Meet Eric Sohrabian | Smash Burger Food Truck

We had the good fortune of connecting with Eric Sohrabian and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eric, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My inspiration came from a family recipe that I surprised my girlfriend one day when she went to work. I wanted to transform that dish into something new, and that’s how the idea for a smash burger was born. I started experimenting with marination and created a unique sauce to enhance the flavors. I also focused on sourcing fresh ingredients, like potatoes and locally sourced vegetables, to ensure quality and support small businesses and getting the best quality ingredients. It’s all about bringing together flavors that remind me of home while creating something innovative.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
At the heart of my work is a passion for transforming a cherished family recipe into a unique dining experience. What sets us apart is our dedication to quality and sustainability. We source our vegetables from local farmers’ markets to ensure freshness and support small businesses. Our burgers feature a carefully crafted sauce and perfectly marinated patties, creating a flavor profile that stands out.

I’m most proud of the community we’ve built around our brand. Seeing customers enjoy our food and connecting with them personally is incredibly rewarding. Getting to this point has certainly had its challenges. Starting out, I faced the hurdle of building a food trailer instead of financing a food truck, which was a significant risk. I overcame this by using creativity and resourcefulness to repurpose a jetski trailer, allowing me to reduce costs while still bringing our food to the community.
I wanted to create something that stood out but still have the look of a food trailer, and something that no one has ever seen before.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of resilience. There have been ups and downs, but staying adaptable and open to feedback has helped me grow both personally and professionally. I want the world to know that our brand is built on love—love for cooking, for our community, and for the freshest ingredients. Our story is not just about food; it’s about connection, tradition, and making a positive impact.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The first stop would definitely be to grab a breakfast burrito at Bread And Breakfast in Burbank CA with extra cilantro sauce on the side. And then grab some beers at any bar on Ventura and the play some pool at House Of Billiards.
Next few days definitely start the day with a workout or a hike and then go play some golf and drink more beers.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a huge shoutout to my girlfriend, who has been my biggest supporter from day one. Her love and encouragement inspired me to turn our family recipe into this business. To think this all started because I wanted to cook for her and surprise her when she got home from work and to be here now.I also want to recognize the local farmers who provide us with fresh ingredients. Their dedication to sustainable farming not only helps us serve great food but also strengthens our community. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey!

Instagram: @momnpopssmashburgers