The Story of Tuy Anongdeth & Her Spring Rolls

By Rosie Marder

There are endless food offerings in Madison, Wisconsin, but many students’ favorite meal is not from a restaurant, but popular food trucks on campus. Specifically, Tuy Anongdeth’s “Fresh Cool Drinks” truck, where she serves healthy, affordable and delicious Thai spring rolls and natural, refreshing smoothies. These are all made to order and Anongdeth prides herself on the food she serves to the customers she loves.

The food trucks are located on campus near  Library Mall and one thing is for sure – “Fresh Cool Drinks” will always have a long line, and students will always be willing to wait. There are the famous avocado spring rolls that come with optional add-ons of chicken, tofu or shrimp with mild or spicy sauce or the always refreshing smoothies made with local ingredients.

The wait is worth it, not just for the food, but for the sweet lady who serves you. Anongdeth will, without a doubt, hand you your dish with a smile and tell you to “have a great day.” The food truck owner works alone with no breaks Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m.  to 5:00 p.m. Anongdeth’s food truck is one of the best bargains in Madison – $2.00 to $5.00 for a full meal.

There’s nothing like one of Tuy’s spring rolls in Madison, and students will even endure waiting outside in the Wisconsin winter to get one. 

“I have waited for a spring roll in the snow before. It’s so worth it,” UW-Madison student Alex Feinstein said. “There’s a reason there is always a line for Anongdeth. It’s my favorite meal in Madison.”

Having emigrated to the United States in 1999, Anongdeth was looking for a way to share her love of cooking and her Thai culture. She arrived with her husband and one-year-old son and wanted to do what she loves and contribute to her community. In 2006, when Anongdeth set out on her food truck journey, she did not realize what it would take to make it successful.

Anongdeth acknowledged, “It has to take time. People have to know you.” It is important to set yourself apart and offer something different. By bringing her Thai culture to her food truck, she came up with something that resonated with her customers and kept them coming back for more. 

“When I first bought the business, business was bad. You have to take time and figure out your own thing,” Anongdeth said. She put the time and energy into building her business and she believes it was worth it. 

She continued: “It took me about three years to keep getting a little better and better, bringing me to where I am now.”

Although Anongdeth has built an incredibly successful business and reputation, there have been some bumps in the road – specifically, COVID-19. 

“I had to stop working from March to June,” Anongdeth said. “Once I came back, it was still really slow at first.”

She continued: “But, good thing for my lovely customers. They came to support me and the community helped. I really appreciate that.”

Many local businesses did not survive the pandemic of COVID-19. Thankfully Anongdeth’s food truck does not rely on employees or indoor seating, giving her business an advantage to restaurants. Many people were thankful to see Anongdeth return to campus.

Anongdeth gives credit where credit is due, and says she owes it all to her customers. She loves to go to work to see her customers and she appreciates them immensely. 

“I want to say thank you to all of you. I love my customers. It’s all because of you guys,” Anongdeth said. 

When asked about her life beyond the food truck, Anongdeth shares the basics of her life. She truly pours her heart and soul into her business and her family, 

Anongdeth is known around the UW-Madison community, but not many people know much about her. She lives in Monona, about 15 minutes from campus. She has two kids, a 20-year-old daughter, who goes to UW-Madison and a 22-year-old son who attends UW-Milwaukee. When she’s not working, Anongdeth is spending time with her husband and her kids. 

“I like to walk, I like to hang out with my kids and I like to cook,” Anongdeth said, when asked what she likes to do outside of working on her food truck. 

When Anongdeth lived in Thailand, she thought she wanted to be a doctor. That soon changed when she realized her passion for cooking and now, it is her life.

“I tell my kids if I don’t work at the food shop, what am I going to do with my life? They say, ‘Mom, you can’t do anything else,’” Anongdeth said.
If you haven’t tried one of Anongdeth’s spring rolls, you are truly missing out on something I will always associate with my time in Madison. Anongdeth and “Fresh Cool Drinks” accomplish what Anongdeth set out to do 16 years ago. She has brought Thai culture to Madison with her always fresh, amazing and delicious spring rolls and smoothies.