YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

INSTITUTION

Sean and Andrea Gleason had spent years in the service industry in Des Moines and Denver before moving to Los Angeles in 2010 in pursuit of bigger and better things. In Los Angeles Sean attended Le Cordon Bleu school of culinary arts in which he graduated with honors. Sean worked at the world famous Fig & Olive and from there moved onto working at a gastropub called The Village Idiot. It was here that he not only learned his craft but discovered a deeper love of entertaining people with great food in a fun atmosphere. He learned whole animal butchery and worked his way up to Executive Sous Chef. Andrea worked for a prestigious sushi restaurant called Katsuya owned by SBE restaurants while in Los Angeles. When working for SBE Andrea learned the ins and outs of the upscale restaurant industry and worked large catering events such as the Oscars, Golden Globes, and the Emmy Awards.

Now with a combined total of ten restaurants and thirty years of experience, Sean and Andrea moved back to Des Moines in 2014 with the intention of sharing their passion with friends, family, and the city they call home. They immediately started a small catering company while working toward their goal of opening a place of their own. In early 2015 Des Moines decided to open up to the idea of allowing food trucks on the streets and this was something that piqued the interest of both Sean and Andrea. They began to work on a plan to make it happen and that is where Gastro Grub was born. The food truck would be a way to share their passion for food and entertainment that is accessible to everyone while helping to further the overall food truck culture in the city.

Gastro Grub was recognized by the Des Moines Register for their Fried Chicken and Mash Waffle Cone and in 2016 CITYVIEW voted Gastro Grub as the runner-up Best Food Truck in Des Moines. Their business and their lives came to a crashing halt when Andrea was diagnosed with advanced metastatic melanoma cancer. The prognosis wasn't looking good, but that didn't stop their passion and their drive to serve up delicious food in their community. After two and a half successful years of operating the food truck, Sean and Andrea decided to expand their business and open a restaurant in Waukee called Gastro Grub & Pub!