By Chris Brockel
FEED Kitchens

Many people think of FEED Kitchens as “that food cart place,” and it is hard not to have that impression when driving by the facility on North Sherman Avenue and seeing the expanding collection of food carts and trucks filling the parking lot. While there is so much more that goes on inside of FEED Kitchens, it is true that during the “event season” in Madison, food carts reign supreme here. This year, FEED is hosting 29 mobile food vending businesses, including everything from hot dog push carts to fully equipped traveling kitchens and all types of structures in between. FEED Kitchens attracts carts to its facility because all mobile food vendors, regardless of their production model, must be based out of a commercial kitchen. FEED Kitchens is one of the few available commercial kitchen options to entrepreneurs who don’t have their own production space, typically a restaurant, out of which to work.

Every spring FEED is excited to welcome back our returning food cart operators and listen to their stories of the well-earned time they spent away during the winter. It is also an exciting time as we welcome and support a new crop of wide-eyed and optimistic food cart operators.

In Madison we are proud of our food cart scene and there is almost always a sense of joy when seeing one parked on the street or at your favorite summer event. But what is it about food carts, besides being so darn cute, that makes them special to our city?

Economic Development: Food carts are the classic locally operated business. Food carts are almost always locally owned and operated by an individual or family who has fantastic culinary chops but does not have the resources to start a brick-and-mortar establishment. Food carts are a way of helping and supporting great chefs and their projects in our community. Being locally operated, money spent at food carts is regenerated through our local economy and is not shipped away to some out-of-state corporate headquarters. Finally, food carts create jobs. The average hourly wage being paid by vendors at FEED Kitchens these days is over $16/hour and, if you are on a food cart you are likely getting tips as well.

Culinary: Food carts bring tastes and flavors of cultures from around the world to which we may otherwise not be exposed. We host cart operators from India, Puerto Rico, Mexico, El Salvador, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Thailand, Laos, Tibet, Japan, and Senegal who are providing tastes of their culture as well as providing innovative food choices. This variety expands our own world and our world view.

Mobility: Food carts can bring food to the people and can create access to well-crafted food that may not exist in certain areas or neighborhoods. This mobility also means that flavors and offerings in any specific place can and do change on a regular basis, allowing folks to try new foods and expand their palettes.

Now that it’s summer, food carts, push carts and food trucks have hit the streets as well as vending at your favorite festivals and street fairs. Plan your visits to your favorite mobile vendors and always be open to trying out the new vendors you happen across. The business and chef you are supporting could be Madison’s next big thing, or you might be helping a new immigrant a chance at the American dream – business ownership.