Napoleon (or was it Frederick the Great?) once said that an army marches on its stomach. The saying holds true for the army of volunteers, musicians and crew members at the Beale Street Music Festival.

For the past 8 years, providing hot food to the host of hungry roadies has been the job of Winfrey’s Catering out of Somerville, TN.

With a crew of 10 to 12 full time workers, the caterers pull up their truck the week before the festival and start prep work on the 1,400 meals that they’ll serve over three days.

From their large mobile kitchen, the crew delivers the meals to the hospitality tents behind each stage.

“Most of what we do is based around barbeque,” said specialty chef Randy Wright. “Keep in mind that this is a music fest, and a lot of musicians these days are vegetarians.”

Not every band gets specialty treatment, but the top acts can request individualized meals delivered to their trailers, as specified in the artists’ contract riders. Wright said that there weren’t any particularly strange demands this year.

The Steve Miller Band, for example, got a vegetarian soup, brown rice, guacamole and salsa, and some specialty chicken. Band members for 311 asked for fish, so Wright served them catfish. For the vegetarians, Wright made a tamale pie.

“We’re seeing people requesting healthier menus in the riders these days,” Wright said. “There are more vegans and vegetarians, but a lot less weirdness.”

Outside the mobile kitchen a dry erase board displays the amounts and variety of food that is being delivered to the serving lines.

Wright says that most musicians eat from the buffet. Winfrey’s Catering got its start about two decades ago as a competitive barbecue cooking team. After winning some awards, owner Hunter Winfrey decided to cater full time.

So what is the food like backstage? Wright treated us to a taste.

The menu: Pulled pork with a sweet sauce, ribs with a tasty dry rub, green beans, baked beans, potato salad, corn on the cob, dinner roll, and a creamy banana pudding for dessert.

Click here to watch a  video by Jon W. Sparks of what the food prep area looks like. Bon apetit!

–Christopher Blank

–Video by Jon W. Sparks