The signature and delicious pizza of Blue Highway has recently expanded in scope with the addition of The Federal vintage pizza truck experience.
Blue Highway founders Frank and Winny Ruffino bring more than 40 years of combined culinary experience. The couple previously owned a restaurant in Southwest Florida, and Frank held positions as Executive Chef at the University of Florida and Corporate Executive Chef at Sodexho USA.
Their love of North Central Florida eventually brought them back to the area followed closely by opening the original Blue Highway in Micanopy. Their children, Layla and Anton, have grown with the business and now play key roles at Blue Highway.
Blue Highway opened its doors twelve years ago at the original location in Micanopy, followed by locations in Tioga and Ocala in 2009 and 2013 respectively. The addition of The Federal is an opportunity to expand on their thriving retail catering operation, with a wood-fired twist on their gourmet pizzas.
With the success of Blue Highway brand, Layla Ruffino said, “We wanted to add another component to the business. The Federal has brought another level of opportunity for the Blue Highway team.”
The Federal is a masterfully restored 1951 Federal flatbed truck, complete with wood-fired oven. This allows the Blue Highway team to offer the same great pizza found at their three locations, but with an authentic wood-fired experience brought to you.
The Federal brings Blue Highway’s already successful retail catering operation to another level with a fun alternative for corporate events, private parties, graduations, tailgating and even weddings. Wedding planners have found that The Federal offers a unique, romantic catering alternative that is both nostalgic and trendy.
In addition to wood-fired pizzas, The Federal’s catering options are fully customizable, offering salads, appetizers, pastas, entrees and desserts, as well as craft beer and wine.
Providing a special experience with their catering service and vintage pizza truck is a good feeling for the entire staff.
“I love delighting our catering clients with The Federal, woodfired to you experience,” Ruffino said. “We really have a good time doing it.”
Good food and service are the hallmark for success at Blue Highway, and Ruffino has helped carry that over to the new pizza truck.
“We honor a culture of hospitality, and we really love our community,” she said. “They’ve certainly been there for us and it’s a bit of service that we can provide.”
It’s also a lot of fun to run the pizza truck, Ruffino said. The truck is absolutely gorgeous and stands out, she added.
With The Federal, as with the restaurant, the team aims to “Enrich lives, nourish the soul and make our community a better place — every dish, every day.”
For Ruffino, nourishing the soul is the part of the company’s purpose that really resonates with her. Her definition of a restauranteur is a restorer of the soul, and she believes feeding people is virtuous.
“I take a lot of pride in providing good food and good service,” she said.
Call 352-327-2583 (BLUE) to book The Federal for your next event or visit bluehighwaypizza.com for more information.
CLAIRE CAMPBELL is a journalism student at the University of Florida who will graduate in fall 2016. She plans to go into the public relations field when she graduates. Her ultimate goal is to make enough money to support her future dogs.