Employees Periscope advertising agency enjoy an employee party catered by the Chef Shack food truck,Thursday August 2, 2012, in Northeast Minneapolis, (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

I recently was walking through Loring Park when I spotted Smack Shack, the local food truck popular for its lobster rolls.

Since the truck doesn’t circulate in St. Paul, I got excited and dragged my husband over, mouth watering.

To my chagrin, the truck was serving, but not to me.

Mini rolls stuffed with succulent little pieces of dressed lobster were being handed to a mob of hungry wedding guests. It was a private event, catered by truck.

Have you ever wondered how the dozens of food trucks that clutter the streets of the downtowns make a go of it, especially when there’s so much competition?

The answer is simple: Catering.

“When you get a truck, you do catering,” Smack Shack’s catering and events coordinator Keith Endres said. “Otherwise, you have the truck just sitting in a parking lot not making money.”

Dan Rusoff takes orders while Brent Freeman (left) does the cooking for the Chef Shack food truck during a catered event for Periscope advertising agency Thursday August 2, 2012, in Northeast Minneapolis, (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

Food trucks cater to everything from intimate backyard shindigs to moderate weddings to large corporate parties. Just like a traditional caterer, they are paid upfront and plan for a set number of guests.

Smack Shack charges anywhere from $19 (boxed lunch) to $60 (lobster boil) a guest. Endres said they will serve any number of guests, but he does set a minimum dollar amount.

Each truck has different requirements and prices for catering.

Though food trucks are seeing more catering business, traditional caterers I talked to said they haven’t seen a downturn in their business due to food trucks.

“It doesn’t seem to directly affect us,” said Lancer Catering marketing director Jackie Northard.

So how does food truck catering work? Owners I talked to said they’ll serve from the truck, bring in platters of food or even offer traditional dinner service.

Cook Brent Freeman puts adds a spoonful of black beans to shredded pork tacos in the Chef Shack food truck during a catered employee part for Periscope advertising agency Thursday August 2, 2012, in Northeast Minneapolis, (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

The party host reaps several advantages from serving out of the truck.

First, there’s the cool factor.

“It’s fun, and it fits with the artsy, hipster crowd,” said Ben Van Sistine of Worell, a local industrial design firm that recently hired Hola Arepa to cater a corporate party. “It’s not pretentious food, but it’s really good food.”

Hola Arepa pulled up to a set of open garage doors at the party, which was held in the company’s sleek, open warehouse space in Northeast Minneapolis.

Guests ordered and were served just like on the street, but they didn’t have to pay.

Sandwiches were still made to order.

“They’re excellent,” said party guest Nancy Giacchetti of Chanhassen while munching on a chicken arepa, which is Venezuelan street food. “I saw two women eating one and I had to have one. … We don’t work downtown, so I don’t see (the trucks), but I like the concept because they offer lots of variety.”

Van Sistine said he got lots of similar feedback from guests, and there was an unexpected social benefit.

“You’re standing around for a few minutes, waiting for your food, and you strike up a conversation with other people waiting that you probably wouldn’t have talked to otherwise,” he said.

Another advantage? Trucks bring their own kitchen.

“We already have the truck and the kitchen,” Endres said. “So logistically, all I have to do is roll up and serve. … I don’t have to bring propane tanks or hot plates.”

Business is booming as customers discover how convenient food truck catering is, said Chef Shack co-owner Carrie Summer.

“Everybody’s happy, then we pull away,” Summer said. “It’s no muss, no fuss. It’s the upper echelon of catering. It’s super popular.”

Both Summer and Potters Pasties owner Alec Duncan said private catering makes up at least 50 percent of their businesses.

“The word is definitely spreading,” Duncan said. “This year, we’ve had four times the number of catering gigs as we did last year.”

Duncan offered another reason to hire food trucks.

“You get to have the actual owner and chef work with you every step of the way and then actually serve you,” he said.

Jess Fleming can be reached at 651-228-5435. Follow her at twitter.com/jessflem.

TIPS FOR HAVING A FOOD TRUCK CATER YOUR EVENT

• Get out and try some trucks. There are food-truck courts on Kellogg Boulevard in St. Paul on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Follow @tcstreetfood on Twitter to keep track of trucks all over the Twin Cities.
• Once you’ve narrowed the field, call a few trucks and ask what they can do. Tell the professional, who has experience catering, about your event and let him or her make suggestions. Be specific about the number of attendees and your budget.
• Want something off the menu? Ask. Chefs run the trucks and they usually can accommodate special requests.
• Be prepared to pay catering prices. Food trucks might be a little less expensive, but you get what you pay for, and local trucks turn out seriously good food.

http://www.twincities.com/restaurants/ci_21373353/haveffood-trucks-will-cater-weddings-backyard-bashes-corporate

Brace yourselves, Minnesota: Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern is opening a food truck called AZ Canteen, and he’s doing it in the apex of all things Minnesotan, the Minnesota State Fair. Come August 25, the Canteen will open serving food inspired by Zimmern’s global travels. And before you start getting nervous about eating crickets or whatever, it’s not actually all that out there: the menu has dishes like cabrito butter burgers (with a new custom goat blend by Pat LaFrieda), crispy pork belly with green papaya salad, and griddled veal tongue sliders. It will also serve ice cream sandwiches from Izzy’s in St. Paul.

