Franco and Rachel Floro have brought a passion for business — and their nonna’s secret sauce — to Oak Flats. Photo: Brunch Cartel.
Who are you?
We are Franco and Rachel Floro. We launched Brunch Cartel on April 22 this year. From the idea to open doors it was four months and 16 days.
Right now, we both wear a lot of hats, from marketing to cooking and accounting. We also homeschool our children, so things are hectic. We’re up at 4 am for a 5 am start.
Ultimately, we’re chasing freedom, and we hope to build a brand that will give us that. That’s why we’re so particular about what we serve, how we serve and the vibe when people visit. We like to slow things down, let people enjoy the whole experience, so hopefully it brings them and their friends and families back.
What is Brunch Cartel, and how did it begin?
We’re a food truck on a permanent site in Oak Flats. The Brunch Cartel concept is simple: staples from home brought to the streets. We serve gourmet breakfast and lunch sandwiches; they’re generous, delicious and affordable. We also do loaded fries, canned iced coffees, shakes and juices.
We get our artisan bread baked fresh daily. It takes 40 hours to cure before you can bake it. And we only use the best quality cold cuts, schnitzels and cheeses for our fillings. We believe you get what you pay for.
We’re open from 5:30 am with a full menu. I don’t know of anywhere else you can get a meatball or schnitty sandwich or loaded fries at 5:30 in the morning.
Satisfying, delicious and affordable, “The Farm” is Brunch Cartel’s best seller. Photo: Brunch Cartel.
How should food be enjoyed at Brunch Cartel?
You can take away if you want, but we have a few retro-style tables around the truck and milk crates for people to sit on. One Saturday, we had a firepit and marshmallows for kids to roast, which they loved. We love when people hang out. It’s a very casual atmosphere. I’ve seen people come and take a seat and do interviews or have casual meetings there.
What’s the signature dish on your menu?
Most of our sandwiches are named after local beaches and our best seller is named after our favourite local beach – The Farm.
The Farm has a 180g chicken schnitzel, sopresso salami, pastrami, prosciutto, roasted peppers, sweet carrots marinated in local honey and a house-made herb mayo. All in all it’s a 600g sandwich — so you see what I mean by generous.
What’s your personal favourite item on the menu?
It would have to be the meatballs. The sauce is my nonna’s recipe. It’s a Neapolitan sauce slow-cooked for four hours. Nonna would be about 107 today, so that recipe has been a staple in my home for many years, passed down through generations. I’m half Italian, half Portuguese, and I married a beautiful Australian woman. I asked her if we could learn to make the sauce together, and we did. For the sandwich, we added the meatballs and mozzarella cheese. It’s simple, full of flavour and so delicious.
What’s next for Brunch Cartel?
We want to grow Brunch Cartel and get it running like a well-oiled machine. We purchased a second van and we have our eyes on catering at festivals — folk, car, bike, you name it — and at recurring markets in Kiama, Gerringong and beyond. It’s probably a two-year plan, but the wheels are very much in motion.
Not your average roadside loaded fries. Photo: Brunch Cartel.
What are your top tips for at-home cooks — the tricks you use at home to make things yummy?
I had no hospitality experience coming into this. Something I learned a long time ago — always taste your food before you serve it. Take a step back, slow things down, do it once and do it right.
Who is your biggest culinary influence?
My family – we always had tables of different types of food from cod fish to meatballs, crumbed cauliflower, pastas — you name it, we had it. Having two different backgrounds, I was able to experience a world of different tastes, which were simple and effective.
I love learning new skills and figuring out how to make a business work. My focus is on making Brunch Cartel run efficiently and to build it into a brand that’s known for satisfying food at affordable prices.
Are there any Illawarra hospitality venues that have inspired you, are a go-to for weeknights or even special occasions?
We rarely go out anymore, but recently we went to Napoli Pizza in Wollongong. I enjoyed watching the authenticity and mature cooks in the kitchen. I actually took time to speak with Corado who was at the front cooking up the beautiful pizzas. He has been there for a long time and inspires us.
Brunch Cartel is open at 118 Industrial Road, Oak Flats from 5:30 am to 2 pm Monday to Friday, and pops up occasionally on Saturday. There’s plenty of parking on-site for all-sized rigs, including trucks. Follow Brunch Cartel on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
