Hello! I'm Tyler Kilbourne, the Operational Supervisor of The Cluck Truck and the creative force behind Pete's Zza. My role involves supporting the chef in ensuring our culinary ship sails smoothly, all while crafting some delicious chicken dishes.
Cooking has been a part of my life since childhood, inspired by making chili beans with my
Hello! I'm Tyler Kilbourne, the Operational Supervisor of The Cluck Truck and the creative force behind Pete's Zza. My role involves supporting the chef in ensuring our culinary ship sails smoothly, all while crafting some delicious chicken dishes.
Cooking has been a part of my life since childhood, inspired by making chili beans with my dad and my mom's magical touch with food. Those memories and flavors planted the seeds of a lifelong love for creating in the kitchen.
What really drives me is the joy of service combined with a touch of imagination. I firmly believe that food isn't just sustenance; it's an experience that should surprise and delight.
Beyond the kitchen, I'm a bit of an idea enthusiast and a collector of hobbies. I'm also the proud creator of our website, overseeing the visuals and sound design that reflect the heart of Pete’s Zza. It's a project I've been daydreaming about for years, and now, thanks to Chef Nida's expertise, we get to bring those dreams to your plate.
Collaborating with Chef Micah, we've curated a menu that's set to blow everyone away. His talented hands and discerning taste buds ensure that each dish is a culinary masterpiece. Pete's Zza is a dream that's coming to life, and I can't wait to share it with you.
Creating a space that embraces community, family, and cuisine is at the forefront of my brainstorming for Pete's Zza. None of this would be possible without the support of a patient partner, a supportive Chef, and the ears attentive friends. A heartfelt thank you to all the vendors who are joining us in this exciting journey. The upcoming popup event promises to be an incredible experience, and I'm eagerly looking forward to the fun we're about to have.
Thank you for being a part of our flavorful journey.
Thank you all,
Tyler Kilbourne
My passion for cooking began when I was a child, helping my mother cook weeknight dinners. The first meal that truly inspired me was her ritz cracker baked chicken. An easy dish to make, but one that made my young mind become obsessed. I’ve always wanted to be a chef since then. Life had different plans for me, however, and I went on t
My passion for cooking began when I was a child, helping my mother cook weeknight dinners. The first meal that truly inspired me was her ritz cracker baked chicken. An easy dish to make, but one that made my young mind become obsessed. I’ve always wanted to be a chef since then. Life had different plans for me, however, and I went on to the University of Virginia’s College at Wise (‘17), where I received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Political Science, and a double minor in philosophy and pre-law. I then attended law school for two years. I was incredibly unhappy here. I knew this wasn’t my passion, and I was only doing this for a stable job with the incentive of steady income. One day, after sitting down in my Constitutional Law class, I decided that enough is enough. I gathered my things, and walked out; never looking back. After that, I spent several years soul searching, trying to find what I knew was going to truly make me happy. During this time, I started to get back into cooking as a hobby; something I had given up long ago to focus on my studies.
Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, I began having several of my friends on social media start reaching out, asking if I could prepare large meals to deliver to their family members who were unable to leave the house because of health issues, or fear of being exposed to COVID. As I continued doing this, requests for food continued to grow to the point where I was able to start offering weekly rotating meals, and eventually I stumbled my way into the catering scene. During this time, I realized this was what I was meant to do, so I decided to take the plunge and enroll in Auguste Escoffier's online culinary program.
Since then, I’ve grown substantially as a chef over the last three years, and I continue to learn every day. I now own, operate and head chef for my own food truck, The Cluck Truck, with the help of my sous chef, & operational director, (and the brains behind Pete’s Zza), Tyler Kilbourne, as well as the rest of my team. None of this would be possible without them!
This pop-up event is truly going to be something special because of the hard work Tyler has put into everything. We can’t wait to show you what the future has in store for the Cluck Truck.
Thank you for supporting us, and allowing us to bring our creativity to southwest Virginia, and East TN.
Keep on Cluckin’ in the free world,
- Chef Micah Nida