Zimmern is also in the process of opening two sandwich shops, one at the Minneapolis airport and one at LaGuardia in New York City. AZ Canteen will be stationed at the Fair through its end September 3, after which it will roam around the Twin Cities. Also, you can rent it for events — Bizarre Foods birthday party, anyone? Above in the slideshow, the menu and the truck art. Below, the press release.

Update From Zimmern’s PR: The event at the State Fair is a preview event. Between 12:00PM and 5:00PM on August 25 (and only August 25), the truck will hand out goat sausage samples. After that, the truck will stick around and “additional activities” will happen, but they’ll no longer be handing out samples. (Advice? Get there early.) The official launch of AZ Canteen will happen sometime after the 25 — check out their Twitter for details — and the truck will be located in the Twin Cities.

AZ Canteen Menu

· Andouille, Oyster and Crab Gumbo
· Crispy Pork Belly With Green Papaya Salad, Chiles, Lime With Fried Egg
· Cabrito Butter Burger With Roasted Tomatoes, Charred Onion, Pickles
· Cabrito Sausage Grinder With Cabbage Slaw
· Griddled Veal Tongue on Butter Toasted Bun With Lemon, Capers, Arugula and Tonnato Sauce
· Izzy’s Handcrafter Ice Cream Sandwiches
· Nicaraguan Dulce de Leche Shaved Ice With Pound Cake “Loly’s Style”
· Jamaican Hibiscus Punch, a Selection of Natural Homemade and Artisanal Sodas, Juice of the Day, Bottled Water
· Sides Available: Potato Salad or Chips

ANDREW ZIMMERN TO UNVEIL NEW FOOD TRUCK AT 2012 MINNESOTA STATE FAIR

AZ Canteen to Showcase Menu Items from Around the Globe,
Inspired by the Acclaimed TV Host’s Culinary Adventures

St. Paul, MN (August 16, 2012) – Andrew Zimmern, the two-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, food writer and teacher is rolling into new culinary territory on Saturday, August 25th with the launch of AZ Canteen, an Andrew Zimmern Food Truck. Widely recognized for hosting Travel Channel’s popular Bizarre Foods series, Andrew will unveil his latest culinary venture at the Minnesota State Fair, one of the largest food events in the world.

The model for AZ Canteen naturally evolved from Andrew’s experiences visiting hundreds of food trucks and street stalls around the world, as well as creating several airport restaurant concepts. Designing a mobile restaurant affords Andrew the luxury of traveling alongside AZ Canteen for events and appearances around the country.

“The menu will be differentiated and delicious. I have been lucky enough to travel and eat my way through over 100 countries tasting everything I can along the way,” Zimmern said. “I want to expand the protein choices of Americans with the overarching goal of restoring health and wellness to our food system one plate at a time. Take goat for example. I love it and we’re featuring it first and foremost. I partnered with Pat LaFrieda to create a goat burger blend and a goat sausage that is indescribably superb.”

From savory options like Cabrito (goat) Sausage, Crispy Pork Belly and Griddled Veal Tongue Sliders, to sweet selections that define truck dining, including Ice Cream Sandwiches from Andrew’s favorite scoop shop, Izzy’s Ice Cream in St. Paul, MN, AZ Canteen is paving the way as a flavor and ingredient thought leader in the industry.

The graphics for AZ Canteen were inspired by the foundation of what the food truck represents: flavorful food and a unique experience. The icons embody the perfect intersection of food and travel, reflecting the ingredients used in the menu items, with a nod to vintage travel stickers and suitcases.

During AZ Canteen’s inauguration, fans can expect to see Andrew behind the truck’s grill serving up delectable dishes, then throughout the year for select days and events. Regardless, diners can anticipate great food and an even better culinary experience.

With future plans to expand the AZ Canteen roster beyond a single truck, Andrew hopes to capitalize on his extensive international “Bizarre Foods” fan base, launching food trucks in several countries.

For updates on locations, hours and menu items, AZ Canteen devotees can defer to the company’s Twitter (@AZCanteen), Facebook (www.facebook.com/AZCanteen) or website www.AZCanteen.com.

http://eater.com/archives/2012/08/16/az-cantina-andrew-zimmerns-twin-cities-food-truck.php

Owners share tricks of the mobile-kitchen trade

While the phrase “So you want to start a food truck?” may sound like the title of the latest half-cocked Food Network reality show, it’s also a legitimate question being mulled over by every kind of food enthusiast, from the professional chef looking to expand his business to the skilled home cook with some start-up money and the ability to make a mean sausage/meatball/hot pocket. As a business plan, the concept seems simple: Have a great product, put it on wheels, and deliver it to droves of hungry customers. But owning and operating a mobile kitchen is a complicated undertaking that presents a unique set of challenges. There are permits to obtain and space issues to consider (both inside the truck and in the increasingly crowded marketplace), and you’re always one hailstorm or engine malfunction away from losing an entire day’s business.

