Inverness food trailer Michael’s Cuisine opens new chapter with Nessie’s Lunchbox rebrand
A long-standing fixture of the Inverness street food scene has opened a new chapter.
Michael's Cuisine, which has been tempting people with its tasty hot food in the Telford Retail Park for almost 20 years recently took delivery of a brand new replacement food trailer.
And, to coincide with the new equipment, it's had a facelift too - rebranding to Nessie's Lunchbox after running a competition among its customers for ideas for a new brand identity and logo.
But, while it's all change on the looks front, longstanding fans of the food trailer's burgers, curries and ever-popular Scoobie Snacks at its base in the Go Outdoors car park will find them all still on the menu.
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For business owner Douglas Rodgers, the new trailer and look is the latest chapter in a successful business which has became something of a landmark in the retail park since it served its first customers 18 long years ago.
He said: “Everybody is delighted with it, especially the customers. We’ve created a wee landmark here.”
He added that a lot had changed in 18 years, with many of the businesses which were once present in the buildings immediately around the retail park have moved elsewhere - like B&Q - or closed down and been replaced by new, such as Sterling furniture.
But two constants in that time have been his food trailer and his team, with one of the cooks - Ann Maclennan - having been serving hot food to their loyal customers since 2010.
“We’ve seen some changes,” he continued. “Go Outdoors used to be MFI, over there was a Sterling, B&Q as well over there. It’s all change, but one lady [Ann] has been here with us since 2010. She's been with us a long time and I'd be lost without her [and the other staff].”
He said other reasons for the business’s longevity have been the tasty food on the menu, and the many loyal customers who keep on coming back and have helped it to weather everything from the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown to the cost-of-living crisis.
“Our customer base is always pretty good - even on days like today on the quieter days such as the last day of the month before everybody gets paid.”
Ann agreed: “We have good banter and good rapport with them.”
The food that has brought people back time and again has also stood the test of time.
Ann said that popular items on the menu included the ever popular Scoobie Snacks, the chicken curry, and “most of all, the burgers”.
And, despite the rebrand to Nessie’s Lunchbox, the popular menu is going nowhere, and may even have a few added to it - with Douglas suggesting items like Nessie’s Veggies, vegetarian burger options themed along the new name.
Speaking of the new name, the person whose Nessie’s Lunchbox suggestion won the company’s competition on its Facebook page was Aileen Taylor, who won a tasty free lunch.
It now adorns the new custom-built food trailer, which Douglas and his team are also delighted with.
Douglas’s daughter, Lucy said they were delighted with the work of Drew Murray at Catering Trailers Scotland in Motherwell in creating their new trailer.
And it looks like Catering Trailers’ work will soon be spotted at another location elsewhere in the north.
Lucy explained: “I have discovered that Catering Trailers Scotland are also making a trailer for a friend of mine in Kinlochbervie. Her name is Jennifer Ross and she is opening a business called Loch Clash Larder.”
