star Weekend or fed the crowds at the LA Dodgers Divisional Playoffs, we weren't just a vendor at a big game. We were a Van Nuys truck representing our whole community on a national stage. That pride is baked into everything we do, and it always will be.

So that's our origin story: a Van Nuys dream that grew into an LA staple, built on bold flavor and a love of people. The FryDay food truck in Van Nuys is still rolling, still serving, and still hungry to be part of your next celebration.

Ready to bring FryDay to your next event? Visit frydayeats.com/catering or call us at 818-930-0072.