Red Hook Food Vendors back, baby!

This coming Saturday, we can finally exhale, and then inhale the delicious scents of pupusas, huaraches, ceviche, chuzos and elotes at the Red Hook Ball Fields.

Late last week received an email message from Cesar Fuentes, rep for the vendors, which said that all the city-required hoops have been jumped, and that pending a Dept. of Health inspection this week, they are ready to go.

Upon our last compliance hurdle being met -that is, the vendors' food trucks and carts passing DOHMH inspection next week- our affair can finally open its season as early as the weekend of July 19th!!

While we are almost certain that most vendors will be compliant & ready to operate by July 19th, we have also set up a 'rain date' for the weekend of July 26th in case the majority of our vendors are required to further adjust their mobile food vending units to meet inspection standards.

I chatted with Rafael Soler (of the Dominican-Salvadoran stand) this past weekend at Brooklyn Flea (where some of the vendors camped temporarily) and he said that he'd had to invest $28,000 in getting his "mobile food unit," aka el tró, up to code.

And note that the traditional start-up time for the vendors has been Memorial Day. So this year, their season has been effectively cut in half. Patronize, people!

UPDATE 7/16/08: As of yesterday, DOH did not pass 6 of the vendors' trucks; another 4 trucks and carts have yet to be inspected. But Fuentes said he is still confident they'll be able to open if not this weekend, then the 26th.

 

[Our lovely model Melanie holds yummy elote last year at the Ball Fields. Pix by moi]

Comments

[Truck Bed Covers]

Interesting blog about using trucks as a food vendor.

Trucks should be used as a food vendor because it offers space, flexibility and versatility.