B FRESH Photography Tots Boss's Dan Docken

Despite the obvious drawbacks, more than a dozen new trucks will join the Twin Cities’ mobile food fleet this spring and summer. Popular Kingfield Farmers Market vendor Foxy Falafel recently added a truck, as did the fantastic Northeast hangout the Anchor Fish and Chips. Brand-new trucks like Tot Boss (finally, an entirely tater-tot-centric eatery); Bloomy’s Classic, serving tender roast beef sandwiches; and Asian dumpling vendor Golden Tummy are among those throwing their hairnets into the ring this season, and new trucks seem to be announcing themselves on Twitter every day. So what is it that’s driving them? And how have the successful ones managed to get and stay that way? We talked with both new and well-established food truck owners about the meteoric development of this food trend and how they navigate this sometimes cutthroat business. So, if you’ve been dreaming about running your own food truck, here’s a little advice from the pros about the lessons they’ve learned and the pitfalls to avoid before you take the leap.

B FRESH Photography Tots Boss's poutine tots

Lesson No. 1: It All Starts with the Money

Before you can even think about shopping around for exactly the right bun for your sliders, you’ll face the daunting tasks of securing funding and finding a vehicle that will fit your needs. For many new food trucks, the first step before hitting the streets is campaigning on Kickstarter, an online community-based platform for funding creative projects. Even with the help of a sizable loan (close to $36,000) from the local nonprofit Women Venture, Aussie’s Kebabs owner Chris Millner still needed about $3,000 for a down payment on a truck. The Kickstarter community proved very supportive, and backers actually exceeded Millner’s goal by about $130.

B FRESH Photography The chimichurri chicken arepa from Holy Arepa

Pledges for Millner’s project started at a mere $5, though most chipped in at the $100 level, for which Millner offered a free kebab, T-shirt, personalized magnet, and the name of the backer and his or her city printed right on the trailer. Millner is hoping for a roll-out close to May.

Another new kid on the block, Neal Lenzmeier, owner of Neato’s Burgers, a truck specializing in duck-fat fries, drive-in-style burgers, and small-batch craft ice cream, took a more traditional approach to fundraising. “We went about getting funding from a number of private investors so that we wouldn’t have to take out loans just to pay back other bank loans,” Lenzmeier says. “Even after six months of research and writing, we went about $6,000 over budget.” Soon after, Lenzmeier and his business partner, Tony Gutierrez, found a truck in Ely that would fit their needs, but it was bare-bones. “We had to install the flooring, water tanks, and plumbing ourselves,” Lenzmeier says. “We purchased and installed a griddle, fryer, stainless walls, and the sink, and then hired a company to install the exhaust hood. So that was a lot of work we did ourselves, but we managed to do the entire truck for under $40,000, and from what we understand, that’s really inexpensive.”

Budget is, of course, relative to the scale of your project, but of the truck owners I interviewed about start-up costs, 40 grand was indeed at the low end of the spectrum. Owners’ initial costs averaged about $60,000, and all did some renovation work themselves. Several truck owners, including Tamara Brown, owner of Sassy Spoon, sought out the services of Chameleon Concessions, a Plymouth-based company offering hands-on services for food carts, concession trailers, and food trucks. “I started my whole project with a lot of online research and searching of ‘food trucks for sale.’ Since every state has different kitchen regulations for food trucks, I was wary of purchasing one that was already built out in another state, so I decided to search Craigslist for an empty truck,” says Brown. “After a few months of looking, I found an empty, cheap, 2000 Aramark truck in Wisconsin. The body was in fine shape, but the mechanics needed some work. Mark Palm of Chameleon Concessions did the building out of the truck and since it was empty, we were able to customize the space.”

But how do you know what you need in a truck? And where do you get equipment if you do decide to install it yourself? Lenzmeier and Gutierrez say you can do a lot with very little square footage. “We have maybe 50 and have a full-size sandwich cooler, freezer, 36-inch grill, and plenty of prep space. Our truck is on the larger side, and I’ve seen much smaller,” says Lenzmeier. “We found and purchased most of the additional equipment we needed at Northern Restaurant Equipment, which is in West St. Paul. They have a huge inventory of used equipment and can order new equipment easily.”

Lenzmeier recommends you buy a new hood for your range. “Just so that you know it’s new and will meet the NSF [National Sanitation Foundation] standards. We got ours online from a company in Georgia that builds them to order, but after you have your food license, you can open an account at Restaurant Depot, and they have equipment there.” Restaurant Depot is also where many of the truck owners buy the packaging for serving their food.

So there are a number of ways to raise the money for your project, but each method carries risks. And just like with a home improvement project, you can keep your costs down by buying a fixer-upper and doing the work yourself. But be honest: Do you know how to install plumbing and water tanks in a truck or trailer kitchen? It might be worth seeking a little professional assistance.

Lesson No. 2: Find Your Niche

Capital is obviously important, but without the right product to sling you won’t have much luck finding an audience. This tenet of the business was obvious to Brown, who is a trained nutritionist, when she came up with the concept of the Sassy Spoon. She noticed that with all the doughnuts, sandwiches, and piles of mac and cheese, foodies with celiac disease or gluten intolerance didn’t have a lot of options in food-truck fare. “I’m sensitive to gluten myself, and even for people without a gluten allergy, reducing the amount of gluten consumed on a daily basis has health benefits. I want to provide options for people looking for gluten-free food,” says Brown. “It’s about more than just leaving off the bread.” Whether you’re eating her buttery cauliflower mash and rich braised beef or her fiber-rich wild rice salad with spinach, dried cherries, and black beans, I doubt you’ll be missing a piece of squishy white sandwich loaf.

