When Grilled Cheese Dreams Come True in Nashville
“We’re the place where grilled cheeses are made with a place that dreams about grilled cheeses are fulfilled.” That’s how chef Crystal De Luna-Bogan describes the food truck she and her musician husband Joseph have been running since 2010. And when Guy Fieri rolled into Nashville to check it out, he found exactly what she promised—grilled cheese taken to a different level.
The Pimento Mac ‘n’ Cheese Grilled Cheese
This isn’t your average grilled cheese. The star of the show is the Grilled Pimento Mac ‘n’ Cheese, and the build starts with a 40-pound block of Tennessee cheddar. “It’s a monster,” Crystal notes as she breaks it down. No processed cheese here—just real, local cheddar that gets shredded for the pimento mac base.
What makes this pimento cheese different is the technique. Instead of a traditional roux, Crystal builds her sauce with mayo, eggs, garlic, a spice mix of paprika and cayenne pepper, plus hot sauce. The oil gets streamed in slowly to create what she describes as a gooier consistency. “This actually makes it a lot more gooey,” she explains, “and we love our mayo here in the South.”
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The mac gets cooked simply in salted boiling water with a little oil, then combined with the cheese mixture. But as Crystal points out, “we just want a little bit of noodle just for some texture but it’s mostly about the cheese.” Roasted red peppers get folded in to complete the pimento mac.
Building the Sandwich
The assembly is where it all comes together. The bread gets slathered with Crystal’s special butter mix—a combination of butter and mayo. Then comes the pimento mac and cheese, local tomatoes, bacon bits, and sliced Tennessee cheddar on top. It hits the grill and gets pressed down, cooking about two and a half minutes on each side until everything is melty.
The sandwich gets cut in half and presented open face “so you can see all the goodness,” served alongside house-made pickles and a roasted red pepper and tomato soup with basil oil drizzled on top.
Guy’s Verdict
Guy’s reaction tells the whole story. He tried the sandwich by itself first, noting that pimento mac alone doesn’t have enough texture. But with the pasta, tomato, and the spice coming through? “This is where it goes on,” he declared. The soup pairing sealed the deal—”am telling you what this just takes me back to childhood.”
If you’re a fan of comfort food done right, this Nashville food truck proves that keeping it simple works. Similar to a Creamy Mac and Cheese with Pancetta, this dish shows that mac and cheese belongs in the spotlight. And like a Homewrecker Hot Dog, it’s proof that street food can deliver serious flavor.
Tips from the Truck
Use mayo in your cheese sauce: Replacing a traditional roux with a mayo-based mixture creates a gooier, richer consistency.
Go light on the pasta: When making pimento mac, the cheese should be the star—use just enough noodles for texture.
Butter-mayo blend for grilling: Combining butter and mayo for your bread creates superior browning and flavor on grilled sandwiches.
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