Bolingo Ashay Makes the World a Better Place

A quote by Bolingo Ashay

If you want to know anything about Bolingo Ashay, look no farther than his food. Vibrant and vegan, his comfort food truck does much more than just nourish the body.  You wouldn’t know it now, but veganism and food trucks have not always been a sure bet to create a business around. Five years ago, not as many people wanted to be vegan. Starting out as a pop-up stand comprised of a tent, a camper, and a few tables, Ashay could have wavered from his mission to provide a healthier alternative to the community he cares about. Yet, the inception of this whole business, a monthly Sunday night vegan dinner with his neighborhood in New Iberia, engrained in Bolingo the confidence that the food will always shine through. He was unknowingly doing market research every month, and once he realized, he never looked back.

Froman oyster mushroom “Better Than Popeye’s” sandwich to a sea moss and soursop smoothie, Ashay aimed to holistically sustain his community. This simple goal has attracted people from all walks of life, and he sees it as his responsibility to reciprocate the open-mindedness of people eating his food. Ashay may have not anticipated having conversations with rabbis about the health and wellness aspects of the Torah, but that is part of his responsibility, “I got all different types of people eating this food, so maybe I need to be a bit open to what everyone else is doing.” This mindset, taking nearly every instance as an opportunity to learn, is what propelled him to the success he has now.

Oyster mushroom “Better Than Popeye’s” sandwich from Original Thought Nola

Ashay’s parents did not give him a large loan, he did not have the type of credit to be able to jump right into running a brick and mortar restaurant, but he sees these obstacles as vital for his business education. He was physically unable to get ahead of himself and realizing this made him all the more patient. Now, Ashay sees himself as a conduit of this information for the future business owners in his community. He may wish he was taught some business and finance principles, nonetheless, Ashay has learned them through experience. All he wants to do is make it easier for the generation following him. Asked about this epiphany, when he knew he needed to be more than just a chef, a business owner, a father, but a teacher, Ashay said, “Honestly, it’s still happening, still going on right now as we speak.” We could all aspire to think more like Bolingo.