Gastrotruck owners Stephen Trojahn and Catherine Eckert wanted to operate their “gastropub on wheels” with a zero-waste philosophy, which includes a commitment to using the whole animal. “Absolutely everything on the animal gets used,” says Eckert. Gastrotruck also uses environmentally sound serving cups and eating utensils. “It is more expensive,” Eckert admits, “like close to five times more expensive to use this specific spork that can be recycled on site. But it’s very important to us, and I hope it’s important to our customers.”

Their service is quick, but the prep and planning for their dishes is decidedly slow. Rolls from New French Bakery are made daily. Pork belly is sous vide for more than a day before getting crisped on the flattop and made into deliciously decadent sliders. Pickled onions, mustards, and cornichons are all homemade and jarred by hand.

When Lenzmeier and Gutierrez were developing the Neato’s Burgers menu, the two St. Paul natives decided to carry the legacy of a local institution. “We had a loose idea of what we wanted to do,” says Lenzmeier, “but when Porky’s closed, we decided to pick up where they left off and do drive-in style burgers and shakes. We came up with our own recipes, and after trying different alternatives to boring old vegetable oil, duck fat was the best. It’s actually healthier in a lot of ways than vegetable frying oil. Anyway, we just wanted to do burgers, fries, and shakes without preservatives and fillers. We have a slew of special burgers ready to roll out for the foodie crowd, too: elotes, green chile, Thai, Korean barbecue, stuff like that.”

In sum, find a gap in the market and bring something new to the scene.

Lesson No. 3: Make Lots of Friends

Truck owners were reluctant to pinpoint any one factor as the “thing that can make or break your business,” but each one underlined the importance of building relationships with other trucks as well as brick-and-mortar restaurants.

“In our first year, there was a huge learning curve,” says Trojahn of Gastrotruck. “The ‘original trucks’ really helped to promote our business in St. Paul, so we found the competition to be not fierce, just mostly really supportive and trusting.” Trojahn credits special gatherings like Food Truck Court in downtown St. Paul with maintaining that well-organized sense of community. “In Minneapolis it really is more competitive, due to stricter regulations. People end up circling the block to take other people’s parking spots, which is perfectly legal, but yeah, it’s more cutthroat on Nicollet Mall.” Trojahn also spoke about the rumored backlash from brick-and-mortar restaurants. “We were sure to go and speak with restaurants in the area and make sure they knew we weren’t a threat. I think with customers, you either want to go and have a sit-down meal or get something quick from a truck window. We’re just sure to not park right in front of their place,” Trojahn laughs.

Lenzmeier also noted the importance of communication and having good relationships with other trucks. “We heard horror stories from the trucks that did the parade route on St. Patrick’s Day that were lined up together at Rice Park,” he says. Lenzmeier explains that with so many options in such a small area, customers tended to spread out and thus none of the truck owners pulled in much cash. “We, on the other hand, parked farther away and ended up selling 130 pounds of meat and potatoes in five hours and were totally sold out,” says Lenzmeier. “It really depends on if the ‘target market’ is out, and I think we’re all trying to figure out what that is.”

So this one is easy: Learn from the pros, and try not to step on toes.

Lesson No. 4: Go Where the Customers Are

Perhaps even more integral to the success of a truck is getting creative about where to connect with customers. This year brought some great opportunities for trucks seeking alternative venues, particularly at the newly opened local brewery taprooms. Both Gastrotruck and Hola Arepa have found success by parking outside Fulton Brewery, especially on Twins game days.”We’ve seen a lot of growth in the food truck business in general,” says Hola Arepa’s Christina Nguyen. “So there’s an increasing number of food trucks, but there’s also more awareness and demand for them than there was before.”

Neato’s Burgers was keen to get the business of the late-night bar crowd. “We have an unofficial agreement with the Turf Club to be their food truck for larger shows. We asked their permission to serve during the Meat Puppets show, which was a great night for us,” Lenzmeier says.

Aside from alternative venues, almost every truck owner said they would recommend setting sights on St. Paul, since the permits and laws about gathering as a group are much looser. For now. “The permits are difficult to obtain just like any other restaurant,” Lenzmeier explains. “Minneapolis has some of the strictest health codes around, which translate into more expensive buildout for your truck. The zoning is also pretty strict for food trucks, so the area where we can operate is limited.”

And again there are costs associated with that. An annual operating permit for a mobile food vendor in Minneapolis will run you $818, and before you can even get that, your food plan will have to be reviewed by the city, which costs another $359. “It was not very hard to get the permits at the city,” says Hoa Nguyen of YumMi, a food truck that sells Vietnamese-style banh mi sandwiches. “But the upfront costs were definitely a burden, especially because certain kinds of permits are not prorated for the duration of their validity, which is April to through April. So if we have to get a new special permit in December, we would still have to pay the full fee. Another restriction we’ve experienced is that although our annual permit allows us to vend at a fixed spot in downtown, if there are events organized around our designated spot, we’d have to get an additional permit in order to operate where we usually are.”

