Ever since the Gypsy High-End Eatables and Desserts food truck opened in January, it’s been slammed, said business partners Jake Waters and Stephanie Wigger. Wigger, the chef, is known for her gourmet food and delicious cakes, but their quick success is the result of three important factors.
First, what they call “high-end eatables,” like beef bourguignon, chicken marsala and chicken Dijonnaise — unusual fare for a food truck.
Second, fabulous cake. Wigger is armed with her grandmother’s cake recipes.
And lastly, location, location, location.
“We are in the parking lot of a marijuana dispensary and that helps immensely,” Wigger said. “People who like marijuana like cake. I am having to stay up late to bake cakes and we sell out. Again.”
Chef crafts about a dozen flavors a week
The Gypsy's location, next to Revival 98 Dispensary, was no accident.
Wigger is a restaurant veteran and this is a second career for Waters; both of them were driven by the desire to be their own boss. They sell cake by the slice and had originally intended to offer whole cakes, but they can’t keep up with demand, he said. If someone wants to order a whole cake, they need one-week advance notice.
The most popular flavors are triple chocolate truffle, German chocolate and carrot cake, but Wigger crafts about a dozen flavors a week, along with brownies and cookies.
“We just witnessed what looked like a grandma drop her grandchild off at the dispensary and then grandma came over to buy cake,” Waters said.
Raised near St. Louis, reconnected in Springfield
Both Waters and Wigger were raised in Saint Francois County south of St. Louis, and Wigger went to high school with Waters’ brother. Years later, they ran into each other at a gas station in Springfield, reconnected and became friends.
Growing up, Wigger was raised on a family farm with their land bordering other family members' farms, including their grandparents. Everyone would gather at Grandma’s for dinner.
“On a farm, you can work outside or you can work in the kitchen. I don’t like the cold, so I stayed in,” Wigger said.
Her grandmother had a huge farm table and it was common for 25 to 30 family members to eat together daily. Wigger’s grandmother taught her how to bake and she uses her grandmother’s pots and pans in the food truck.
“Stephanie has a motherly instinct,” Waters said. “Her goal is to wake up and feed people. That is what makes her happy.”
Wigger’s father was German and her mom has French heritage, so she learned both cuisines.
A lifelong passion for food
Wigger has a long history in the restaurant industry. Her ex, Joe Nakato, opened Nakato Japanese Steakhouse in 1995, which is where she learned about the restaurant business. She would later go on to become a restaurant consultant and help open other restaurants in Springfield.
Wigger has owned three other food trucks over the years, starting in 2010, and a brick-and-mortar, Farm Fresh Steakhouse and Bakery, that debuted in Highlandville and then moved to Nixa before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The idea behind that restaurant was it was a farm-to-table establishment. Wigger owned her own cattle, which would become steaks for the menu. When COVID-19 hit, meat processing plants were closed and she had to source the meat elsewhere at a much higher price. It destroyed the business model and she closed in 2022.
Wigger says she never wants to own a brick-and-mortar restaurant again, so a food truck was a perfect solution. It has lower overhead and less risk.
Waters was an environmental scientist for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for 14 years. He longed for a change in careers and in the summer of 2023, they started talking about the idea of opening a food truck together.
Brunch has been popular; pop-up German dinners are a possibility
The business name has a double meaning. It’s partially named after her horse, a Gypsy Vanner. That large breed of horse used to pull royal carriages in England. The business is also named for her many stints in the restaurant industry in Springfield, making her a 417 gypsy.
“Stephanie is in charge of the kitchen, and I am delivery, finance, all the bits and pieces,” Waters said. “We work well together.”
They offer brunch on Saturdays, which has been incredibly popular. Their self-named “loaded omwich” has been a big seller. It’s an omelet with caramelized onions, peppers, mushrooms, bacon, sausage and five cheeses grilled between two slices of artisan bread on a panini press. Basically, omelet meets gourmet grilled cheese sandwich.
You’ll also find homemade biscuits and gravy on the menu on Saturday mornings.
In the works is a pop-up German dinner. When Wigger owned her Nixa restaurant, she had a Thursday German night and many former customers are asking for it again. They’re looking for a location to host it.
‘Our food is infused with love'
The Gypsy is closed on Sundays at this point, but that may change. Right now, they are trying to figure out what’s the slowest day but have been so busy, they haven’t had a lot of downtime. Wigger needs a day off to bake more cake and keep customers satisfied.
Waters said they have a business card that says, “Our food is infused with love. That is what makes it taste so good.”
So far Springfield is showing them love back and they’re having a great time.
“Being your own boss is worth the world,” Waters said.
Find it: The Gypsy High-End Eatables and Dessert, 2782 W. Republic Road, Springfield; follow them on Facebook
