Adam Allison is one of Arizona’s most versatile chefs. From starting a variety of food trucks, to opening his flagship location, Handlebar Dinner, Chef Adam has proved he can cook in any kitchen. That talent even scored him a win on Food Network’s infamous show, Chopped. Recently, Chef Adam has opened a new coffee shop called Secret Handshake. Adam Allison even runs a catering business and keto meal prep company. Adam’s various projects keep things exciting for him, fueling his everlasting passion to cook delicious comfort foods with cultural fusions.
Becoming a Professional Chef
For Chef Adam Allison, food has always been a central part of his life. Adam grew up in the South with a grandma who was always cooking. Fried okra, collard greens, and other southern classics fueled many gatherings with family and friends. Over time, those rich comfort foods would become the foundation of Adam’s cooking style. It was at the young age of 15 when Adam first worked a job in a kitchen. The gig wasn’t anything special to the adolescent, as Adam had yet to have his first major revelation with food. Still, the maturing cook began to experience various cultures through dining. Growing up, one of Adam’s friends had a mother who would cook traditional Mexican foods, even pressing her own tortillas. Unique experiences like those scrumptious meals at his friend’s house soon became something that Chef sought after. Allison fell in love with exploring cultures through food, building up his culinary understanding along the way. At this point in time Adam was searching for a career chasing after degrees in marketing, law, and other subjects. While Adam was swapping degrees searching for a vision, he was also working in restaurants. Eventually one restaurant offered Adam the freedom to make a weekly special featuring whatever he wanted. This newly given freedom forever changed Adam’s perspective on food from a job to an art form. After many years in the restaurant business, Adam finally attended culinary school and took his cooking more seriously.
Frank and Left Coast Burrito
One of the most monumental steps in Adam’s life was opening up his own food truck. Several years ago Adam made his biggest bet ever and opened up a hot dog truck called Frank. The food truck sprouted a great reputation for its dogs. After some time learning the food truck model, Adam opened up Left Coast Burrito, what would become another well-known food truck. Adam was always innovating his menus, even featuring a ramen burrito made entirely from scratch. Chef increased his reach with two more food trucks, including one selling ice cream sandwiches. After multiple years working through twelve-hour days, 160 degree temperatures (yeah, food trucks in Arizona get that hot!), and many other headaches, Adam shifted to a stationary location.
Handlebar Diner in Mesa
It was about 3 years ago that Adam Allison opened up Handlebar Diner in Mesa. Over that time, Handlebar Diner has become the neighborhood hotspot. Constructed from a historic Valentine Diner frame, this place is truly something special. Valentine Diner’s are metal diner shells that were mass produced in the mid-1900’s. To create Handlebar, one of the diner shells was renovated and placed right in the middle of a massive community center in Mesa. Despite the tiny interior, Handlebar frequently serves swaths of guests visiting the park with family and friends. The menu is the perfect embodiment of Adam Allison’s cooking. At handlebar you will find a list of the best comfort foods, almost all sporting a cultural twist. For instance, Adam’s Mac and Cheese takes a classic dish and mixes in chimichurri to provide a bit of South American influence. Another example of Chef’s crazy twists would be the Nashville Burrito with Nashville hot fried chicken, three cheese macaroni, black bean and corn salsa. Visitors will still find classic items on the menu, satisfying nearly all taste buds. Visitors can then wash down their meal with a list of all local beers.
Other Projects
Chef Adam also has a few other exciting side projects. Chef Allison runs a catering company and a keto meal prep business. Who would turn down healthy carne asada tacos? Chef also is opening up a brand new coffee shop called Secret Handshake. The menu will be small, allowing Chef to focus on local components, from using Provision Coffee, to produce grown within a few miles.