About Us

The Fausts

For Washington Township resident, chef, and business owner George Faust, whipping up innovative recipes with fresh ingredients and flavors, delicious food, and personal service is simply his M.O.

“As a chef, I am able to change someone’s day through food, and try to do so in a positive way,” George said. “I enjoy being creative and sharing what I have learned with others.”

George grew up in Haddonfield, NJ while his wife, Stephanie, grew up in Washington Township, NJ; together, they graduated from Paul VI High School in 1990, although they didn’t meet until their 10-year high school reunion. They ran into each other a year later and began dating — before eventually marrying at Washington Township’s Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in 2003.

Now both 47, George and Stephanie — born just one day apart — have lived with their daughter, Gianna, 15, in the Salina Hills neighborhood of Washington Twp (Sewell, NJ near Blackwood, NJ and Turnersville, NJ). since 2004. They also have an 8-year-old cockapoo named Lucky Seven.

Among the Fausts’ many regular activities includes managing their Cibo Grill (catering) and The Walking Taco Co. (food truck) businesses. They love having family game nights, day trips to Ocean City, NJ, vacationing on Disney cruises, and watching movies and sports — especially with George being a Philadelphia Eagles season ticket holder since 1981!

Gianna attends a private catholic school and enjoys horseback riding and competitions, baby- and pet-sitting, cooking — like her dad — playing piano and volleyball, and even cleaning and organizing.

Stephanie is a Rowan University B.A. in communications alumna who went on to have a successful decade-long career at a Philadelphia TV station. She has since worked at Washington Township’s St. John’s United Methodist Church and was recently promoted to office manager.

George, meanwhile, has held many culinary roles over the years, including kitchen manager, saucier chef and sous chef for hotels and restaurants, and Food and Beverage Director for a local assisted living community. He credits his unforgettable cooking experiences for helping him reach where he is today as owner of Cibo Grill and The Walking Taco Co.

George’s Journey

Every Saturday morning growing up, George and his mother watched cooking shows. Faust idolized Jacques Pepin, who cooked French dishes; Martin Yan, who cooked Chinese; Justin Wilson, who cooked Cajun cuisine; and Julia Child, famously known for her program, “The French Chef.”

“Like most teenagers, I didn’t know what I really wanted to be,” George said. “My mother encouraged me to try cooking since she saw that I liked it and thought I would be good at it.”

George took his mother’s advice by choosing to attend then-Atlantic Community College for culinary arts (now known as AtlanticCape Community College in Mays Landing, NJ, Atlantic City, NJ, and Cape May Court House, NJ); after two years, he earned his cook certificate and began working in a variety of local restaurants. George’s first job was at Guillermo’s Italian restaurant in Haddon Heights, NJ followed by corporate restaurants, such as Chili’s in Deptford, NJ and Houlihan’s in Cherry Hill, NJ.

George went on to earn a B.S. in Culinary Arts and Foodservice Management from Johnson & Wales University in 1998; around then, he had what he calls a “life-changing experience,” summer interning at a Sir Richard Branson-owned hotel in Wales.

“The chef’s passion was as infectious as professional football for those living in Philadelphia,” George said. “He was a member of the Welsh National Culinary Team, while the sous chefs were from England and Italy.”

George said he “learned a lot about cooking and life” during his three-month stay, despite working long hours. “It was an experience that gave me such a different prospective on life outside of New Jersey and the U.S,” he said.

A Win-Win

Fast-forward to 2002, George ventured into owning his own restaurant — Cibo Grill across from Jefferson Washington Township Hospital.

“I focused on fresh, from-scratch ingredients that were healthier than the ‘run of the mill’ pizza shops that saturated the Washington Township market,” George said. “I thought that would be my niche — a specialty, gourmet shop in town. There really were not any others in the area offering wraps, panini and gourmet pizza at the time.”

While the Faust’s restaurant location has since closed, their fresh-ingredient cooking approach lives on with its catering business of the same name, as well as its food truck, whose signature menu item is the “walking taco” — great for those on-the-go, with their favorite taco ingredients all mixed in a chip bag.

“It’s a win-win, as I can spend more time with my family,” George said. “We just bought a new food truck that is now up and running!”

Township Proud

The Fausts say they are proud to live in Washington Township, given it is “very safe” with “good families who care for each other.” Keeping up such spirit, the Fausts say they fittingly live by the motto, “act justly, love mercy, walk humbly.”

When they are not busy doing Catering by Cibo Grill, LLC or on The Walking Taco Co. food truck at an event, they enjoy spending time doing different volunteer activities, especially with the local churches.

“Gianna’s favorite, especially, is writing and sending Christmas cards to those in the nursing homes who do not have many visitors,” George said.

For more information on the Faust’s Catering by Cibo Grill LLC or The Walking Taco Co. Food Truck call 1 (609) 970-6825 or contact them today. You can also see their Facebook and Instagram links below.

The above article was taken from Washington Township Neighbors – September 2019 edition, authored by Matthew Rappa. It has been updated and/or modified for use on this website.