Revolver Made Bartenders Into Bosses of a Food Truck

Shannon Baker and Michelle Ferris know their way around the hospitality business, especially behind a bar. That is where the two met, after all. Their friendship began in 2015 while they were both working at Wynkoop Brewing Company. Baker, who spent much of her early life in Louisiana, made her way west in the 1990s and quickly found her footing in the Denver hospitality scene. She started at Wynkoop, then worked at the late Wazee Lounge and Supper Club and the Ale House at Amato's before eventually returning to Wynkoop as the general manager. Ferris, a native New Yorker who split her childhood between New York and Colorado, began bartending to put herself through college and stayed in the industry long after her degree was paid off.

In 2016, Baker left Wynkoop to pursue other opportunities. Still, the bond they'd formed while working together remained strong, and they kept in touch. When the pandemic hit, Ferris was furloughed, and the constant hustle of restaurant life came to a sudden standstill. An idea of what might come next began to take shape.

"Somehow, we just reconnected," Ferris recalls. "She's like, 'Hey, have you ever thought about wanting to open a restaurant?' And I was like, I won't go back to a restaurant. I was actually going to do a painting company.'" But the idea of returning to the food world with a trusted partner was hard to shake. They started talking seriously about the possibility of opening a restaurant and even toured a few spaces. Still, the timing felt off. High interest rates, rising food costs and unpredictable lease terms made the prospect increasingly unrealistic.
Eventually, the two began to consider another option. "Two years ago, we were looking for restaurants, and then around April of last year, we started talking about a food truck and started looking at trucks," Baker says. In early 2024, after checking out what Baker describes as "some real dogs," everything changed while she was attending her daughter's soccer game up north. She contacted Ferris and said, "You know, Michelle, there's a truck in Nederland. The pictures look good, the price looks good. We're going to go to the soccer game and then go check it out."

Luring her husband with the promise of a beer in Nederland, Baker made the trip: "As soon as I saw it, I was like, oh man, I think this is the one. I called her and sent her pictures. It's immaculate, it's small, it's cute, and the guy who's selling it, Joseph Zazzara, is amazing."

Not long after, the two made the decision to go for it and bought the truck. Overwhelmed by the logistics of how to operate everything, they were relieved when Zazzara created a YouTube channel just for them, complete with short videos walking them through each piece of equipment. Once they had the truck, Baker and Ferris quickly got to work finalizing their concept.

"I wanted something for everyone, so everyone could come and have something they want and enjoy. I didn't want to have a food truck that was just burgers or tacos. I felt like we wouldn't be able to expand on that, and we would get bored," says Ferris.

After countless hours of tossing names back and forth, including Two Chicks and a Dish and plenty of other ideas, they finally landed on Revolver. The name just made sense. It captured their plan to have a revolving menu, mixing in different types of cuisines to keep everything fresh. They kicked things off with their first official service on Easter Sunday this year at the Pour Tap House in Reunion. "It wasn't perfect," Baker admits. "But people loved the food. That's all that mattered."

The first service also marked a proud moment for Ferris. A self-taught home cook, she had spent years experimenting and refining her skills in the kitchen. Now, she finally had the chance to share her passion for food with others through their menu offerings. The truck's tagline, "Globally Inspired, Locally Sourced," is reflected in their menu, which features a variety of cuisines and emphasizes the importance of using locally sourced ingredients.

With everything made from scratch, Ferris's chicken smash burger is among the most popular items. "We wanted to have something a little different. We use local RedBird Farms chicken breast and thighs, grind them together, season them, and then press them like a smash burger," explains Ferris. "That's my favorite thing," adds Baker. For beef lovers, they also offer a beef smash burger. There is also the Sexi Mexi, tacos inspired by the kind of nostalgic taco night meals many grew up with.
And then there is the Greek gyro. "I don't buy pre-made gyro meat. I use a combination of beef and veal. I grind it, season it, bake it, and then put bricks on it to press it," says Ferris. This dish also highlights their commitment to quality and locally sourced ingredients. Their beef comes from Bowers and Family Farms in Byers, Colorado, making each gyro a fresh, flavorful experience that supports local agriculture. Their current menu also features an Italian sub and chicken salad. "We have something for everyone," says Ferris. When it comes time to revolve their menu, customers might see other items like carnitas and Cuban sandwiches. "Bowers Farm is raising pigs for us now. We're going to be single sourcing our pork probably by the end of this year," says Ferris.

What truly sets Revolver apart beyond their commitment to locally sourced ingredients is their strategic focus on hospitality, something they call "next level food trucking." "Next level food trucking is, after we have a little rush, we go table touch, because we're restaurant people. that's what you do. 'How was everything?'" says Baker. It is a small gesture that makes a big impact, reflecting their belief that great food is only part of the equation.

As Baker puts it, "We truly are a mobile kitchen. You know, we're a mobile restaurant. We're not just a food truck. We really take pride in keeping it clean and keeping the food fresh. We will never sacrifice quality."

If you are craving fresh and local bites, be sure to check out the new kids on the block. And if you happen to have your four-legged companion with you, they even offer homemade dog treats: Hank & Charlies Homemade 6-shooter dog treats.

While the Revolver partners work on their website, find truck's schedule on Instagram @revolverkitchen303.