This RI Man is Helping Feed Those in Need One Potato at a Time
Sunday, November 28, 2021
Mike McAteer didn’t always plan on opening a food truck — but then the pandemic hit.
So, the Cranston resident envisioned the concept for extra-large, gourmet stuffed potatoes, and opened the now-popular “The Hot Potato.”
With all his success, however, McAteer manages to give back to those less fortunate.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTOn a cold November afternoon, McAteer’s truck was spotted outside of Crossroads homeless shelter in Providence, giving away extra hot potatoes.
“Basically I always cook more than I need,” said McAteer. “If I’m doing an event, I’ll usually make 50, maybe 70 more than I need. Some might say it’s a food cost ‘loss,’ but I don’t mind.”
Most days, says McAteer, with the extra potatoes he has, he’ll go to Crossroads, or Kennedy Plaza, and simply hand out what’s been cooked but he hasn’t sold.
For McAteer, it’s part of a commitment to buying local — and making fresh food.
Really, really good food.
McAteer’s Story
“I’ve been in the restaurant business for thirty-five years — then the pandemic hit, and I just tried to keep going,” said McAteer. “So I invested all my savings in a food truck.”
“I wanted to come up with a concept that hadn’t been done locally. I know of hot potato trucks in other states, such as Georgia, and North Carolina,” said McAteer in coming up with “The Hot Potato.”
And these just aren’t any potatoes.
“It’s a ‘meal in a peel.” Everything is made from scratch. I’ll do such things as a shrimp scampi potato, and in the winter, a Shepard’s pie potato, and a Yankee pot roast,” said McAteer of some of the offerings.
“And I don’t use anything that’s not from New England. I try to stay just in Rhode Island,” said McAteer, who said he gets most of his food from Roch’s Fresh Foods, and if he uses bread for sandwiches, he’ll use Borrelli’s Bakery.
“I’m a little guy and I want to help the little guys,” said McAteer.
For McAteer, who had been in brick-and-mortar establishments, he is enjoying the freedom of a food truck has given him.
“I was self-taught [cooking], and I’ve been in the bar and restaurant doing everything from managing small mom and pop restaurants, to corporate, to owning my own -- Pastabilities -- in Cranston,” said McAteer. “The food truck, I like it. Now I can go to different places, such as Bristol for the night for the firemans’ time, or Goddard Park for the Brown Surgical [Associates] picnic.”
With his commitment to giving back to the community, McAteer said he is going to do a fundraiser this December to get more free hot potatoes in the hands of those who might need them.
“I’m doing to do a food truck event, where every potato I sell, I’ll give one away the week before Christmas — stay tuned,” said McAteer. “We’ll also take donations if someone doesn’t want the food, they can write out a check to our LLC.”
McAteer already has a busy 2022 planned for The Hot Potato — and more.
“I’m planning on opening another food truck next year,” said McAteer.
Stay tuned.
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