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Laura Daab

Meet Laura Daab of Bikini Panini

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Daab.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Bikini Panini is Richmond, Virginia’s popular food truck, serving a delicious variety of grilled and pressed sandwiches, paella and ratatouille entrees, homemade soups, fresh-baked goods, and ice cream. Taste the sunshine!

We’re available for lunch, dinner, festivals, corporate events, private parties, brewery & winery events, farmers’ markets, construction sites, or any other food truck needs you might have!

I am Laura Daab, the Chef/Owner of Bikini Panini food truck, and have been an avid cook most of my life. My favorite memories come from the yellow kitchen in my childhood home where my mom cooked and baked constantly. Learning from her and inspired by my favorite cuisine, I focus on Coastal Mediterranean cooking that incorporates lots of fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients.

Starting Bikini Panini was an unplanned opportunity and reinvention for me. My degree is in Marketing Communications, and I was a theatrical producer for 20 years with a company I owned with my husband, Jim. The Great Recession hit us hard, and we shut our doors 5 years ago. I struggled to find a full-time, corporate job so I freelanced as a house painter, Marketing/PR Manager for a local theatre company, and worked on a frozen yogurt truck for a while.
One day, Jim drove by an auto auction near our house in Church Hill and saw a food truck being cleaned up for sale. We bid on the truck and won! It’s a cute little step van that was repossessed from a Panini business in DC. “Why reinvent the wheel?’ I thought, so I spent the next 3 months fixing up the truck and developing my menu that, along with 5 different Panini sandwiches, includes Paella, Ratatouille with Curried Couscous, and assorted baked goods, ice cream, and Italian Ices. I recently added a Kid’s menu that includes a Grilled Cheese Panini and a Breakfast menu with a Spanish Torta, Breakfast Panini, and other goodies!

I’ve been in business since January of 2017 and have done very well. It’s challenging, rewarding, tiring, gratifying, and glorious! I belong to the Richmond Food Truck Association, and I work pretty much all over the Metro Richmond Area. You can find Bikini Panini at breweries and wineries, corporate lunches, street festivals, block parties, fundraisers, private events, weddings…pretty much any kind of event that needs mobile food.
I’m working at what I love and have learned there is always time for another adventure and a challenge to reinvent oneself! Give me a call at 804-221-0492 to plan your next event with Bikini Panini. Cheers!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No. The COVID pandemic was difficult, but we worked through it better than restaurants did. Had physical work, long hours, and extreme heat and cold. Constant mechanical maintenance and various breakdowns. Treacherous road conditions.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Please see the section on Our Story.

I have a background in Hospitality, Entertainment, Marketing, and Public Relations. I have a theatre/performing background and was a theatrical producer before running my truck. My BA is in Marketing Communications and I have worked in the advertising and publishing industry.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Work on a food truck for at least 6 months to a year to learn about the business and to see if it is something you could do, or would like to pursue on your own.

Contact Info:

Assorted food items including cheese, meats, pickles, and fried chicken on a table with checkered paper baskets and vegetables.

Food truck advertising a sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and grilled bread, and a sign reading 'Bikini Panini' with 'Taste the sunshine!'

Large pan of cooked rice with vegetables and meat, including carrots, peas, and corn, on a stovetop.

Close-up of a vegetable dish with zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, and fresh herbs, garnished with basil and cilantro leaves.

Food truck parked in a lot with a building and trees in the background, under a blue sky with clouds.

Plate with tortilla chips, guacamole, sour cream, and a dark meat dish, on a speckled countertop.

Stacked sandwich with ham, cheese, and olives, served with fries and a pickle spear in the background.

Grilled sandwich with meat, vegetables, and melted cheese, served with pickles, shredded cheese, and a side of fries on checkered paper.

Portrait of a smiling woman with long, curly gray hair, wearing hoop earrings, in a cozy room with artwork on the wall.

Assorted snacks on a red plate including cheese, crackers, cured meat, and a bowl of mixed olives.

Man serving food from large trays at an outdoor event, with people in the background, a fence, and a colorful backdrop.

Food truck with colorful images of sandwiches and a sun logo parked on a street with trees and houses nearby.

Bright sun icon above yellow text reading 'Bikini Panini' and purple text 'Taste the sunshine!'.

Person standing inside a food truck with a blue menu board outside, serving food outdoors.

Two people in a food truck kitchen, smiling, holding a tray of food, with kitchen equipment in the background.

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