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March 9, 2026
GREEN BAY – Green Bay entrepreneur Kevin Leurquin – a.k.a. the man behind Captain Quesadilla Co. – will showcase his food truck business on “Project Pitch It,” WISN TV Milwaukee’s “Shark Tank”-style competition.
According to projectpitchit.com, the show, now in its 10th season, challenges emerging Wisconsin entrepreneurs to convince a panel of five experts – including host Jerry Jendusa, a business consultant and founder of aviation supply company, Emteq – that their idea deserves a $10,000 cash prize.
Other judges joining the panel include: Harris Turer (CEO of the Milwaukee Admirals), David Gruber (founder of Gruber Law Offices), Gina Della (VP of marketing at Pella Windows & Doors of Wisconsin) and Gale Klappa (chair of WEC Energy Group’s board).
Leurquin said the pitch process started in December when he entered the first of two qualifying rounds by submitting a two-minute video describing his business and its mission.
“Then the show reaches out to you if you made the cut,” he said. “The next step involved conducting another pitch via Zoom in front of three producers who determine if you move on to the final round. That’s when you get to appear in the studio in front of the moguls for the actual show.”
Leurquin said he felt Captain Quesadilla was a strong fit for “Project Pitch It,” noting that the business is unique and aligns with the show’s focus on companies that benefit Wisconsin communities.
“We are definitely driven by having an impact with helping others, being generous with our time and making a difference in the lives of others,” he said.
Possibilities
If chosen as the winner on the April 11 episode, Leurquin said he would use the prize money toward expanding the company’s marketing reach.
“The feedback from the [judges] is also very important,” he said. “To get their opinions and advice is so valuable.”
Eventually, Leurquin said he envisions expanding the fleet, with more Captain Quesadilla trucks popping up in the future.
“I would like to develop a franchise model where we can help others open up their own food truck business,” he said. “We would like to help them get started and show them how to be successful.”
Leurquin’s pitch will air April 11 on WBAY-TV 2 in Green Bay, WSAW/WYOW-TV 7 in Wausau, WKBT-TV 8 in La Crosse, WISN 12 in Milwaukee and WKOW-TV 27 in Madison.
Captain Quesadilla Co.
When he launched his food truck in 2020, Leurquin said he chose quesadillas because they are versatile when it comes to choosing ingredients and heat intensity, while allowing for fairly quick preparation.
Leurquin, a trained cook, said he is passionate not only about quesadillas and entrepreneurship but also about creating a mission-driven workplace – a commitment reflected in Captain Quesadilla’s menu.
Customers, he said, can choose from the “superhero-approved” offerings, including the Namaste, with cheese, black beans and guacamole; the Humble, with cheese, black beans and BBQ sauce; the Gratitude, with cheese, chicken and buffalo sauce; and the best-selling Compassion, featuring cheese, chicken, bacon and ranch.
In addition to the savory options – all of which come in half (four slices) and full (eight slices) portions – Leurquin said the Captain Quesadilla’s menu also includes a dessert option.
“We tie our menu to the superpowers of positivity that emphasize empathy, gratitude and happiness,” he said. “We want people to think of those values as superpowers. And we want people to feel uplifted from their experience with us.”
Leurquin said the truck is impossible to miss, thanks to its mascot, Captain Quesadilla – a cheerful, cape-clad slice of quesadilla accompanied by the slogan “Feed Your Superpower!”
The man behind Captain Quesadilla
Leurquin said his “superpower of positivity” isn’t just branding – it’s personal.
Living with hemophilia and severe arthritis in his right ankle, he said he understands firsthand what it means to push through limitations.
“My mom and dad have definitely been so supportive throughout my life,” he said. “They have taught me so many great life lessons and values about kindness and resilience and about giving back – especially when so many people have helped me or coached me. I wanted to honor my parents with this message.”
About five years ago, Leurquin said he began competing in obstacle course racing, a sport that demands strength, endurance and precise footwork over rocks, mud and steep terrain.
In 2025, he said that determination paid off as he was able to compete in Sweden as part of Team USA Obstacle Course Racing’s Para-Adaptive Team at the OCR World Championships
“I took home three silver medals,” he said.
Leurquin said he is set to compete in Ireland this year and now serves as the para chair on the organization’s board, helping expand adaptive opportunities for other athletes.
“I just love OCR because of the camaraderie and the ability to do something I once thought I never could,” he said.
The camaraderie and the chance to accomplish what once felt impossible, Leurquin said, keep him coming back – the same mindset he brings to Captain Quesadilla and his work in schools.
Accompanied by Captain Quesadilla, Leurquin said he turns assemblies into experiences with interactive exercises modeled after “Project Pitch It.”
He said he even incorporated the excitement of last year’s NFL Draft at Lambeau Field into a visit to help make the moment feel bigger than the classroom.
“We partnered with Bay Harbor Elementary School [in Suamico], where we worked with fourth graders who had to come up with new quesadillas for my food truck,” he said. “They were competing and had to pitch their ideas. We picked three different entrees, a dessert and an appetizer for the menu we then served from our truck when we were on site at the draft. The kids had a chance to witness all of it, which they just loved.”
Leurquin said he hopes to eventually develop more resources for schools involving Captain Quesadilla’s messaging that is focused on character development.
“We want to create a purpose-driven curriculum that shares some of our business principles that tie in with the values of gratitude and compassion and empathy,” he said. “We would also like to focus on bringing families together around cooking and encouraging more kids to discover their own creativity by creating recipes and cooking.”
Taking the message even further, Leurquin said he is sharing Captain Quesadilla’s mission to help kids “find their superpower” with a children’s book he published last July.
“It’s called ‘Adventures of Captain Quesadilla,’ with the main character – a tortilla named Torta – who has a lot of self-doubts due to his brittle shell,” he said. “But he comes across some friends – cheesy jokester, bean warrior and zesty pepper – who show him his unique cracks are not flaws but a superpower. As a team, they create a quesadilla.”
Leurquin said the book aims to teach lessons about resilience, friendship and self-acceptance.
Gradual, steady growth
Though Leurquin said Captain Quesadilla is not his first start-up – he also founded Life is a Swing, which produced custom golf products a few years ago – it has become his primary focus as he builds the food truck business alongside his full-time sales career.
Prior to purchasing the truck, Leurquin said Captain Quesadilla got its start in a tent at local breweries, wineries and farmers’ markets before investing in the truck.
Word of mouth spread quickly, he said, and before long, he was booking graduation parties, birthdays, weddings and corporate events.
Leurquin said business expanded even more after he acquired a custom truck in Georgia.
That business growth, he said, was further supported by the Green Bay Food Truck Coalition, which played a key role early on, helping him navigate the industry as he launched Captain Quesedilla.
“They are a great resource,” he said. “They have helped with getting our name out there, with expertise and with referrals.”
With summer events set to ramp up in a handful of months and food truck sightings on the rise, Leurquin said folks can check out Captain Quesadilla’s Facebook and Instagram accounts to see where he’ll be serving next.