So read up, check with the city, read up, and check again, because it’s easy to get nailed with fees if you don’t have the right permits. It’s the “measure twice, cut once” rule of food trucks. And if possible, get in good with all the breweries that are springing up. You know who likes quick, cheap food from a truck? People who are a few beers deep.

The hours are long, the spaces are limited, and the competition can be stiff, but the intense passion with which these businesses are run ensures that Twin Cities food trucks won’t soon disappear from our streets. As these first-, second-, and third-year owners start looking at how they’ll reinvent themselves to meet the challenges of another season, will you be joining their ranks?

http://www.citypages.com/2012-04-25/restaurants/so-you-want-to-start-a-food-truck/

The extremely well run Chef Shack Truck and it's owners are probably one of the reasons the Minneapolis City Council sees Food Trucks as a positive note for the city!

What’s the big news in this, the first week of May 2011? Chef trucks and street food, of course.

Minnesota’s premiere curated farmers’ market, Mill City, kicks off Saturday, and you know what that means: It’s food truck season. The Chef Shack debuts at Mill City this weekend—that’s the truck of Lisa Carlson, world traveler, veteran of bona fide Michelin-starred European restaurants, and originator of the local street-food revolution. Chef Shack remains, in my opinion, in the first rank of local street food options: They’re inventive, surprising, awesome. Some of my favorite past meals there included pulled pork nachos, hand-cut sea salt french fries, goat’s milk ice cream, and cardamom-scented mini donuts. Yum!

But it’s going to be a truck-y, truck-y good summer. My other favorites: First Minneapolis, then St. Paul.

Minneapolis:

Smack Shack
You’ll find the best lobster rolls in the history of the great North Star State, the best shrimp poor boy I’ve ever had, a darn good sausage poor boy, and soon, fried green tomato poor boys for the vegetarians in the house. Smack Shack’s new downtown location is on Marquette between 6th and 7th street, right outside Wells Fargo and a half block walk from the pretty benches and fountains inside the IDS. Check their Twitter feed for daily specials, and to find out if they’re out (they won’t be on rainy days).

World Street Kitchen
Sameh Wadi, chef of Saffron, is a James Beard semi-finalist (who’s off to cook for the $1,500-a-plate Beard VIP dinner this weekend, as well as for the big names attending the general awards), and the only Minnesotan to ever compete in Iron Chef. When he’s not advancing cuisine, he’s running his food truck, World Street Kitchen, which is parked by the light rail stop at Nicollet and 5th Street. What to get? Great fusion dishes like a Middle Eastern pressed lamb torta, made by pressing big chunks of Iowa lamb, pickled peppers, herbs, and cheese together inside a roll until everything inside it fuses into one delicious spicy cheesy whole, or his famous “yum yum rice bowl” a sort of Middle Eastern take on Korean bi bim bop that is unbelievably delicious (even though it sounds ghastly). Follow them on Twitter for daily menus (and daily availability).

Barrio Taco Truck
Barrio has a great big death star of a shiny black truck which parks daily now in Minneapolis’ Warehouse district from around 11 a.m. on. I visited the first week they were open and had a delectable bacon-wrapped, LA-style hot dog covered with cheese, beans, and pickled peppers, as well as a strangely under-seasoned soft-shell crab torta. Next time I go I’m going to ask that they splash more of that excellent salsa around. I’ll also mention that there was a guy sitting on the sidewalk near me devouring an excellent-looking burrito. I had burrito envy. Again, Twitter is the best way to track them.

Dandelion Kitchen
Parked right in front of the IDS in downtown Minneapolis during the week, and at the Midtown Farmer’s Market on Saturdays, Dandelion Kitchen specializes in graceful farm-driven treats like potato leek soup, and ham and goat’s-milk brie sandwiches. Like everyone, they typically post their specials on Twitter.

Nate’s Dogs
I haven’t tried this newcomer yet, but I’m going to. Why? Pastures ‘A Plenty is one of my very favorite pork producers in the state, and that’s where their hot dogs are from. Also, homemade sauerkraut. Hooray for farm-driven hot dogs! This hot dog specialist is planning to be on the corner of 4th and Hennepin, near the central library. Best way to track Nate Dog’s schedule is via Facebook.

St. Paul:

Meritage
That little bit of Paris in the state capital opened their patio this week, and their street-stand for crepes (the best in Minnesota!) is open now, and for every sunny day until October. Specials are typically a sweet and a savory crepe, daily. For instance, sweet might be fresh strawberries and Nutella, and a savory might be filled with spinach, mushrooms, and fontina cheese. What’s the special today? Check them on Twitter.

128 Café’s
St. Paul’s famous and beloved 128 Café got into the food truck business last year. Some of the highlights included a good sized portion of their famous pork ribs, pesto-shrimp skewers, and fancy asparagus salads with chevre sourced straight from the farmers’ market. They also have a Twitter account.

