Stewart’s Soul Fusion

Story by Tariq Rasheed

Upon first taste you’ll for sure fall in love with the brisket Mac n Cheese, & you can’t forget the pulled pork sandwich, one of many items that’ll have you running back to Stewart’s Soul Fusion. On any given weekend you can find Stewart’s Soul Fusion on 11th and Oak, serving up some soul to the Eugene scene.

To fully understand the magic Stewart’s creates, You’ve got to understand the man behind the brand, Moe Stewart, we have to go back to the beginning, St. Louis, Missouri. Being raised by a single mother he realized early that he’d have to work hard & hustle for everything he wanted for his life. He was blessed to be surrounded by men in his life that would do anything to provide, many of them owning businesses such as BBQ pits and more, he realized entrepreneurship was what he wanted to pursue. Hard work & hustle are ingrained in him, being just a couple of the lessons he learned young that are driving his success today.

Stewart didn’t always know he’d want to own his own food business, he found himself in kitchens when looking for work early on, starting as a dishwasher, working his way up to a cook. He learned a plethora of different recipes and cuisines simply by watching chefs cook the same meals repeatedly.

Although he learned plenty in fine dining, the reality of him being a black man was always there. There aren’t many black people in this space; Stewart often had to deal with cultural disconnect and racism, oddly enough this inspired him. Seeing the lack of opportunity for black people, combined with his love for food, led him to beginning his own venture. Nonetheless the influence from fine dining is prevalent in the food he cooks, taking comfort foods and elevating them to create beautiful meals.

Fast forward to today, Stewart uses his truck to impact the ever so small black community in Eugene. Feeling that black people, black men especially, don’t get the support, fellowship and brotherhood necessary, he uses his truck to be there for his community. He’s always happy to help the black youth here by giving his services and time to them.

“If there’s ever an event that needs catering I’m in... what I can always offer is my time,” he says when referring to the black community here.
Having catered University of Oregon black led events before, along with being a part of events like Juneteenth, he still feels like more can be done collectively within our community to uplift each other. He loves to support other black people and minorities in their endeavors being that there aren’t many of us here.

Stewart talks about oftentimes not even having a set menu for the truck and just creating what comes to mind; hell, if you don’t know what you want to eat he’ll just whip up something that you’re guaranteed to love. This gives him the freedom to be creative and try new recipes and combos,

“If I want to try something new, I’ve got 200 people on Friday night to test it out,” he says.

While many people will recognize Stewart’s Soul Fusion from serving late night eats out of his food truck, catering is where he really flexes his skills.
“I don’t want to be known as the BBQ & meat guy, I’m more than that.” he says. Through catering he’s able to show his versatility and creativity as a chef, being able to expand to different cuisines and showcase his ability. Considering how good the food from the truck is... you might want to book him for your next event.

Ensuring that each customer has a great experience is essential when stopping by Stewart’s Soul Fusion. The welcoming atmosphere at his truck is what sets them apart, making sure every customer feels seen, often conversing with them beyond the order, with the icing on the cake being every bite.

“Everyone is Welcome!” he says.
This comes from him wanting every customer to leave with a smile on their face, being impacted positively in their experience with him. He says he’d always rather have someone cooking for him who’s enjoying it and happy than someone who hates their job, from personal experience I know that he loves what he does.

Through his food, Stewart has paved his own path and is impacting each customer that visits him positively. His food has become a symbol of human connection, using it as a platform to bring people together, specifically those of color. He inspires by just being himself, being authentic and genuine in every encounter with his customers.

So the next time you have an event that needs catering or you’re out on a friday night, hit up Stewart’s for great people, great food, and a little bit of Soul.

P.S. tell him Riq Sent ya!