Culinary School training boosts food truck entrepreneur’s success

May 26, 2026

Something about the sweet-and-spicy smoke from real-deal barbecue has a way of stopping people in their tracks. It draws first-timers and loyal regulars alike to the bright red food truck, Uncle B’s Kitchen, no matter where Chef Bryant Thomas fires up the grill.

And the inaugural Dock Fish Dogs Festival on May 9 at Dogfish Brewery in Milton was no exception.

The Delmarva Dock Dogs competition paired Dogfish brews with food trucks — including Uncle B’s — along with vendors and plenty of canine enthusiasm to draw a crowd of dog lovers looking for a good time. While the high-flying diving dogs took center stage — or more accurately, center pool — festival-goers were just as eager to get a taste of Sussex County-style barbecue.

Uncle B, better known as Bryant Thomas, brings more than smoked meats and homemade sides to the table. His rubs, sauces, and cooking style are all his own — carefully crafted and closely guarded. And while his trademark smile is every bit as big as his 6-foot-6 frame, don’t expect him to hand over the recipes behind those signature flavors.

A Delaware native with deep roots in Belltown, just west of Lewes, Thomas is the chef and entrepreneur behind Uncle B’s Kitchen — though barbecue wasn’t his first career. Before launching the food truck, he spent years as a truck driver. His first culinary lessons came much earlier, though, in family kitchens with his mother, grandmother, and aunties, all of whom could cook. As a child, he joked, he was mostly recruited “for the grunt work.”

As an adult, Thomas sharpened his barbecue skills into a side hustle and eventually decided to strengthen his professional training by enrolling in the Food Bank of Delaware’s Culinary School in Milford.

The 14-week program, certified by the Delaware Department of Education, prepares students for careers in food service through 420 hours of hands-on training and work experience. Under the guidance of chef instructors, students receive uniforms, job placement services, and a paid two-week work experience. Tuition and supplies are covered through scholarships and grants.

“I tell people all the time — it’s a free program,” Thomas said while keeping a close eye on wings sizzling on the grill.

Even while growing his business, Thomas keeps in touch with Chef Tish Badamshin, one of his instructors. She praises not only the skills he brought to class, but also his willingness to learn how to do things professionally.

“Bryant was always humble enough to accept criticism and to change the way he did things,” she said.

His reputation grew quickly after he was invited to cook for Dogfish employees at a company event right after the COVID-19 pandemic. To say the meal was a hit might be the understatement of the year. Before long, invitations — and customers — kept rolling in.

These days, barbecue season never really ends for Uncle B. With two grills — Big Dog at the Dock Dogs festival and Big Cheryl back home — Thomas keeps the charcoal hot year-round for private parties, weddings, funeral repasts, birthdays, and community events.

“I’m good to go,” he said with a grin.

He regularly volunteers in the Milford kitchen, mentoring students and bringing his talents to fundraising events such as Mission in Motion in Newark on Friday, June 12 and Farmer and the Chef in Milford on Sept. 24.

Chef Tish also praised Bryant’s willingness to lend a hand whenever she reaches out and his schedule permits.

“He is a great mentor, and he also helps students see what success looks like when you’re willing to work,” she said.

And if you’re hoping to track down Uncle B’s Kitchen for your next event, Thomas keeps it simple.

To schedule Uncle B’s Kitchen, call or text 302-344-5808.

“That’s a public line,” he said. “That’s how you get up with me.”