Food Truck Court
128 Café also is the anchor truck for this year’s new experiment, the chef-truck food court, which is planned to assemble every Wednesday near the St. Paul City Hall, on Kellogg. You can find who is assembled into a food court using the Twitter hash-tag #FoodTruckCourt.

Fork ‘n Road
Fork ‘n Road is one of the participants in the Food Truck Court, but they’re also often found in St. Paul near Mears Park. Typical menu items are things like a pulled pork sandwich, or a roasted red pepper sandwich with arugula and aioli. Like everyone, they’re best followed on Twitter.

GastroTruck
The biggest news of the truck scene thus far in 2011 is the new truck of chef Stephen Trojahn, a chef known for his fine dining work at Cosmos. The menu items he’s posted look fantastic: Smoked meatloaf sliders, fried-egg cheddar sliders, spiced caramel corn. Follow on Twitter.

Magic Bus
Last, but by no means least: The big purple hippie bus beloved by crunchy types and foodie types alike. I also put them last because they’re the rare food truck that does both sides of the river. They can be found at the Midtown Minneapolis Farmers’ Market, and in St. Paul at the Truck Food Court—and at all sorts of Minneapolis summer festivals.

Summer! It’s coming. And it tastes better than ever.

http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Blogs/Dear-Dara/May-2011/The-2011-Street-Food-amp-Chef-Truck-Season-Begins-Now/

Rick Gales takes the orders while chef Joel Ryan makes the food in the Grub Truck for a customer / Jason Wachter, jwachter@stcloudtimes.com

A metropolitan food trend has driven into St. Cloud.

The Grub Truck started traveling the city’s streets about two weeks ago offering made-to-order tacos and rice bowls three days a week. It is owned and operated by Joel Ryan, who also owns Homestyle Catering in Eden Valley.

It might be the only such food vehicle operating in St. Cloud, said Lisa Schreifels, the city’s health director. Other mobile food trucks have had specific businesses they visit.

The concept might be new to St. Cloud, but it has taken off in other places. Metropolitan areas such as New York City and Los Angeles have hundreds of restaurants on wheels. Websites map locations of popular trucks in metro areas. Even the Twin Cities have a handful of grub trucks, Ryan said.

Food-based television shows such as “America’s Next Great Restaurant” highlight such trucks as well.

“We’d like to make it a trend in St. Cloud,” said Rick Gales, Ryan’s brother. He waited on customers who braved the wind during their lunch hour last week.

The advantages of operating such a restaurant are simple, Gales and Ryan said: Overhead costs are lower and the time to prepare the food is quicker. It also allows Ryan to sell food at places people frequent.

The Grub Truck stops in downtown St. Cloud between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and near Hennen’s Furniture on Wednesdays.

Ryan hopes to also serve the downtown bar crowd during the weekends.

“The bar kitchens close at 10 p.m.,” Gales said. “Everyone is hungry. The kids can grab something on the way back to campus.”

Mobile food units can be licensed by either the city or state, Schreifels said. The state license provides operators the option of traveling to other localities, she said. The city licenses are only good within the city limits, she said.

St. Cloud recognizes the state licenses of trucks like The Grub Truck.

The city has issued two mobile food licenses. The two operators provide food that is made in a commercial kitchen, and then brought to different businesses in trucks.

Zippy’s Lunch Truck has taken breakfast, lunch and dinner to its business clients for 14 years. Owner John Brudwick makes 17 scheduled stops Monday-Friday.

He has a waiting list of potential clients, he said. Brudwick serves 100-150 people a day, he said.

Gales and Ryan hope they too can create such a loyal following. They announce their locations using Twitter and Facebook.

And if there’s a crowd of people somewhere, they can join it.

“It’s mobile,” Gales said. “We can go where the people are.”

http://www.sctimes.com/article/20110422/NEWS01/104220025/1009/Grub-Truck-rolls-out-eats

Turkey To Go

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN  – The Minnesota Twins and food, beverage and retail partner Delaware North Companies Sportservice today (Tuesday, March 29) introduced a variety of new menu items to an already well-regarded Target Field concessions lineup.

In remaining consistent with the inaugural season’s emphasis on local fare, the Twins and Sportservice once again sought out unique and delicious foods from Minnesota.

New this season will be a turkey sandwich from Minnesota State Fair and Nicollett Mall food truck purveyor Turkey to Go, the Walk A Taco™ from St. Paul’s El Burrito Mercado, the Minneapple Pie from the Cottage Grill just outside the Twin Cities, and two additional Kramarczuk’s bratwurst dishes created specially for Target Field by Food Network, a Sportservice partner. The Twins and Sportservice are also introducing a Kosher hot dog cart.

“The Twins are proud of the partnerships established with a growing roster of Minnesota-based signature restaurants and products,” Twins President Dave St. Peter said. “We believe the vast menu variety is consistent with our fans’ expectations, and we remain committed to ensuring Target Field’s food and beverage offerings rate among the most diverse in Major League Baseball.”

Last season, Twins fans enjoyed Sportservice-prepared Minnesota favorites such as the Pecos River Red Chili of the Loon Café near Target Field and a steak sandwich inspired by popular downtown Minneapolis steak house Murray’s.

