{"id":39423,"date":"2024-09-11T09:19:22","date_gmt":"2024-09-11T13:19:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/?p=39423"},"modified":"2024-09-11T09:24:56","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T13:24:56","slug":"hot-truck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/hot-truck\/","title":{"rendered":"Hot Truck, Warm Memories: Pizza Subs Were a Big Red Institution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For decades, the West Campus eatery-on-wheels\u2014and its legendary proprietor\u2014cooked up its own culture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Editor’s note: After this story was published, we learned that on the “Serious Eats” website<\/em><\/em>, famed food writer J. Kenji L\u00f3pez-Alt offers what’s reportedly an excellent copycat recipe<\/a> for Hot Truck subs!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Joe Wilensky<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generations of alumni still recall the delectable shorthand\u2014from the PMP and the MBC to the Ho-Ho, the WGC, the Sep Pep, the Sui, and the Shaggy Hot and Heavy. (Not to mention the Ra-Ra, the Re-Re, and the Ro-Ro.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

For countless Cornellians, the names serve as Proustian madeleines, transporting them back decades to nighttime on Stewart Avenue\u2014amid the glow of the Hot Truck\u2019s lights and the wafting aroma of toasting bread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There they would wait, shoulder to shoulder, laughing and shouting with friends and classmates as they anticipated delectable French bread pizza subs, served piping hot.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"portrait
\u201cHot Truck Bob,\u201d in his element.\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was fuel to power through a late night,\u201d recalls Theodore Seale \u201983, eulogizing the iconic sandwiches as a \u201cblissful marriage between mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Big Red institution for more than a half century, Johnny\u2019s Hot Truck operated from 1960\u20132018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was long run by Bob Petrillose, its proprietor and chef\u2014and the son of Johnny Petrillose Sr., namesake of Collegetown\u2019s bygone Johnny\u2019s Big Red Grill\u2014with his wife, Sharon Follett Petrillose \u201952.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"close-up
Fresh out of the oven.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Parked just below the University Halls<\/a> nearly year-round from evening until the wee hours of the morning, the truck served throngs of hungry undergrads who waited in a crowded, boisterous line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI always think of it as being the<\/em> food truck, before food trucks became so cool,\u201d says Chris Pearce \u201988. \u201cIt was a welcome sight on Friday nights after a long week of hitting the books. And the aroma of Bob\u2019s creations baking in the oven was incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

I always think of it as being the<\/em> food truck, before food trucks became so cool.<\/p>\nChris Pearce \u201988<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Bob retired in 2000 (he passed away in 2008, and Sharon three years later), but the truck stayed in operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The owners of downtown Ithaca\u2019s Shortstop Deli ran it until 2018, when\u2014in need of costly repairs, and with its pipeline of devotees diminished by the relocation of all first-years to North Campus\u2014it was decommissioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Happily, the deli still offers some Hot Truck sandwiches<\/a>, though purists note they\u2019re not identical to the originals.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"long-exposure
Rob Katz<\/figcaption>
The classic view from the back of the line, 1987.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

While the Hill\u2019s other longtime food truck, Louie\u2019s Lunch<\/a>, was founded even before the Hot Truck, Petrillose developed a unique menu that spawned its own devoted culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To name a few: the Poor Man\u2019s Pizza (French bread with tomato sauce and cheese); the MBC (meatball and cheese); the Ra-Ra (roast beef with pepperoni and mozzarella); the Mobey (ham, Swiss cheese, two meatballs, pepperoni, and mozzarella); and the Full Sui (tomato sauce, sausage, mushrooms, mozzarella, and pepperoni on a half loaf of garlic bread).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBob\u2019s secret was that he toasted the garlic bread first, then put the sauce, [toppings], and cheese on it\u2014and then put it back in the oven for a second toasting,\u201d explains ardent Hot Truck fan Gen Murphy Nelson \u201985. \u201cThis ensured that the bread was crispy on the outside, never soggy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"cover
Do you know your MBC from your PMP?<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\n

