Who We Are
OUR STORY
A classically trained chef and a dream to change how Nashville thinks about comfort food.
The Grilled Cheeserie is a gourmet grilled cheese restaurant and food truck in Nashville, Tennessee, founded in November 2010 by Le Cordon Bleu–trained chef Crystal De Luna-Bogan and Joseph Bogan. What began as a $15K Craigslist food truck is now a 10-time Nashville Scene Best Food Truck with a shop in East Nashville and Café Cheeserie at the Frist Art Museum.
2010
Founded
10×
Nashville's Best Food Truck
4K+
Total Reviews
15+
Years in Nashville
THE GRILLED CHEESERIE
Est. Nashville · 2010
The Founder
A CHEF WITH
SOMETHING TO PROVE
Crystal De Luna-Bogan grew up in a large Mexican-American household in California, where she first fell in love with food at age eight, cooking alongside her grandmother. That early passion sent her to Le Cordon Bleu, where she earned her formal culinary degree.
Her career took her through some of the finest kitchens in the country — Disney's Napa Rose at just 19, the Four Seasons Hotel Beverly Hills, and Clementine Café & Bakery in Century City under chefs whose mentors included culinary legend Nancy Silverton.
After moving to Nashville, Crystal worked under acclaimed Chef Arnold Myint at Cha-Cha. But her vision was always bigger: take the world's most nostalgic, comforting sandwich and bring a fine dining chef's obsession to every single one.
The Origin
STARTED ON
A CRAIGSLIST DREAM
$15K
Truck found on Craigslist
Crystal and Joseph discovered their future food truck listed online, drove all the way to Arkansas to buy it, and had it operational within two months.
Nov 2010
Launched day after Thanksgiving
They chose one of the busiest food days of the year to debut. The timing was bold — and it worked. Nashville was hooked from the very first bite.
"We wanted to prove that grilled cheese could be gourmet — that comfort food didn't have to mean cutting corners. No shortcuts taken in the kitchen. Ever."
Recognition
NASHVILLE NOTICED.
THEN THE NATION DID.
Nashville Scene Best Food Truck
10 consecutive years
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Food Network — Guy Fieri
Guy's Grocery Games
Food Network — DDD All-Star
Eat St.
Cooking Channel
#7 Best Food Truck in America
The Daily Meal · 2015
#3 Most Influential Food Truck
Mobile-Cuisine · National Ranking
The Journey
15 YEARS IN THE MAKING
The Launch
Found a $15k food truck on Craigslist, drove to Arkansas to pick it up, and launched the day after Thanksgiving — with 1,000 Twitter followers already waiting.
Food Network
Featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Fieri declared: "Not only are these guys doing good grilled cheeses, but they're taking grilled cheeses to a different level!"
#7 in America
Ranked #7 on The Daily Meal's 101 Best Food Trucks in America and #3 on Mobile-Cuisine's Most Influential Food Trucks nationally.
Chairman's Award
Awarded the Nashville Business Incubation Center's Chairman's Award for Small Businesses — recognizing excellence in Nashville's entrepreneurial community.
Brick & Mortar
Opened the first brick-and-mortar restaurant in Hillsboro Village, bringing the gourmet melt experience indoors for the first time.
East Nashville
Returned to their roots, opening at Hunters Station Food Hall at 975 Main St in the heart of East Nashville.
Café Cheeserie
Launched Café Cheeserie inside The Frist Art Museum — a fromage-focused bistro bringing the same quality and creativity to the museum dining experience.
Our Philosophy
FOOD MEMORIES
ARE THE MOST POWERFUL
Crystal's culinary philosophy is simple but uncompromising: let the seasons lead. She sources ingredients from farmers' markets without a predetermined menu, allowing fresh, local produce to inspire every dish.
The Grilled Cheeserie operates with a zero-waste commitment — all packaging is 100% compostable — and a belief that great food should be accessible without sacrificing quality or conscience.
Joseph brings the operational precision and steady hand that turns Crystal's creative vision into a business that's stood the test of time. Together, they remain fully involved every day to preserve the culture, quality, and community that built this brand.
Seasonal Sourcing
Menu inspired by what's fresh at the farmers' market — no shortcuts.
100% Compostable
Zero-waste commitment in every aspect of the operation.
Fine Dining Approach
Le Cordon Bleu precision applied to your most comforting food.
Nashville Rooted
Born here. Built here. Still here — 15+ years and counting.
The Faces Behind It All
MEET THE BOGANS
Crystal De Luna-Bogan
Founder & Executive Chef
Le Cordon Bleu graduate · Started cooking at age 8 · Alumna of Disney's Napa Rose & the Four Seasons Beverly Hills
Emotionally driven, seasonally inspired, and proudly self-described as a "cheese nerd." Leads every menu decision to this day.
Joseph Bogan
Co-Founder & Operations
The analytical, operational force behind the brand. Where Crystal leads with heart, Joseph leads with precision — together they cover every angle.
Still fully involved on a day-to-day basis, maintaining culture, quality, and the guest experience that earned Nashville's loyalty.
Come taste what 15 years of obsession looks like.
Our Story
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who founded The Grilled Cheeserie?
The Grilled Cheeserie was founded by husband-and-wife team Crystal De Luna-Bogan and Joseph Bogan. Crystal is the Le Cordon Bleu–trained founder and executive chef; Joseph is the co-founder who leads operations. Both are still involved day to day.
When and how did The Grilled Cheeserie start?
It started as a food truck. Crystal and Joseph found a $15,000 truck on Craigslist, drove to Arkansas to buy it, and launched in Nashville the day after Thanksgiving in November 2010.
Has The Grilled Cheeserie been on TV?
Yes. The Grilled Cheeserie was featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri in 2013, and has also appeared on Food Network's Guy's Grocery Games and Cooking Channel's Eat St.
What awards has The Grilled Cheeserie won?
The Grilled Cheeserie has been voted Nashville Scene's Best Food Truck 10 consecutive years, ranked #7 on The Daily Meal's 101 Best Food Trucks in America (2015) and #3 on Mobile-Cuisine's Most Influential Food Trucks, and received the Nashville Business Incubation Center's Chairman's Award in 2016.
Where can I eat The Grilled Cheeserie today?
At the East Nashville shop inside Hunters Station (975 Main St, Suite 101, open daily 11AM–9PM), at Café Cheeserie inside the Frist Art Museum (919 Broadway), and at the food truck, which stops at events and pop-ups around Nashville every week.
What makes The Grilled Cheeserie different?
Chef Crystal brings a fine-dining approach to grilled cheese: menus are led by what's fresh at local farmers' markets, everything is made with no shortcuts, and the company runs on a zero-waste commitment with 100% compostable packaging.