Video Credit: Mufaddal Baquri
Danial Quettawala is an aspiring entrepreneur and the proud owner of a food-truck business in Sydney. While pursuing his Civil Engineering degree, he spends his free hours delighting customers with his signature cheese-steak buns. In this blog, he shares the story behind starting his business, his experiences on the road, and where he wants to take the business in the future.
I started my food-truck at 18 with a lot more enthusiasm than experience. A year later, I had burned my hands — literally — and nearly burned out. But, I also set up a business that now runs like clockwork: a food truck serving lipsmacking meals in Sydney.
As Dawoodi Bohras, my friends and I often gathered for community events and social visits, where our conversations frequently turned to business ideas. By the time I graduated high school in 2022, I wanted to turn those ideas into action. A gap year before university seemed like the perfect window to do it without the onus of full-time study. So when I started thinking seriously about what kind of business I could run, the idea came from home.
The birth of an idea
My mother is an exceptional cook and baker. Though I had little kitchen experience, she filled that gap. Opening a restaurant was far beyond my budget, but a food truck seemed like a more accessible entry point, especially in the midst of Sydney’s booming street food culture.
The plan was set, but the elephant in the room needed to be addressed: where would I find the funding. I was fortunate to secure an interest-free loan through my community’s Qardan Hasana scheme. That, combined with my own savings, enabled me to commission a custom trailer. The process was far from smooth. Delays, licensing hurdles, and unexpected costs kept piling up. But with university and repayments looming, I had to keep pushing forward.
I’ll be honest: balancing this with a Civil Engineering degree hasn’t been easy. My social life has taken a back seat, but I see it as a short-term sacrifice for long-term gain.
Opening day: A rude awakening
I thought I was ready. I wasn’t.
Within the first hour, I was a bundle of nerves. I didn’t have systems in place, I was missing equipment I didn’t know I needed, and orders piled up. Food burned. Customers waited. I burned my own hands. By the end of the day, I was overwhelmed and realised it’s going to be a steep road ahead.
Finding my footing
That first day taught me the most important lesson in running a business: no preparation can be enough. I realised what people mean when they say it’s always in the small details. Though I had a patchy start, I knew quitting was never an option. I learnt on the go and day by day, things did start to improve. My mother’s recipes became the foundation of our menu, and we fine-tuned the prep and service. Gradually, the same faces started coming back — some just pulled up and asked for the usual.
Six months in, we had a steady clientele and a string of glowing Google reviews. I realised the cheese-steak buns were going through the roof. So, we decided to pivot and make that our USP. By the one-year mark, we were turning a loyal base, an excellent rating and a real profit. That’s when it dawned on me: this is working.
The badminton group
One evening, a group of about 15 friends who played badminton nearby came by one evening and loved the food.
For their first few visits, I would see a line of cars fill the car park all at once — and I’d brace myself. It was a mix of anxiety at the job ahead and excitement for the orders to come. They were incredibly friendly, always laughing as they ordered. Over time, coming to my truck became part of their weekly ritual.
Back then, their orders were almost unmanageable for one worker in a small trailer. Today, with an upgraded setup and help alongside me on each shift, we can serve them quickly, sometimes surprising them. They still joke about the long waits in the early days, and every time I see them, I’m reminded of how far we’ve come.
The daily chaos
Even as things improved, something always went wrong: strong winds knocking over outdoor seating, gas running out mid-shift, keys getting jammed in the trailer door just before opening, or discovering spoiled produce and scrambling to rewrite the menu on the spot.
Those moments taught me valuable skills: how to stay calm, assess options, and improvise under pressure.
The highs make all the chaos worth it — setting sales records, hearing customers leave happy, and even watching people enjoy the remnants of sauce from their box.
Progress is often invisible day to day, but remarkable when you zoom out.
Advice for young entrepreneurs
Don’t wait to feel ready. Nobody starts with everything figured out. The earlier you begin, the more time you have to make mistakes, learn, and try again.
In the long run, I hope to explore opportunities in Australia’s booming construction industry and maybe even establish a business in that space.
Even though I started this business as a solo venture, its success is the sum of all the support I’ve received. Many people work harder than I do and still face setbacks beyond their control. I’ve seen firsthand how much success depends on support. I’m deeply grateful for the unwavering support of my community, the love of my family, and the opportunities that made this possible.
