Famous pitmaster gives taste of new restaurant via food truck

Ed Mitchell unveiled his food truck on Friday to help satisfy hungry fans anxiously awaiting the opening of his restaurant in Raleigh's Brier Creek.

Dubbed Ed Mitchell's Q on Wheels, the truck was parked outside the Hampton Inn and Suites Raleigh-Durham Airport, 8021 Arco Corporate Drive in Raleigh. Long lines began forming well before the truck even started serving. People braved the cold, breezy day to buy barbecue pork, turkey, ribs and chicken wings.

Mitchell said the idea to start a food truck came from his son, Ryan, who was fielding a lot of calls and emails about when Ed Mitchell's restaurant, Q at the Creek, would be opening.

"Our motto in the catering business is 'I'll come to you or you'll come to me,'" Mitchell said. "Since you can't come to me because we don't have the restaurant built, we decided to get a vehicle so we can come to you."

Ed Mitchell's Q, which will be located at 9650 Brier Creek Parkway, is expected to open in late summer, according to business partner Vish Panjwani.

Until the restaurant opens, Q on Wheels will be doing office park visits and catering. Once the restaurant has opened, the truck will mainly focus on catering.

Mitchell, formerly of The Pit restaurant, has been featured in Bon Appetit magazine and famously faced off against Food Network's Bobby Flay in a cook-off. He has become an international barbecue ambassador to connoisseurs across the globe and recently traveled to Australia.