We may be a little behind the curve here in NoSoFla when it comes to the now furiously trendy food truck movement, but Jochen Esser is hoping to change all that.
The former "hotel guy" turned Boca Ratoh Internet marketer turned food truck aficionado has come up with an event he hopes will show Miami's hot-shot food truckers that there's a market for their gourmet on wheels cuisine up here, and maybe even spur a few locals to join in.
He calls it the Gourmet Food Truck Expo, more than 20 trucks from the trendier climes to our south gathering at Boca Raton's Boomers
(3100 Airport Rd., 561-347-1888) entertainment complex from 6 to 10:30
p.m. on Wednesday, May 11. Some of the biggest names in SoFla food
truckery are expected to be there:
MisoHungry, Nacho Mama's, Red Koi and more.
A handful of
newbies will unveil their ware too, Caza Paninis and Wiseguys among
them. As for PBC's lone local trucker, Curbside Gourmet, it's apparently
off the streets for a couple of weeks resolving some "management
issues," but Esser says chef Rick Simek is invited and hopes he'll be
able to show.
Along with more different kinds of food than you
can shake a tire iron at, the expo will feature DJ The Silver Fox, while
Boomers will be offering special discounts on its various attractions,
which range from go-kart racing and "bumper boats" to bowling and laser
tag.
Esser says he became "fascinated" with food trucks after
watching The Great Food Truck Race on the Food Network, then began
making regular trips to Miami to check out the scene there. "I'm hoping
to show that North Broward and Palm Beach County are food truck
friendly. I really think there's a void here that needs to be filled."
If
this initial expo is successful, Esser hopes to launch monthly or even
bimonthly food truck roundups. For more details or to let him know
you'll be coming (he's trying to get a rough idea of attendance before
the event happens), go to the expo's website or Facebook page.
