Street Food Institute’s Lunch on Wheels

Posted by Serafima Fedorova in Santa Fe

Starting April 24, and every Friday after that, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., SFUAD students will be able to order lunch from the Street Food Institute food truck. The truck is parked near campus, by the Higher Education Center, at the intersection of Yucca Street and Siringo Road. The food truck also will also be catering for the fifth annual Outdoor Vision Fest™ (OVF), serving food on May 1, on the SFUAD campus.

Left, Chef Dave Sellers dishes barbecue sauce for pork fat fries during dinner service on April 16, 2015. Photo by Luke E. Montavon

The food truck chain was developed by a non-profit organization, The Street Food Institute, in partnership with Santa Fe Community College (SFCC). Its aim is to train students in the culinary program, by providing them with on-the-job experience, and the opportunity to try their hand at professional food service. During their internship with the food truck, these students are able to gain experience growing, preparing the food, and collaborating on creating the menu. The program’s director, David Sellers, supervises and assists in the whole process.

Oaxaqueno Torta by The Street Food Institute food truck outside of Santa Fe Brewing Company on April 16, 2015. Photo by Luke E. Montavon

“It’s tricky,” said Sellers. “You have the same difficulties as any other small business, but we hit the ground running, figuring it out through trial and error.” If the OVF event attracts enough customers, the food truck might start making frequent rounds on the SFUAD campus. Its menu varies depending on time of year and location, but mainly features sandwiches and tacos. “We have a farm to table agenda, everything is made from seasonal produce,” commented Sellers.

Though there is much variety, all the food served is homemade or locally grown. The students bake the bread—pita, marble rye, brioche, Kaiser roll. Vegetables and greens are served fresh, and some (like the arugula) are grown on campus. As part of the menu, the lamb sausage is actually made by students carving the meat and preparing it.

Intern Nathan Adina cuts the lamb sausage for the lamb sausage pita in The Street Food Institute food truck outside of Santa Fe Brewing Company on April 16, 2015. Photo by Luke E. Montavon

William Coberly, who works on the food truck and is sous chef at the college’s East Wing Eatery, added that “it makes a big difference, using fresh ingredients. It just better tastes. The dishes are cooked right to order.” As he helps prepare the most popular option—the Oaxaqueno Torta—the quality is easy to discern. Braised pork shoulder, along with chicharones is piled onto fresh bread and topped with cheese, melted in an oven. Chipotle sauce and avocado paste is added as a finishing touch. The sandwich is savory and really spicy. Stuffed full of pork, the meal becomes a delicious mess after a few bites.

For the less carnivorous, there are vegetarian and vegan options, such as salads and noodles. The fish tacos are only $3 each and made from tilapia harvested from campus. “It hasn’t gotten too hectic yet,” says Coberly about the food truck’s popularity, “but we do get rushes and we’re doing pretty well.”

Suggested food items (if they’re featured again) are the lamb sausage pita and the truck’s famous pork fries. Both items gained two thumbs up and a hearty grin from Jackalope photographer and taste tester Luke Montavon.

For additional information on The Street Food Institute food truck locations and hours, check out its Facebook page and website.