Ira Bernstein \u201975 not only worked shifts on the truck as a student, but also created the Hot Truck Dictionary<\/em>, a pocket-sized guide to each sub\u2019s name and description.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The booklet included definitions for such terms as \u201crun it through the garden\u201d (add lettuce), “grease and garden” (add lettuce and mayo), \u201cheavy\u201d (with garlic), and \u201csunshine\u201d (add mustard).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was born as an attempt to teach the Hot Truck newbies the shorthand way of ordering their favorites,\u201d Bernstein recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he wrote in the guide\u2019s introduction: \u201cCome on down for a snack to relieve those munchies, or to just say \u2018hi\u2019 to Bob. If you\u2019re not hungry, you can always get a friendly word. No charge. It\u2019s all part of the great service. One thing is for sure\u2014you won\u2019t be alone!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such an East Hill icon that his passing merited an obituary<\/a> in the Cornell Chronicle<\/em>, Petrillose got his culinary start in his father\u2019s kitchen at Johnny\u2019s Big Red Grill, where he eventually became chef and manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"a
A spread from the famed <\/em>dictionary.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was the hardest working man I\u2019ve ever met,\u201d recalls Michael Coe \u201985, who got to know Petrillose through fraternity brothers who worked on the truck, \u201cand one of the friendliest, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The original Hot Truck\u2014a vehicle that once sold ice cream\u2014was named Johnny\u2019s Pizza Truck, with \u201cThe Pizzeria on Wheels!\u201d emblazoned on its colorful sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It began operation in 1960 as an extension of the restaurant\u2014launched, in part, to repay debt from the family\u2019s failed Studebaker dealership\u2014with Petrillose running it as a late-night mobile kitchen for undergrads, offering not only pizza by the slice but also burgers and hot dogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"A
Better than a Benjamin: Gift certificates featured Petrillose’s likeness.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a teenager, I was the other guy in the truck on that first night in 1960,\u201d recalls Robert Fabbricatore \u201966, BS \u201968. \u201cWe had planned to move around, but only made one stop on Stewart Avenue, as the truck was overwhelmed by the unbelieving horde of students who would gladly wait more than an hour for pizza.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Fabbricatore admits, the pizza wasn\u2019t particularly great that first night, and it wasn\u2019t the same as what the restaurant offered\u2014but nobody cared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe novelty of the truck was like a flying saucer had landed,\u201d he says. \u201cWe used a walkie-talkie to get more supplies. All we had was a cigar box to hold the money, and we just started throwing the money on the floor; it accumulated up to our ankles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

The novelty of the truck was like a flying saucer had landed.<\/p>\nRobert Fabbricatore \u201966, BS \u201968<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Within a couple of years, Petrillose had begun experimenting with then-unique French bread pizza sandwiches; he became a Cornell institution, known to generations of patrons as \u201cHot Truck Bob.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Johnny\u2019s closed in 1981, the Petrillose home on Pleasant Grove Road became the truck\u2019s kitchen, with family members prepping fresh ingredients for each night\u2019s run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"The
The truck’s original incarnation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBreadcrumbs and sausage were homemade,\u201d recalls Mimi Petrillose, Bob\u2019s daughter-in-law. \u201cThe cheese was hand ground. Roast beef was cooked in the oven.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1993, a new truck\u2014a customized van with top-of-the-line ovens\u2014replaced the original. (The Petrillose family captured a home video<\/a> documenting its first night in operation.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The menu continued to grow, including some offerings suggested by student regulars\u2014and mastering the truck\u2019s lingua franca became a rite of passage for new Cornellians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"The
Cornell University<\/figcaption>
The truck came up the Hill for numerous Reunions, to the delight of alumni.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was so foolish as a freshman: my first Hot Truck sandwich was a cold sub\u2014just because I didn\u2019t want to wait!\u201d laments Coe, still hanging his head in shame decades later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I soon mended my ways and became a big fan of the TMBC Pep and the Ra-Ra G&G, which often served as comfort food when the pressures of my studies were wearing me out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For some new arrivals, frequenting the truck meant leaving their native sandwich cultures behind\u2014like Seale, a Philadelphian who still vividly recalls standing in the snow for his first sub one night in January 1979.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cI naturally ordered a \u2018cheesesteak hoagie wid,\u2019 meaning with Cheez Whiz and grilled onions,\u201d Seale says. \u201cBob cracked a smile and said, \u2018Hello Philly boy. We call them \u2018steak \u2019n\u2019 cheese subs\u2019 up here. Don\u2019t compare the two sandwiches, just enjoy the one that will be in your hands in a few minutes.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many students worked for Petrillose\u2014a gig that was both one of the Hill\u2019s coolest part-time jobs and a front row seat to the quintessentially Cornellian scene that was the Hot Truck queue.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"handmade
A handmade card from two dedicated fans.\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI saw just about anything you can think of: dating connections, break-ups, fights, long-lost roommate meet-ups,\u201d says Brad Richards \u201980, BS \u201981, who worked there for two years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRain, snow, heat, or cold, the one constant was Bob. It didn\u2019t matter if the ovens were empty or if we had a backlog of 20 subs; I never saw him fazed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

