ABOUT 

JP’s Special is a food trailer based out of central Ohio.  Founded in 2022 by Chef Johnny Petty, JP’s Special offers customers deep-fried and grilled foods that Johnny has been fine-tuning for years.  Our foods are deliciously seasoned with family-friendly options that will satisfy people of all ages.  When you find yourself at JP’s Special food trailer, you can expect:  fresh cooked, deep-fried and grilled food, chef-tailored batters, and crispy and juicy meats.  We strive to make our food the best it can possibly be to satisfy our customers’, as well as our own, taste buds!    

JOHNNY’S JOURNEY

As a young boy growing up in Cleveland, Johnny learned how food could bring his family, friends, and community together.  Johnny’s passion for cooking started when he would help his grandmother in the kitchen.  He helped her cut vegetables, season meats, and do whatever was needed when she was cooking.  His grandmother’s house was a gathering place for family and neighbors and no one left hungry.  Johnny acquired his passion for barbecue from his dad who opened a small barbecue business on the West Side of Cleveland.  Johnny found fun and enjoyment in the food business as he and his cousins would help his dad out.  His mom would also prepare big meals for their family every Sunday and give Johnny tips about seasoning and tending to food as it cooks.  Food was a source of socialization, entertainment, and profit for Johnny and his family.

Johnny’s work history has had a hand in shaping him as a business owner. As a teenager and into adulthood, Johnny worked at many different restaurants from Cleveland, Ohio to St. Petersburg, Florida.  He did everything from cooking and assembling food to opening and running kitchens in many different restaurants.  In his 20’s, Johnny was a cook at Ted’s Montana Grill on Nationwide Boulevard.  It was there that he truly learned how a restaurant runs and how to satisfy customers with high-quality meat and menu options. While living in Florida, Johnny attended college for paralegal studies and began working for a law firm. It was there that he acquired the nickname JP and eventually the lawyers would call the cases he would bring to their tables “JP’s Specials.”  

As a black man, Johnny has learned many lessons about the importance of controlling his own narrative with his career and following his dreams to fulfill his passions in life.  His main priority is to provide for his family and turn his talents and passion for cooking into profit.  Johnny continues to work as a Small Business Administration loan coordinator as his 9-5 job while running his own small business, JP’s Special food trailer, on weekends and for special events in and around central Ohio.  

JP’S SPECIAL

Johnny has made improvements to his recipes with input from friends, families, and acquaintances over the years.  He has worked to perfect his seasoning and cooking processes by asking others what they think and taking that feedback to adjust his recipes.  Naturally, Johnny knew “JP’s Special” was a perfect fit for his food trailer name as his speciality menu items have been specially made with feedback and fine-tuning over several special trials.  People tell him his fried fish and chicken are the best they have ever had, and we couldn’t agree more!