All will return in 2011, as will the Vincent Burger at Town Ball Tavern, the expanded Kramarczuk’s sausage lineup, Land O’ Lakes soft-serve ice cream and several dishes created in collaboration with Twins greats – the Tony Oliva (Tony O’s) Cuban Sandwich and the Kent Hrbek version of the Juicy Lucy, the Rex Burger.

“It’s all about Minnesota,” said Pete Spike, general manager for Sportservice at Target Field. “We’re committed to offering fans some of the state’s most dynamic and delicious options to enjoy at the ballpark.”

New for 2011 are:
Turkey to Go – A mouth-watering taste of the Minnesota State Fair since 1959, the Giant Juicy Turkey Sandwich – marinated overnight, served hot and fresh, and pulled from the bone – makes its Minnesota-sports debut in a portable stand behind home plate on the main concourse.

A product of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, Turkey to Go also has a popular food truck at Nicollett Mall in downtown Minneapolis. Minnesota is the No. 1 turkey-producing state, with 250 farmers raising 45 million turkeys each year.

Sportservice will serve the new signature sandwich at Target Field with the flavor of another local favorite – Ken Davis BBQ Sauce. Ken Davis opened a restaurant in Minneapolis in the late 1960s and developed his signature BBQ sauce in 1972. Today it is available in grocery stores in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and North and South Dakota.

The State Fair also served as inspiration for some of Sportservice’s inaugural concession stand offerings, including the Walleye on a Spike, J.D. Hoyt’s Cajun Pork Chop on a Stick, and Cheese Curds. All are returning in 2011.

Walk A Taco – El Burrito Mercado, a local Mexican favorite in St. Paul’s “District del Sol” for more than 30 years, lends this concept – a tortilla-based cone, stuffed with authentic taco ingredients. Owned by the Silva family, El Burrito Mercado has featured its Walk A Taco at countless festivals, including TwinsFest 2011, Taste of Minnesota, Cinco de Mayo and Grand Ol’ Days.

El Burrito Mercado will supply the cones, and Sportservice will prepare and serve the Walk A Taco at Target Field’s Señor Smoke’s locations. Before the selections of flavorful ingredients are stuffed into the cone, they’re mixed in a way that provides each bite with an equal balance in taste.

Minneapple Pie – What better to have with baseball than apple pie? Armed with a century-old family recipe, the Atsidakos family developed this individual apple pie in the 1960s at Peter’s Grill in Minneapolis and now serves it in the family-run Cottage Grill in Rogers, Minn. It’s featured at the State Fair and will now be supplied to Sportservice to serve at Target Field.

Sportservice will serve the Minneapple Pie – apples inside a deep-fried, flaky crust and topped with cinnamon and sugar – in the State Fair Classics stand. For an additional cost, this tasty treat can be topped with another local favorite returning this season, Blue Bunny Ice Cream.

Food Network – Twins fans can enjoy two Food Network takes on the highly-popular Kramarczuk’s sausage in addition to the bratwurst, Polish and Hungarian sausages already served at Target Field by Sportservice The new Food Network specialties are a smoked bratwurst with horseradish cream and a wild rice bratwurst with pickled red cabbage and beer mustard.

The sausages will be made fresh daily just one mile away from Target Field at Kramarczuk’s and will be served at a Food Network cart at section 114.

Delaware North and Food Network, one of the most popular lifestyle networks on television, began their partnership in March 2010. Last year, Food Network’s team of chefs created signature dishes for suite menus in the Major League ballparks at which Sportservice operates. This winter they turned their attention to creating concessions fare that all fans could enjoy.

Hebrew National Hot Dog – For Twins fans seeking a Kosher selection, the Hebrew National Hot Dog comes to Target Field this season. The preparation of the main attraction at Target Field’s first kosher hot dog portable cart will be supervised Sunday through Thursday by a Rabbi or one of his representatives. The cart will remain open Friday and Saturday, but in observation of the Sabbath, it will not be supervised. All food items – including bread, condiments and specially packaged soft drinks – fall within kosher standards.

The Twins Brews stand returns in 2011 featuring many local and regional brews, including Summit, Schell’s, Finnegan’s, Grainbelt Premium and Leinenkugel’s. New for 2011 is Farm Girl Saison from Lift Bridge Brewery based in Stillwater, Minn.

Pepsi Beverages Company (PBC) returns as the official soft drink provider of Target Field. PBC has the exclusive soft drink pouring and marketing rights in the new stadium for the next four years. PBC is also a sponsor of the TwinsCare outreach program, which provides tickets to children and adults without the economic means to purchase them.

Four different varieties of Schweigert hot dogs return to Target Field:

• The Big Dog – This quarter-pound, all-beef hot dog replaced the Dome Dog. It is served with chips and sold at portable grills and select concession stands.

• The Original Twins Dog – This pork and beef Tenderbite skinless hot dog is the same hot dog that was served at Met Stadium, just a bit bigger. This hot dog is served at select concession stands.

• The Dugout Dog – The pork and beef old-fashioned hot dog with a natural casing will again be served by retro fitted vendors in the stands.

• The Dinger Dog – The pork and beef foot-long hot dog is a skinless hot dog and will be served at select Hennepin Grille locations.

