Giovani, a Polytechnic High School senior, is graduating high school with a spatula in one hand and big dreams in the other.
He’s part of the Intuit Food Truck Program at his school in Los Angeles, CA. This free program provides students with hands-on business experience using an Intuit donated food truck, curriculum, grants, and Intuit’s QuickBooks Online and Mailchimp products. Through these resources, students learn to run their food truck like a real business. They develop essential accounting, marketing, and culinary skills to prepare them for future success, either working in the food industry or becoming entrepreneurs and starting their own business.
Giovani spends many after-school hours prepping, washing, taking inventory, and doing what it takes to keep the Poly Prime food truck running at his school. He’s fueled by a deep passion and a clear goal of opening his own restaurant one day.
Following in his father’s footsteps
Cooking is deeply rooted in family for Giovani. His dad is a former cook who’s helped open lots of restaurants. When he was a kid, he learned to cook in the kitchen alongside his father. When his dad’s health kept him from working, Giovani took over cooking for his family, and that’s where his passion grew. Now he’s learning everything he needs to run a restaurant and carry on his father’s legacy with Intuit’s free entrepreneurship resources.
“I’m following in his footsteps…he’s very proud and excited about what the future has for me,” Giovani shared. His father remains one of his biggest supporters, often visiting him while he’s working on the food truck. He’s a friendly face Giovani looks forward to seeing every time.
Rolling into opportunity with the Intuit food truck
Joining the Food Truck program changed everything for Giovani. Before it, he wasn’t sure if he should attend culinary school or college. Working on the food truck and learning how to run a business using the tools Intuit provides gave him real-world experience to help him make his decision.
“I’m not gonna lie. I was lost for a couple of years…I was indecisive. I didn’t know what to do,” Giovani said. “Then, I joined the culinary program, and the opportunities just kept on opening. And I just kept on taking them like this food truck.”
Life on and off the business on-wheels
Food truck life is a mix of hard work and a great learning experience. A typical day starts early, prepping food in the kitchen so you can quickly cook and serve customers at an event. Giovani helps get everything ready and loaded onto the truck before heading out.
The Poly Prime food truck also taught Giovani valuable skills beyond cooking. He says working on it improved his communication, patience, and ability to lead, all essential for running a successful business.
He’s even gotten a lesson in crisis management 101 through real-world challenges. For example, the cooking students at their school had to quickly remake all their ice cream sandwiches when the freezer broke right before an event. They got it done just in time for the next day.
And beyond these skills, the truck is a place for building deep, lasting friendships. “It’s been amazing…so many opportunities, so many experiences, memories made, friends made. Yeah, it’s been such an awesome experience,” he said.
What’s cooking in Giovani’s future?
After graduation, Giovani’s excited to go to culinary school and is considering The Institute of Culinary Education. He plans to gain experience at different restaurants. With the entrepreneurship skills he learned from the Intuit Food Truck program, he’s confident in his business abilities and dreams of opening a barbecue restaurant in California.
Giovani’s story shows how Intuit’s program, along with real-world experience, has inspired him to pursue his dream of opening his own restaurant. For him, the saying rings true: “If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.” From events to cooking to cleaning, he finds joy in every part of running the Poly Prime food truck. “This is what I love doing. This is what I’ve always loved doing, and this is what I want to continue to do,” he said. He looks forward to serving people, greeting them with a smile, and making sure they enjoy his food.
Drawing from the Intuit Food Truck program, family inspiration, and hard work, Giovani is building a culinary future and is ready to serve up success.
The Intuit Food Truck Program offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on culinary and entrepreneurial skills, just like it did for Giovani. To learn more about how Intuit supports student entrepreneurs or how to add your school to the program, please visit the Intuit Food Truck Program site. Let’s grow the next generation of innovators together!
