Chef TLC, also known as Tonya Lynn Coleman, grew up in a family of cooks and always loved to make food and serve others.
With 35 years in the food industry, Coleman decided to take a leap of faith and turned her talent of cooking into a passion project as a street chef. In 2018, Coleman started converting an old church bus into a food truck — or rather, food bus. Once completed, the newly renovated bus named “Faith” hit the streets in 2019, which Coleman used to help feed the homeless during the pandemic.
Today, Coleman drives her food bus through the community alongside co-owner Reginald Coleman, or Big R, who also has 35 years in the food industry. Together, the pair serve fresh, made-to-order meals during special events and through pop-ups, meal prep and catering. Their success has spread throughout the community, earning them the title of the 2022 Black Food Truck Battle Royale Champion at Melanin in May.
READ MORE: Minority Business Highlight: Tastys by Tasha
Chef TLC and the Faith Food Bus menu includes a range of soul food with Coleman’s unique and trendy twists, including the Indy Steak N Cheese, the Big R Burger with jalapenos, chicken wraps and melts, pulled pork and fried zucchini and sweet treats such as funnel fries.
Chef TLC and the Faith Food Bus are based out of Fishers, Indiana, but can be found around Indy at special events and festivals, like Melanin in May. For more information, visit cheftlcfoodbus.com. To get in contact, call 317-902-5570 or email cheftlc65@gmail.com.
This minority business highlight was composed by CHLOE McGOWAN at the Indianapolis Recorder, who can be reached at 317-762-7848 or via email at chloegm@indyrecorder.com. If you would like your business highlighted in the Indianapolis Minority Business Magazine, click here!