DJ Bear Grillz Launches Doughnut-Centric Food Truck This Sunday

RJ Pangelinan, aka Bear Grillz, is a renowned dubstep producer and DJ who has been touring the globe for twelve years. "I've been everywhere, done everything, and I'm just getting a little older, maybe slowing down a bit," he says. But his creative drive is still strong, so he's turning his attention from beats to eats.

Pangelinan has teamed up with fellow electronic music DJ Micheal Stryer and local chef Tom Coohill, owner of Coohills, to launch a new food truck, Electric Donut Factory, which will debut on Sunday, November 3, at Kulture Music Hall (1600 Federal Boulevard) from 2 to 6 p.m. The party will feature a secret lineup with performances by some of Denver's top DJs. The event is 21+ and free with RSVP via text to 720-821-1129.

"Michael and I had been bouncing ideas back and forth for roughly a year and a half, and we came up with a food concept geared toward music festivals and after-concert venues," Pangelinan says. "One of the things for us is that when we're performing and we leave, there aren't many really good food options. And obviously, while we know what we like, we wanted to bring in another partner with experience and success in the food industry. That's where Tom Coohill comes in. He liked the concept, and what we came up with is doughnut sandwiches."

The team has been perfecting its sweet and savory creations for the past six months. One of the standout items is a fried chicken sandwich. "It's simple — basically a glazed doughnut with fried chicken, pickles and chipotle sauce. It's amazing," says Pangelinan, who adds that a lot of work and testing went into developing the final product. "What we found from testing over the last six months is that the sweet, glazed doughnut doesn't overpower the sandwich. It's mostly about the savory contents inside. But then the aftertaste is sweet, so you get the best of both worlds in one sandwich."
The small but eclectic menu also includes a hamburger with a glazed doughnut bun and a cinnamon doughnut bun loaded with bacon, egg and cheese. Although only three sandwiches are officially on the menu, Pangelinan says the team has about fifteen more ready to go. "We've been toying with the menu for months, but we want to start small," he notes. "Logistically, we want to get everything down and then start introducing more. ... We've got pizza doughnut sandwiches and all sorts of stuff for late-night cravings. We also want to move into the dessert space with things like a gooey chocolate chip cookie inside a glazed doughnut. You know, just things that people can enjoy."

As the menu and plans continue to evolve, Pangelinan can hardly contain his excitement about this new venture. "I just like to build things," he says. "I think what's cool about being an entrepreneur is that you get to dream big. I want this to be a national chain. I want people to know us all over the country and hopefully, one day, around the world like they know my DJ project. I've played in 23 countries, and it's cool to be recognized for something. ... I just want to do more. I want to leave something behind besides my music and the memories of my performances."

With big dreams, the team's ambitious plans go beyond the food truck; they aim to expand into a food delivery app, launch multiple trucks to tour concert venues, and eventually open a brick-and-mortar.

For now, though, the focus is on the Denver community, which the team is excited to celebrate with at the launch party.  "We created this out of our love for music and food. I want people to know that this is built out of love and us wanting to bring something to the world that doesn't exist," says Pangelinan.

For more information on Electric Donut Factory, visit electricdonutfactory.com or follow it on Instagram @electricdonutshq.