Chinle’s BBQ Bus: Serving up family, faith, and flavor

By Robert Bettis
Navajo Times

CHINLE – For 13 years, the local BBQ Bus has been a staple serving up delicious comfort food from a converted school bus. What started as a small food truck with a limited menu has grown into a full-fledged mobile kitchen with a devoted local following. Behind the bus’s success is a story of family, faith, and hard work.

Theresa Montoya, the BBQ Bus’s manager and long-serving employee, has been part of the operation since the beginning. She began as a delivery driver but transitioned into working on the bus full-time as the business adapted to rising fuel costs. Over the years, she’s seen the bus grow from a compact, shuttle-style vehicle into its current full-sized school bus, with custom-made equipment and a mouthwatering menu.

“We started with weekly rotating meals—spaghetti, meatloaf, and my aunt’s famous green chili chicken enchiladas,” Montoya shared. As customers shared their cravings, the menu gradually expanded to meet their requests. “Our owner makes his own barbecue sauce from scratch. Even the Sloppy Joe sauce—it’s all homemade.”

Homemade food

The BBQ Bus has always taken pride in its homemade approach. Montoya explained how their fresh ingredients set them apart from fast food. “We don’t use timers here. Everything is watched and cooked by hand. Our vegetables are sliced fresh every morning, and the meat is never frozen.”

The team’s journey to success hasn’t been without challenges. Frying fries, for instance, was a major hurdle because of limited equipment. For years, they served only chips because their fryers were set up outside the bus, vulnerable to the elements. Upgrades have since allowed them to expand their menu, now offering items like chili dogs, cheese fries, and their famously known BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. “I like to order the pulled pork sandwich for lunch,” shared one customer on their lunch break from the Chinle IHS, “if you wait until too late, they might be sold out.”

More than a food truck

But the BBQ Bus is more than just a food truck – it reflects the family’s deep ties to Chinle and their faith.

“We bought our original bus when we (he and his wife originally from Chinle) moved from Chicago to Chinle,” explained Gregory Scott, the bus’s owner. “It cost the same as renting a (U-Haul) and I had planned to see it after we moved to get my money back.

“I kept telling people what a great food truck it would make,” he said. “No one was buying it, so I finally talked myself into making my own food truck. That’s how we got started.”

Scott, a non-Native, is the pastor of the local Memorial Baptist Church, while Montoya serves as the Sunday school teacher. Her involvement with the church began nine years ago when she was invited to help teach. She’s remained dedicated ever since, finding personal growth and a deeper connection to her community.

“I grew up in church, but when I stepped into this one, it was the first time I really felt the Holy Spirit,” Montoya shared. “Now, I teach the kids from the Bible, and it’s rewarding to see them light up while learning.”

The church also works with a monthly food pantry, ensuring families in need have access to nutrition. That same spirit of service is reflected in the BBQ Bus’s mission: to provide the community with quality meals made with care.

From its humble beginnings to becoming a beloved fixture in Chinle, the BBQ Bus stands as a testament to hard work, culinary talent, and the power of family support. As Montoya puts it, “We’re here to serve good food and give back to our community.”

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