Pivoting from Federal Work: I Hate Poltics Podcast

I HATE :POLITICS podcast with Sunil Dasgupta. Three stories about introspection, learning, change, and hope from the destruction of federal worker layoffs and budget cuts. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Kevin Gash of Rockville who went from a 14-year career as a USAID contractor to starting a food truck called PLAN B Sausages. Liza Achilles, also of Rockville, was a  technical writing contractor for USDA hoping for a new career in creative writing. And Robbyn Lewis, a Maryland state delegate from Baltimore, who for most of her professional life worked on USAID global health contracts and is struggling with finding the right new direction. Music by Silver Spring power pop band, The Airport77s.


Fired federal employee launches sausage truck | NBC4 Washington

NBC4 News: The truck is inspired by founder Kevin Gash’s time in Germany and serves sausages inspired by countries he’s been to around the world. News4’s Darcy Spencer reports.


Bethesda Today: For one laid-off federal worker, it’s time to sell sausages

Bethesda Today: Former USAID employee from Rockville has answered a culinary calling.

I spent a part of my youth in (West) Germany, and as the son of a German immigrant, I was raised with regular helpings of sausages. As a young child who spent his summers in and near Frankfurt, I would wander into the butcher shop and get free sausage cuts just for asking. Fast forward a few decades and I was fortunate to spend 14 years living abroad in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. I spent much of those travels sampling the local street food and daring to wonder into the local butcher's corner..


I owe a lot of my knowledge to "Eckhard the German Butcher" and you can find his YouTube channel here.  He has been keeping a dying art alive.  As the world grows smaller, so does the variety of regional foods as many start disappearing.  He's brought art and flare to creating amazing sausages and kept an old world art alive. Sadly, he hasn't updated his videos in a few years.



Our sausages are locally crafted in a licensed commercial kitchen in Rockville Maryland. They are not made a factory slaughter-house in Iowa or Alabama. We start with pork butts, beef briskets, and chicken thighs then spice them and case them. Our sausages are irregular lengths, because I feel generous and think you can use a slightly larger sausage.

Some of our regular sausages include:

  • Rheinland Bratwurst- they're an ode to the region of my ancestors. They're inspired by the flavors and recipes of the 17th Century Palatinate region featuring majorum and the exotic and recently introduced nutmeg to the culinary appetite of medieval Teutons. While inspired by a distant past, they're still a griller's favorite!
  • Maryland Fennel Sausage- some might call this an "Italian Sausage", but we call it a "fennel sausage" loaded with fresh (not dried) basil alongside a very generous helping of fennel give it more flavor than your average italian sausage. We add fired peppers and onions to give it that authentic taste.
  • Thai Chicken Currywurst- we decided we needed something without pork and really impressed ourselves with this bundle of joy that makes me re-think my love of the schweinefleisch. It is made with a red Thai curry paste, lemongrass, and fresh Thai Basil packing a flavorful, but still mild punch (but not a Muay Thai kick to the face either).
  • DC Inspired Half-Smoke- it is 50% pork and 50% beef with a mild flavoring enhanced by real wood smoking the day of the event. It has small amounts of mustard seed and in true DC fashion, we add a beef chili sauce and some cheddar for authenticity.
  • Beef Frankfurter- the favorite of kids and adults is served on a thin hot dog bun. It's perfect on a summer day and can be loaded with as many toppings as possible. (*these are not locally made as they require equipment not used in artisan cooking and thus we source the best premium pre-made commercial all- beef Frankfurters)


Special Order Sausages made fresh or by season:

  • Nürnberger Bratwurst- Served without a bun and much thinner with a more robust flavor, we'll bring this out for Oktoberfest and similar events where they can be enjoyed with a beer.
  • English or Irish Banger Sausage-a comfort food of the British aisles, it is best on a cloudy and cold day with a beer. Best on St. Patrick's Day.
  • Smoked Chorizo Sausage- in the flavor of Spanish sausage, we make our with New Mexico Hatch chilis and keep it mild and smoke for a bit more depth. We do either mix of beef or pork or a 100% beef sausasge in a fat beef casing.
  • Chicken and Apple Sausage- Great in the fall and spring where the spices and apple are brought out by the chicken.
  • Smoked Duck Sausage- A premium flavored sausage that is smoked at a low temp


*We strive to not use fillers and preservatives in our sausage. We do use nitrates in our smoked sausages to protect against botulism due to low temperature smoking. We don't use fillers to replace the meat, but will use protein based fillers such as buttermilk solids, eggs, or similar to bring out the "snap". Bangers are our only sausages with a gluten filler as they're true to the old recipes.



We're a mobile food catering business licensed in Montgomery County and reciprocity in neighboring counties. We can cater your event and build a menu around your event. We're also cost efficient and don't mandate a minimum fee or hold exclusivity over the event's food.  Contact us at: kevin@planbsausages.com and find out if we can work something out.

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