Family-Run Food Truck Opens on Odessa Farm for Three Days a Week

Jessica Tomlinson spent years cooking in professional kitchens before deciding her first restaurant would sit on a farm. Whizk & Brew, the food truck she runs with her husband Lance and daughter Zoey, is now a permanent fixture at Raprager Family Farms in Odessa.

The family works the operation together. Lance handles supply runs and refrigerator stocking, while Zoey manages the dining room and works with customers. "This is my wife's dream," Lance said, "so I don't mind working my Saturdays for free."

Tomlinson's path to the farm kitchen runs through a culinary arts degree from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Her resume includes stints at Spiaggia, The Bristol, Ford's Garage, and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. She traces her interest in food to a risotto dish she ate when she was 17 years old.

The menu focuses on what Tomlinson calls "newstalgic" food: familiar dishes with modern adjustments. The Southwest Bowl combines pulled chicken, chorizo, crispy potatoes, pico de gallo, and Green Gringo dressing. The Sticky Chicken Bites arrive tossed in chipotle honey buffalo sauce with fries and housemade ranch. Other listed items include a double-patty smash burger, Bacon Scallion Mac and Cheese, and Brisket & Frites.

For visitors moving between farm attractions, the truck sells pretzel bites, nachos, and a Burnt End Sandwich. Beer and wine are on the menu. Weekend mornings start earlier, with a Birria Brisket Burrito, Zoey's Pancakes, and an Egg Sammy made with egg, Havarti, bacon jam, arugula, and charred scallion cream cheese on a toasted potato bun.

The location at 16907 Boy Scout Road keeps specific hours throughout the week. Friday service runs 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday service runs 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The operation is open Friday through Sunday. Customers can view the menu at rapragerfarm.com/restaurant.

Tomlinson said customer feedback so far has focused on the setting and the food. She said people respond to dishes that are familiar but with a slight change. "We're excited to see where this journey here on the farm takes us," she said.