Roving Breakfast Truck Pops Up Across Greater Taipei  Def Quit the 9-to-5 Life Just to Live by the Sea

▲ The breakfast truck drew crowds near the school district, but it’s actually a “roving breakfast truck.” (Photo / from Def’s Roving Breakfast Truck)

Reported by Chen Ziying / Special Feature

A colorful breakfast truck parked at Shida Park drew a long queue, its sign reading "Roving Breakfast Truck" catching everyone's eye. It turns out this truck appears at irregular times and locations. Those eager to try it must check its social media page daily to see where it will show up tomorrow—only then can they taste its uniquely "roaming" breakfast.

At first glance, this creatively designed breakfast truck might seem like the fulfillment of an entrepreneurial dream. Few would guess its connection to the vast ocean. For three years, the truck has been "popping up" all over Greater Taipei. Its owner, Def, once worked in exchange for accommodation by the sea and fell in love with the ocean and surfing. He also worked a regular office job before saying, “To me, I was just experiencing life as an office worker, but the life I truly wanted was already clear. So after a year and a half, I decided to leave urban Taipei behind—I wanted to live by the sea!” That simple, intuitive thought led Def to quit his job just to live by the sea, and the idea of a roving breakfast truck had already taken root in his mind.

 
▲ Def, a millennial, was once an office worker but dreamed of life by the sea—sparking the idea for the roving breakfast truck. (Photo / from Def’s Roving Breakfast Truck)

“Living by the sea is what I truly want, and the breakfast truck is just a tool to sustain that lifestyle—an important part of it,” Def explains. By selling breakfast in the mornings, he has afternoons free for surfing and evenings by a seaside cabin. His words are firm, as if the ocean has always been his home and roaming runs in his veins.
 

From the truck’s design to its menu, Def conceived and created everything himself. Unlike typical breakfast shops, he stir-fries pork slices on a sizzling iron plate and makes triple-decker toast sandwiches—thicker than usual yet priced affordably. At first, clueless about cooking, he once peddled 20 sandwiches from his basket but sold only three. Def recalls, “I realized I had to make something unique, or I’d hit a dead end. I never cater to trends—only breakfasts that move me can move others.” His sincerity paid off: whenever the roving breakfast truck appears, long queues form, with some waiting over an hour just to eat.


▲ To its charming owner, the truck isn’t about entrepreneurship—it’s a way of life. (Photo / from Def’s Roving Breakfast Truck)

 
▲ The sandwich that initially sold just three units eventually touched customers’ hearts through relentless experimentation and refinement. (Photo / from Def’s Roving Breakfast Truck)

The truck’s menu may highlight deliciousness, but Def’s soul is what truly intrigues. He admits he didn’t know where life would lead, but his longing for the sea was crystal clear—so he followed it. “Just listen to your heart; it’ll tell you where to go,” he says. To him, the roving breakfast truck was never a business but an attitude.

 

▲ %Def’s seaside home is an old house with breathtaking ocean views. (Photo / from Def’s Roving Breakfast Truck)

 


▲ The ocean right outside his door lets surfing enthusiast Def ride waves whenever he pleases. (Photo / from Def’s Roving Breakfast Truck)

Now Def even has a band—a surprising twist. He met French bandmate Ann Lu through the breakfast truck. Reflecting back, he sees how every step paved the way for something inevitable. Now, he and Ann are “storytellers,” aligning with his innate love for narratives. Together, they use a fresh performance style to share their message. In fact, Def’s artist persona shines through—he categorized the truck’s fan page as “Artists,” not “Businesses.”

【Def’s Roving Breakfast Truck】
Location: Announced on the fan page the day before
Phone: None
Hours: 7:30–11:00 or 13:00, but subject to change; announced on the fan page the day before

Want to know where the roving breakfast truck will pop up? Click here >>>Def’s Roving Breakfast Truck