Mrs. Barbara Prchal is the art teacher at New Prague High School. However, she is also one of the few proud owners of the food truck called Prchal’s Originals. The reason for the name is not only because of her last name but also because of her husband. When her husband was diagnosed with cancer, he wanted to find a way to keep himself busy while also making money. He would make dumplings for people and they eventually demanded the dumplings so much that he decided to take it on the road and start a food truck. He bought the trailer, but then he passed away and Prchal and her kids decided to continue with the idea. 

The truck sells multiple different types of foods because it travels around the state to big events. The food consists of Reuben sandwiches, Rachel sandwiches, a grilled cheese, turkey and swiss sandwiches, a gravy burger, which she claims to be “big. . . and comes with gravy and sour cream on the burger” and brats. She claims that they cook towards the type of event they are going to. 

The best seller would have to be Mr. Prchal’s famous dumplings and the turkey swiss sandwich. When they started the food truck around seven years ago, Prchal said most people would ask what a dumpling was because they were not from Minnesota. At nationals at the Brainerd International Speedway, the crew from ESPN claimed they waited 12 months for this food! Many people who attend these events choose to eat at Prchal’s Originals every single day they are there. She appreciates that her food is making people more culturally aware of Minnesota foods and traditions. 

The food truck is dormant from September to May. The reason for this is because the food truck is so much physical work so they need the time off. Prchal says the cons of working the food truck is that it is weekend work. So when everyone else is out having fun, she is working. A huge pro of having the food truck is that the business has really kept her family together. They spend a lot more time together than normal families because they have to make all the dumplings. Prchal claims if she would have known it would be so much physical labor and weekend work, she might not have done it. But she is very glad she did. 

A crazy memory she has of working in the truck was when it was super busy. They serve a side of Thousand Island with their Reuben and Rachel sandwiches, and they were close to running out of the sauce. Her daughter went to grab the new container, but when she grabbed the top of the container the bottom fell to the floor and all the dressing spilled everywhere. The floor, as Prchal recalls, was like a skating rink. They were slipping and sliding all over trying to keep their balance while trying to go fast and serve their customers in a timely manner. It wasn’t funny at first, she claims, but she and her family can’t help but laugh about it now.

Even though Prchal claims that working on the food truck is strenuous work, she will continue to make memories with her family by serving food to the community.