Our Story: Why Food?

Ron always loved food and went out of his way to find successful but unassuming, hole-in-the-wall, multigenerational Greek and Italian restaurants.  The best restaurants in Philly are in South Philly so Ron spent a lot of time there: from working at some of the most famous restaurants in college to frequenting many more while working in the corporate arena.

After an exhausting but successful 20 years in the corporate world, Ron moved West to follow his dreams of becoming a Mountain Man. He spent a year camping/living in the back of his truck, traveling around America, visiting all the national parks, and becoming a fly-fisherman. On his way to move to Bozeman, Montana he was redirected to Bend, a burgeoning mountain town in Central Oregon where he met his soon to be wife only a few weeks later.

Along the way he discovered a love for cooking. He and Andrea cooked many meals for the homeless and for the Shepherd's House Ministries (a Christian Ministry for men in recovery).  Many of the men shared how they looked forward to the meals he cooked there which always included fresh ingredients and an extra touch of care.

From the numerous events we privately catered to the regular dinner parties he and Andrea had entertaining friends, the constant echo was, "When are you opening a restaurant?" As a self-proclaimed food critic, Ron was under-impressed with the cuisine in Central Oregon and with a burgeoning love for cooking he decided to bring the food that he loved and that had impacted his life from the East Coast to Bend.  Thus, the first food cart was born.

Our Story: What’s WITH THE Name?

The story about our name and food cart begins in the inner city of Philadelphia in one of the toughest neighborhoods in the country.   Only a few blocks from where the classic Rocky movies were filmed. This was where Ron was raised, in what is known as "K&A" or the intersection of Kensington and Allegheny Avenues. Sadly, a place now famous for being widely known as the epicenter of Philadelphia's open-air drug market and the Kensington addiction crisis.

Life was tough growing up in Philly especially with a name like Ronald Brown. Ron, who was an only child wished that he had older brothers to look out for him instead of struggling to make a name for himself alone on the streets. He often told his parents that his life would have been easier if they had given “some tough Italian name like —Bruno.”

In 2012 he moved to Bend, Oregon and got engaged to his beautiful wife, Andrea.  He told her his story about growing up, and she repeatedly heard him say that he wished he had been named Bruno. She was intrigued by this fact and decided to find out what the name meant. 

As a woman with a strong Christian faith, she had found through the years that God often speaks to her through the meanings of names.  She thought it would be fun to see what the name Bruno actually meant. Surprise! Surprise! "Bruno" was the German name for "Brown". With great joy she declared to Ron that he had always been who he always wanted to be!  "Bruno - Brown!!"

Our Story: Why The Weird Spelling?

All of Ron’s favorite restaurants as a child and young man (and some of the most famous one’s in Philly) seemed to be named after one person and were simply their first name…. Pat’s, Geno’s, Alffie’s, Duffinetti’s, John’s Roast Pork, Dinic’s, Angelo’s, Dalessandro's… the list goes on. And, so we decided to name our food cart and catering business “Bruno’s” — Ron’s alter ego — the name he always wished he’d been named.

But, when we went to register the name we discovered in our small town of Bend, Oregon where we were living at the time that there was a small obscure little pizzeria and deli named Bruno’s. And, there was negotiating with the owner.

And, so in order to use the name we wanted we were advised to spell it different. Ron knew a woman growing up with the last name Bruneau (with the French spelling) and Andrea (being from Canada) was familiar with French-Canadian names and words. And, so it was decided to name the business “Bruneau’s”.

Only years later did their discover to their surprise how many people didn’t know how to pronounce the name. And, belatedly they realized they had broke one of the great tenents for naming a business…. Don’t pick something difficult to say or spell. But, at least “Bruneau’s” is memorable from what people have said!