ATU, a movement rolling across Pittsburgh
Athletic Trauma Unit (ATU) is a movement. It incorporates healthy fare and free workouts, which is something that makes it unique.
And of course, it’s a food truck as well! It began operating in April 2016, offering inexpensive, convenient options for patrons who are on the go and want a tasty, healthy alternative. “Too many times people say they want to eat healthy but don’t have the time to make anything healthy, don’t know what to make, or that it does not taste good,” Chris Edmonds, co-owner, told the New Pittsburgh Courier in an exclusive interview. “So, we started ATU, so people can not only eat healthy, but enjoy eating healthy without sacrificing the taste.”
Edmonds co-owns the business with Jamal Woodson.
On Wednesdays, the truck is usually parked at 100 Technology Drive on the South Side, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. That location is not too far from my job, so I decided to pay the truck a visit recently and see what all the talk was about.
I ended up ordering the chicken Philly cheesesteak. This wasn’t your ordinary cheesesteak—the bun was coated with a homemade veggie spread and the chicken was topped with loaded peppers, shredded cheese and homemade teriyaki sauce.
The chicken was so tender that I barely had to chew it. The toppings were fresh, and I absolutely loved the contrasting flavors of the spread and sauce. I knew I had to come back and try more items on the menu.
Visit number two had me opting for a salmon burger with a side of cabbage. Salmon is one of my favorite types of fish, so I already was expecting to enjoy it.
I was right, thanks to ATU. Their burger was juicy and had the same signature toppings as my chicken cheesesteak. I usually don’t eat cabbage, unless it’s in an egg roll, but ATU’s was surprisingly good and something I would order again.
On my third visit, I plan to try the turkey burger, which is one of the bestselling items, as well as the chicken tacos. Plus, ATU has vegan options and each menu item can be made into a salad.
Edmonds played professional football for the Cincinnati Bengals for six years and Woodson is the Director for SLAAM, an AAU basketball program. Both gentlemen used their interest in fitness to develop ATU.
The free workout program operates six days per week on the North Shore and in East Hills. The workouts are held at 5 a.m. and 8 p.m., led by Edmonds. The food truck is typically at the evening workouts, and they provide breakfast in the morning workouts.
“Our goal is to get people to work out without having to worry about the costs of gym prices. We focus on health and getting in shape,” Edmonds said. “The workouts are very intense but are made for everyone, at any level. We encourage everyone to workout with us!”
ATU’s food truck operates all year long but it does more events and catering through the winter months. If you are interested in booking, contact Woodson at 412-475-1294. Follow ATU Food Truck on Facebook to see where it will be parked next.
Before I go, I had to tell you my rating for ATU’s food truck. It was very tasty, very fulfilling, and thus, I give ATU Food Truck 4 out of 5 Breelicious Bites.
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