PHILADELPHIA, PA – Mayor-elect Jim Kenney has fans amongst Philadelphia’s strong and growing food truck movement, and that feeling is decidedly mutual.
“It’s the essence of small business creation,” stated Kenney in a 10 Feb 2015 Philly.com piece.
From the appearance of the first gourmet food trucks in Philadelphia in mid-2010 to their explosion across Philadelphia’s epicurean landscape in 2013, Kenney, then as City Councilman-at-large, has been there every step of the way helping to expand opportunities for food trucks that the Philly public has been clamoring to see.
Now as Mayor-elect, he’ll further solidify Philadelphia’s place as the East coast’s premier gourmet food truck champion.
Mayor-Elect Kenney is breaking with a long-standing tradition of a catered formal ball. Solidifying his support for the fledgling industry, he has commissioned some of the most award-winning Philly food trucks to cater his inauguration this Jan. 4 at the Philadelphia Convention Center in a Philly-centric, block party styled celebration.
“What Mayor-elect Kenney understands is that not only do our gourmet food trucks present some of the finest cuisine our great city has to offer, but that they meet a public demand which many brick-and-mortar businesses are often unable to fulfill: bringing a myriad of outstanding food options directly to our consumers, on their time, and at a price they can afford,” stated Philadelphia Mobile Food Association President Rob Mitchell.
Indeed, Kenney’s belief in Philly’s gourmet food trucks is emblematic of his vision for a brighter and more progressive future for all of Philadelphia.
Despite a difficult regulatory environment, Philly’s gourmet food trucks have not just survived, but thrived — all the more impressive considering the national recession that has forced many businesses to close down.
Numerous trucks have won local and national awards, including The Cow and The Curd, Foolish Waffles, The Tot Cart, Undrgrnd Donuts, SweetBox Cupcakes, and SeoulFull Philly.
Taco Mondo has parlayed their food truck success into opening a brick-and-mortar location in Rittenhouse, called Revolution Taco.
Innovative Catering not only provides top-notch Italian styled fare to Philadelphians, but is consistently found catering high profile events and individuals, from Pope Francis to this upcoming Super Bowl for NFL Films.
Philadelphia’s food trucks exemplify the American small business success story. And under Mayor-elect Kenney’s vision and leadership, they are ready to take the next step to cement Philadelphia’s place as a national leader in ground-breaking cuisine and small-business innovation.