The Twins also continue their partnership with Anheuser-Busch, including the return of the Budweiser Roof Deck, a popular seating section at Target Field. Budweiser has now sponsored the Twins for more than 20 years.

Minneapolis-based coffee company Caribou Coffee returns in 2011 as the official coffee of the Minnesota Twins and Target Field.

Chef Pastor Jimenez, Sportservice’s executive chef at Target Field, returns to oversee all concessions and premium dining and supervise a large culinary staff working in several kitchens at the ballpark. Sportservice will once again feature broad menus in Target Field’s clubs and suites, including a Food Network menu – Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese, Sausage and Pepper Potato Skins, a number of salads and several other dishes – that will again be available in Target Field’s suites.

Target Field’s clubs and suites also feature pastries, cakes, and other deserts created onsite by Sportservice Pastry Chef Jamie Caudy. Having a pastry chef on a sports venue’s culinary team is believed to be a rarity.

Fans can learn more about Target Field’s concessions and dining offerings at www.TasteOfTwinsTerritory.com.

About Delaware North Companies Sportservice
Delaware North Companies Sportservice is one of the nation’s leading food, beverage and retail management companies, providing concessions, gourmet catering and fine dining operations at more than 50 professional sporting venues, entertainment complexes and convention centers across the United States and Canada. Sportservice has served an impressive collection of sporting events and clients, including the World Series, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball’s All-Star Games, Stanley Cup Championships and the Olympic Games.

For more than 90 years, Sportservice has demonstrated that it knows what it takes to effectively develop, operate and manage multi-faceted kitchens, restaurants, suites, fine dining and retail facilities in order to meet the changing demands of today’s fans.

From introducing new healthy, organic food selections and creative cuisine for twists on the traditional fare, Sportservice continues to innovate and enhance the fan experience. For more information, visit http://www.DelawareNorth.com.

http://blogs.citypages.com/food/2010/08/turkey_to_go_ro.php

St. Cloud food vendor Mark Tompkins, who has set up shop adjacent to a Wendy’s fast food restaurant near the Tractor Supply store on 13th Street in St. Cloud, shows off his popular hot dogs. News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan

St. Cloud business owners aired their concerns and frustrations about mobile food carts and the cart’s vendors defended their stands at the Jan. 20 City Council workshop.

Mayor Rebecca Borders described the purpose of the workshop, which normally does not allow for public comment, as a way for council members to gauge what residents want in the way of mobile food vending.

As per city code, mobile vending carts are only given permits for special events, such as lakefront celebrations. However, six vendors last year were provided letters from the city permitting them to serve everything from barbecue to hot dogs in local parking lots. Those letters expired the day of the workshop, but the council agreed to extend the expiration date until it could make a decision on mobile vending.

“It’s not about any specific vendor,” Borders said.

A large group of business owners appointed Koffee Kup owner Frank Woodsby as spokesman to outline grievances to the council, which included the economy, liability, licenses and sanitation.

“We’ve got our livelihood in these businesses. We employ a lot of people in St. Cloud,” Woodsby said. “The economy ain’t what it used to be. You start bringing these (carts) in and it takes a little bit (of business away) at a time.”

Woodsby said the food service industry is the largest industry in St. Cloud.

The business owners are also concerned with the way the mobile carts look along 13th Street. Woodsby compared it to vendors peddling everything from tacos to bed sheets in downtown Orlando along Orange Blossom Trail.

“It’s going to look like a circus,” he said. “We’ve got an image here.”

Vice Mayor Mickey Hopper agreed, saying she did not want St. Cloud to look “tacky.”

Vendors were quick to defend their stands, stating their carts are properly licensed, clean and offer convenient food to residents.

Mark Tompkins, who operates Red Hot Cart Co., which sells hot dogs and sausages in the Tractor Supply parking lot, said he spent $12,000 on his cart and provides a wanted service to harried mothers and busy city workers.

“The best thing in the world is operating a hot dog stand,” he said. “It’s just a great part of community.”

Vinny and Sharon Barber, a son and mother whose family operates BarberQ in the Rife’s Supermarket parking lot, spent $74,000 on their mobile food trailer to support their family after construction jobs dried up.

“What about the small person trying to make a living?” Sharon Barber said.

Her family purchases all the meat for the business from Rife’s, which owner Kenny Rife has said previously helps keep his business afloat.

Vinny Barber told the council he hopes the workshop and the public’s comments help pave the way for small businesses trying to open in St. Cloud.

“Our city could then be the example that other cities use and the tides of government would turn back to where they started, in favor of the people, not a controller of the people,” he said.

Councilman Tom Griffin supports allowing vendors to sell as long as guidelines are determined.

“There’s merit to both sides of the discussion,” he said. “There’s room for all of this within limits.”

Councilman Jarom Fertic agreed with Griffin and said the situation is fine as it is.

“I don’t have a problem with a business if they’re trying to become permanent,” he said. “Everybody starts out somewhere.”

Councilman Russell Holmes said he received many phone calls about the issue but said his main concern lies with the vendors putting “our sustained business out of business.”

“I’d like to see it fair across the board,” he said.

http://www.aroundosceola.com/index.php?page=&tmpl=component&view=article&id=8089:mobile-vendors-an-issue-in-city&catid=27