Interview with Jaybee's team

What a year 2025 was for you! Winning the Swiss Street Food Championship title for the second time, participating in the Euro Street Food Final for the second time, and then also taking home the title "Best of Europe"! How does that feel?

Jeannette Burton: Wow! I didn't expect it at all!

George Burton: It's been a few months now, but it still feels so incredible. You can really see how high the level of competition is among all the finalists, both at the European final and in Switzerland. It's inspiring to be there and then to go home with a title – wow! 

Jeannette Burton: I think our advantage was simply that we did everything ourselves on-site and brought new ideas. We were always the first in the standings!

What was it like competing against so many vendors from so many different countries? Are there any great insights or funny stories you'd like to share?

Jeannette Burton: There were so many great exhibitors from Iceland, and the fun and loud Austrians were also great competitors! 

George Burton: It feels more like a party than a competition. A great sense of community; we're still in touch with people from Norway, Iceland, and Latvia. It was motivating and pushed us to become even better!

How has your daily life as a street food vendor changed since you won your first Swiss title in 2024?

George Burton: It's a great recognition, especially for us as a plant-based truck. We automatically received more inquiries, our calendars filled up more easily with orders, and we were less dependent on public events. The Swiss Award is a seal of quality that we use in our communications.

Jeannette Burton: It's also true that we can now draw on a much wider range of resources; people trust us more, and we can offer bolder creations and charge more for them! We also receive many more recommendations from our customers!

Looking back on the last few years, what was the best, but perhaps also the most difficult moment? 

George Burton: Well, the difficult moments were certainly the preparation, planning, and especially the conceptualization. What do we offer, how do we do it! And the best moment was definitely the awards ceremony, which you all accompanied us to in Munich. But of course, the two Swiss Championship awards as well!

Do you use awards strategically today, and if so, how?

Jeannette Burton: Yes, although we are very modest, we can use the award.

George Burton: We need the award as a mark of quality for our clients and as a door opener to more prestigious events. It helps us a lot with potential clients who don't yet know us! And we've been able to raise our prices, and we're more confident doing so now!

You've decided not to defend your title; you're making way for others. What are your next goals?

Jeannette Burton: We have big plans for private dinners, and we're now also offering homemade ice cream from a small cart. We're excited for everything that's to come!

Thank you so much for your time and I wish you all the best for the future! Good street food wins!

The interview was conducted by Andreas Albonico-Seiler, OK Swiss Street Food Awards and Managing Director of the agency Foodtrucks Schweiz