Chef Anna Cerney is playful yet tough, honest, and fiery, so of course, she named her food truck “Def Burger.”
The St. Pete culinary talent, who is deaf, is a hot foodie follow in the deaf community. Recent customers came all the way from Germany to taste her modern twist on burgers and hot dogs. (Pro tip: Her coleslaw is the secret weapon.)
But the challenge for her and her food truck, which is parked across from Northeast High School, is with the hearing community. She’ll soon open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in the same location, so she wants to clear some things up.
“Just because we can’t hear doesn’t mean we can’t do,” she said with help from her father/interpreter, Brian. “We don’t want customers to be afraid. Like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to order because they’re deaf.’ No, no, no. Come on down! We’ll find a way to communicate if you just give us a shot.”
Anna, who’s loved cooking since she was a little kid, has created a specific menu so customers can clearly mark their desires. Her specialty is her sauces, especially a remoulade that’s a doozy.