Popular Kamloops food truck says ‘ciao’ after more than a decade in business

KAMLOOPS — In many ways, it was just like any other service for the Eats Amore food truck on Saturday (Oct. 14).

Mike Wheeler-Johnson takes the orders, chatting up customers like he’s known them for years (chances are he has).

Inside, Natalie Basille lovingly crafts homemade pasta and delicious sandwiches for hungry customers.

However, there was one big difference. Saturday was the final service for Eats Amore, as Mikey and Nat have decided it’s time to move on from the business they’ve been pouring their hearts and souls into for the past eleven years.

“Despite working harder and trying other avenues of business, with margins being razor-thin and prices coming up, we’re just kind of being squeezed out,” Wheeler-Johnson explains. “Before we get totally squeezed out, we kind of want to leave on a high note.”

Their approach to business has been successful in garnering a loyal customer base, who keeps coming back for those special extras that the duo provides.

“Oh my gosh, the warm welcome that they give you every time, talking to Mikey and Natalie, and of course, the food! The food doesn’t get any better than this.”

“Once a week?” one diner queries another when asked how often they visit.

“Maybe not once a week,” comes the answer. “But whenever we can peel out of work and catch them for lunch. Quite often.”

“Definitely in the double digits,” her partner adds. “[Eats Amore] even catered their wedding,” says the fourth in the group. “Yeah, they catered our wedding in August of this year,” the other diner explains. “So yeah, they’re really important to us.”

It’ll be a transition for the pair. Owning and operating a food truck isn’t a job you take on casually. Mikey has a new job lined up, while Nat will take care of selling the truck to the next passionate business owner.

“I’ve spent a lot of time in here,” Nat explains. “That’s the most exciting thing about the future is, yeah, I’m ready to spend some time in other places.”

And while they’re looking forward to the future, there’s no doubt what they’ll miss the most.

“Definitely going to miss all the people,” Natalie says, as the emotions start flooding in. “But we’re going to see them! We’re going to see them.”

She adds, “It’s so incredible, you know, in this economy, and this Patricia I say — instead of pandemic – I mean we’re pretty much over it, but even all throughout COVID, all the support before and after it, right. Money is tight for a lot of people, but they would show up and we’d get to feed them… I’m going to miss that, going to miss that the most, for sure.”

While there was sadness on Saturday, there was also joy for that one last taste of the familiar favourites that brought smiles to so many faces.