Sandwiches with a twist

The Wailing Onion food truck is well on its way into its second season of hitting the road and serving gourmet sandwiches in the Findlay area this summer. Business and chef owner Jacob Freeman has been in the fine dining industry for six years, working in some of the best restaurants in Cincinnati. His culinary background influenced him to start his own food truck, which specializes in gourmet sandwiches. Business owner Jacob Freeman stands outside of his food truck parked at Brewing Green in Bowling Green, OH. Faith Zochowski "I'm taking some of that knowledge and applying it to simple food," he said. Freeman prides himself on keeping food simple while adding a unique twist, such as adding pickled red onions and homemade green goddess dressing to his BLT. He attributes this to growing up with not a lot of money and making do with what he had, as well as to a chef he worked for in Cincinnati who pushed "farm to table" with almost no waste. He tries to instill that in his business today. "I can get a lot of flavor out of very little," he said. Freeman first entered the culinary world at 15 as a dishwasher at The Bistro in Findlay, where his mother Lisa Hague worked as a bartender for 30 years before retiring this past May. He then went on to attend Sullivan University in Louisville, Kentucky, to study culinary arts. After college, he worked in Cincinnati and cooked for some big names such as Robert Redford, Emilio Esteves, and even helped his boss meal prep for Joe Burrow, quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals. Freeman makes everything homemade and likes to include fresh ingredients whenever he can. His mother grows many of the herbs herself, such as mint and basil. When the truck is parked at farmer's markets, Freeman shops from local vendors, finding the best produce in season. "The community has given us so much and has been so welcoming of us," Hague said. "...We like to source from local people. We are all about the small businesses, and he likes to give back." Hague, who helps with other odd jobs such as writing the menu boards and finding events, gives her son all the credit for the success of the truck. "The food and the preparation, the ideas - everything is made. He makes every sauce, every dressing - everything is him. I love that about it," she said. The Findlay native's long-term goal is to open his own restaurant, but his food truck puts him a step closer in that direction and is the "fastest way to get my type of food out there," he said. "I want to contribute to the downtown [Findlay] scene. I want to help make the food scene in this town better. We're on our way, but I know we can be better," he said. "I think it was time for him to do [something] for him," Hague said of her son's business. "He's worked so hard over the years - stretch out and make something of your own now." The Wailing Onion can be found throughout farmer's markets, school functions and other outdoor events in Findlay this summer. To catch the mother-son duo in action, follow their Facebook or Instagram pages to see their summer schedule.