The one constant was Bob. It didn\u2019t matter if the ovens were empty or if we had a backlog of 20 subs; I never saw him fazed.<\/p>\nBrad Richards \u201980, BS \u201981<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Nelson, who also worked on the truck, describes with amazement how Petrillose could simultaneously take orders\u2014which were scribbled on the paper bags that the sandwiches would be served in\u2014make subs, and check the ovens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe construction of these masterpieces was a symphony of motion in a very tight space,\u201d she says. \u201cI had to pay close attention and be on top of my game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She recalls how Petrillose would always add a sprinkle of oregano to the subs, saying, \u201cGotta make it Italian!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"the
The first truck, with a young Petrillose inside.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Among Hot Truck Bob\u2019s other standards: a corny joke about how many pieces the pizza subs would be cut into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Says Nelson: \u201cHe would always say: \u2018Four\u2014but if you\u2019re really hungry, I\u2019ll cut it in six.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the decades, the truck became a beloved University institution. It would even take up residence on the Arts Quad during Reunion, allowing nostalgic alumni to relive the flavors of their youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Cornell
Cornell University<\/figcaption>
Cornellians\u2014including Touchdown\u2014in front of a Hot Truck mockup at an event in Washington, D.C., in 2012.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

A life-size mockup went on the road for events like the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference, where it was a favorite backdrop for snapshots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there was nothing quite like the genuine experience, ordered in the middle of the night on Stewart Avenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eric Skolnick \u201990 recalls a particularly memorable Hot Truck run with Andrew Stifel \u201991\u2014one that happened long after graduation, and started a lot farther away than the back of the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"close-up
The ingredients, being assembled.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\n

\u201cWe were at a Baltimore Orioles game on a beautiful spring night,\u201d Skolnick says. \u201cEnd of the ninth inning, the Orioles win. I turn to Andrew and say, \u2018Truck?\u2019 He thinks for a moment; nods.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They hopped into Stifel\u2019s car and hit the road\u2014arriving on Stewart Avenue around 4:15 a.m., just before closing time.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe took our cherished, hot sandwiches to the car, drove up to the Straight, and ate them in front of McGraw Tower,\u201d says Skolnick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe finished, sang the Alma Mater, got back into the car, and drove home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top: The classic view of the truck on Stewart Avenue. All photos provided by the Petrillose family, unless otherwise indicated.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Published August 16, 2024; updated September 11, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

What are your tastiest Hot Truck memories?<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For decades, the West Campus eatery-on-wheels\u2014and its legendary proprietor\u2014cooked up its own culture<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":39408,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"alumni_hub_syml_posts":[38905,37383,26123],"footnotes":""},"categories":[224],"tags":[],"cornell_year_post":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-39423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cornelliana"],"yoast_head":"\nHot Truck, Warm Memories: Pizza Subs Were a Big Red Institution - Cornellians | Cornell University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For decades, the West Campus eatery-on-wheels\u2014and its legendary proprietor\u2014cooked up its own culture\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/hot-truck\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hot Truck, Warm Memories: Pizza Subs Were a Big Red Institution - 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