Food & Drink, Personalities | Posted on May 20th, 2026 | return to news
Louis P meets Smokey Mose
Smokey Mose’s food trailer is a popular sight across the South West. I caught up with him to find out more about cooking the perfect jacket potato.
By Louis Pulford
Tell us about yourself?
My real name is David, though these days most people know me as Smokey or Mose. I’ve loved food from a very young age and was always experimenting in the kitchen — not always with success.
I’ve been fortunate to have had a career that allowed me to travel extensively, meet some incredible people, and experience a wide range of cuisines from around the world. Those experiences have shaped my approach to food and flavour today.
I now live in New Milton with my partner, Mikaela, and our two cats. Outside of food, I’ve always had a passion for Rugby Union — these days, I’m more likely to be found watching from the sidelines than playing on the pitch.
What led you to working with potatoes?
I returned to the UK in 2021, at the end of the pandemic, after more than 20 years living overseas. It felt like the right moment for a change — I no longer wanted to continue in the corporate world.
Food has always been a passion of mine, particularly street food, so starting a food trailer felt like a natural next step. I wanted a base ingredient that would allow room for creativity, something versatile enough to build on with bold and varied flavours. The humble jacket potato proved to be the perfect canvas, offering endless possibilities for inventive toppings.
It’s a dish I genuinely love: simple, comforting, and universally appealing. Who doesn’t enjoy a really good jacket potato?
You have a background in culinary arts that has taken you to many places, where have you been and what dishes really stuck with you?
After leaving school, I trained as a chef—a career path that, while ultimately short-lived, sparked a lifelong appreciation for food. I soon transitioned into cargo and logistics, a global industry that proved just as enriching in its own way. Over the years, my work took me across continents, with extended stays in Europe, the United States, Japan, India, South America, Canada, as well as parts of Africa and the Middle East.
Each destination offered something memorable on the plate, making it difficult to single out just one standout dish. In the United States, I developed a real fondness for smoky barbecue and the rich, comforting flavours of Southern cuisine. In Japan, I had the unique opportunity to try fugu — the infamous (and carefully prepared) poisonous puffer fish — an experience as unforgettable as it was adventurous.
Wherever I travelled, the local food was always a highlight, providing a deeper connection to each culture and leaving a lasting impression long after I’d moved on.
What is your favourite spud on your menu?
My go-to spud has to be the Kickin’ Chicken, though I’ll admit I like to add a splash of hot sauce to give it an extra kick. It’s the perfect balance of flavours: slightly sweet, smokey barbecue chicken paired with creamy melted cheese, lifted by the herby tang of ranch dressing. Then there’s the rich, smoky heat from the shack sauce, all rounded off with the fresh bite of spring onions and jalapeños.
It’s a combination that hits the spot every single time.
Where can the readers find you to experience your spuds?
Readers can usually find me in Bournemouth Square on Sundays and at Christchurch High Street market on Mondays. I also pop up at a range of events throughout the year, including the Bryanston School Summer Fair in Blandford, the Highcliffe Food and Arts Festival, Canford School Summer Fair, and the Mudeford Arts Festival, among others.
The best way to keep track of where I’ll be next is through my social media channels — TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube — where I regularly share updates and locations.
Do you have a funny or favourite story from your customers you feel you can share?
One of my favourite moments came on the day Spud Man visited, when a young lad asked if I’d sign his guitar. He was absolutely buzzing with excitement as he collected signatures from me, Spud Man, and LilSpud. I’m told the guitar now has pride of place on display at home, which is a lovely thought.
On a different note, as a long-time fan of ‘Top Gear’ and ‘The Grand Tour’, I was genuinely thrilled when Jeremy Clarkson liked one of my early social media videos. For a brief moment I thought: “That’s it — I’ve made the big time.”
What was it like meeting Spud Man, who is a bit of a viral sensation?
That was a truly unforgettable day — one of those experiences that stays with you. I’ve known Ben, aka Spud Man, for several years, and we’d been trying to pin down a date for him to visit my trailer in Bournemouth for quite some time. When it finally happened, it exceeded every expectation. The first person joined the queue at 4am, and by 8am the zig-zag queuing system we’d put in place was already full, with people spilling out up Richmond Hill.
From there, the day became a whirlwind of serving spuds, taking selfies, and signing autographs. We were incredibly lucky to have a fantastic team supporting us, including fellow potato specialists — the Jacket Potato Ladies from Portsmouth and Mr. Spud from Stevenage — as well as my partner, Mikaela, who somehow managed to bring a sense of calm to the chaos.
In total, we served over 600 people on the day, and the atmosphere was brilliant throughout. We were also pleased to donate potatoes and fillings to a local charity, We Are Humans, which helped feed an additional 100 people. It was an amazing experience all round — busy, chaotic, but hugely rewarding.
Now, one that I really want to know, can you tell me what your favourite potato to work with is?
I could tell you, but if I did, I’d have to…
Dorset View is running a competition in collaboration with Smokey Mose, offering readers a chance to win £50 worth of food. For details, head to tiktok.com/@smokeymose.
To enter visit: this link
Please share post:
TIKTOK GIVEAWAY:
@smokeymose ‼️GIVEAWAY TIME‼️ To enter: 1. Go to @Dorset View recent video 2. Like it 3. Follow them 4. Tag two friends! Goodluck! #fyp #giveaway #viral #free #spudman ♬ original sound - Smokey Mose Spud Shack
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