Every week, duty calls for Fire Dept. Meals to deliver fresh, home-cooked dishes to the doors of homeowners across Central Florida. And their loyal customers have come to expect nothing less than delicious from food entrepreneurs Robert and Dunya Grebic.
Photo by Dunya Grebic
Robert Grebic found himself hungry for a new venture after retiring from his 19-year career as a firefighter and paramedic in Chicago, Illinois. He and his wife, Dunya, both grew up cooking authentic family recipes with their mothers and grandmothers, which later turned into a hobby they shared at home. Together, they also enjoyed traveling and exploring the various flavors each new city brought to their table. This passion for bold tastes and reverse-engineered recipes sparked an idea that later became a life calling.
In 2015, the couple opened a food truck called Chicago Food Department to bring their favorite recipes to the city. After a long and successful run in the Windy City, they decided to move their family to sunny Florida. Instead of lugging the food truck down South, they bought a commercial kitchen and rebranded to become a meal prep delivery service called Fire Dept. Meals.
Photo by Dunya Grebic
The Orlando-based company differs from other meal prep providers in that it offers unique, handcrafted recipes based on cultural influences from around the world. According to Robert, each meal is jam-packed with authentic spices, scratch sauces and fresh ingredients to take tastebuds on a trip.
Every delivered recipe includes a brief description, ingredient information and symbols to identify allergy restrictions. The couple happily accommodates special requests, plus all meats and vegetables are sourced from a local farm with bread from a local bakery.
Photo by Dunya Grebic
But the biggest differentiator of them all? Every order (there’s a minimum of $65) includes free delivery from a firefighter-dressed-Dunya. The company, with the motto “From the firehouse to your house,” has only gotten hotter (pun intended) since the pandemic, serving as an easy way to get delicious, nutritious food without leaving home.
AUTHOR
Samantha Slankard is a freelance writer and content creator living in Orlando, Florida. Her favorite challenge is crafting clever copy to humanize a brand. When not working, you can find her walking around Lake Eola with an iced coffee, listening to one of her favorite podcasts.
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