KGUN 9NewsCommunity Inspired JournalismEastside News

Actions

Retired TPD lieutenant operates cheesecake food truck on the Eastside

Sarge's Cheesecakes is operated by David Leotaud, a new addition to the business is coming soon
Retired TPD Lieutenant operates cheesecake food truck on the Eastside
Posted at 4:36 AM, Nov 03, 2023
and last updated 2023-11-03 09:03:44-04

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A retired lieutenant at the Tucson Police Department is enjoying the sweet life. David Leotaud was with TPD for over 30 years before he had an idea to start baking. “I just wanted to impress my wife when we were dating and make her cheesecake," he said.

He is the owner of Sarge’s Cheesecakes— the name coming from an older restaurant in Tucson called Rusty’s. At the time the owner couldn’t remember Leotaud's name so he just kept calling him Sarge because of his job at TPD. A few months later the owner passed away, and out of respect for Rusty's Restaurant Leotaud kept the name.

“Nobody calls me lieutenant anymore... they just call me Sarge because that's what they recognize me as now,” said Leotaud.

Sarge’s Cheesecakes are a homemade recipe made out of a church kitchen on the Eastside and then travel to different events, business and apartment complexes around town.

From wanting to impress his wife to working to impress the community he once served, Sarge's Cheesecakes has a new addition coming soon.

“We bought a 19 foot school bus and we are currently in the process of converting that into a dessert truck. The main focus now is to keep the inside cool enough when it gets hot during the summer," he said.

Leotaud says wants you at home to enjoy life whether you’re retired or not and to remember there’s always room for dessert. For more information on Sarge's Cheesecakes, visit their website or call 520-551-2567.

——-
Brooke Chau is a reporter for KGUN 9. She was a part of Fresno State's newscast, Fresno State Focus and interned at KFSN-ABC30 in Fresno, CA before coming to KGUN 9. Share your story ideas and important issues with Brooke by emailing brooke.chau@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.