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British Street Food Awards in Leeds: my first food truck

September 27, 2014 4 Comments Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Uncategorized

British street food awards in Leeds 2014, The noisy table Pic Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover

Recently returned from Portland, centre of the street food world, I collaborated with The Noisy Table to participate in the British Street Food Awards in Leeds. I first met Noisy Table’s Nicola Baker when she worked for me as a chef at Camp Bestival. I’ve been watching her progress on Facebook for the last couple of years since she shipped the shell of a vintage (1947) ‘airstream’ style (Sparton Manor built by the Spartan aircraft company) trailer from the States. Nicola has completely refurbished the inside as a food truck, with 6 burner oven, hob, griddle, fryer, several fridges and freezers. It is truly beautiful, almost like the interior of an aeroplane.
Then I saw a message from Nicola, a single mum like myself, on Facebook saying she hadn’t got any bookings and was considering selling it and giving up on her dream of taking it on the road. Well we couldn’t have that, could we?
So I messaged Richard Johnson, supremo of the British Street Food awards, taking place this year in Leeds. I came up with an American-inspired menu. Nicola arranged for The Noisy Table to be towed up to Leeds. We managed to accomplish this in about four days.
This morning we switched on the oven, hob, griddle and fryer for the first time. There were teething problems; no fire extinguishers for the gas bottles, the water pump wouldn’t work. Some of the ingredients we had ordered didn’t come up to scratch, always a problem when using new suppliers. But we opened at 4pm and sold out of everything by 9pm. Here is what was on the menu:

Home-made root beer (with float option) (*our entry for the drinks section in the awards)
Mac and cheese with either: truffle paste, parmesan and garlic breadcrumbs, tomatillo and jalapeño salsa (grown in my London garden)
Grilled cheese sandwich with rocket on sourdough
Black bean and chocolate soup
Smoky cheese and jalapeño cornbread muffins with lime, honey and chipotle butter
Fried battered dill pickle spears with chipotle mayonnaise
Pecan pie with vanilla ice-cream (*our entry for the dessert section in the awards)

Tomorrow it’s a double shift but in some ways it’ll be easier, we know this works, we know people like the food, we know, just a little bit more, what we are doing.

We’ll be serving for breakfast:

Marmite on sourdough toast
Avocado and Jalapeño on sourdough toast
Toasted bagels, cream cheese and smoked Sockeye salmon
Toasted bagels, cream cheese and gin infused trout

Street food, like supper clubs and underground restaurants, is a chance for talented cooks without big budgets to start up a business. You are getting a restaurant-quality dish for the price of a fast food meal. And I have to say, I love doing this sort of seat of the pants stuff, took me back to the early days of starting the supper club/pop up revolution, to my Underground Farmers Markets. You are on your mettle, you push yourself until it hurts, there are always a few tears but also big laughs, plus it’s fun working with a team.
Here are some pictures of the day, plus some of the other amazing food stalls in the British Street Food awards. This can only get bigger…

British street food awards in Leeds 2014, The noisy table Pic Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover
British street food awards in Leeds 2014, The noisy table Pic Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover
British street food awards in Leeds 2014, The noisy table Pic Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover

British street food awards in Leeds 2014, The noisy table Pic Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover
British street food awards in Leeds 2014, The noisy table Pic Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover
British street food awards in Leeds 2014, The noisy table Pic Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover
British street food awards in Leeds 2014, The noisy table Pic Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover
British street food awards in Leeds 2014, The noisy table Pic Kerstin Rodgers/msmarmitelover

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anonymous

    September 27, 2014 at 12:42 am

    Inspiring! Hope tomorrow is a huge success. x

    Reply
    • theundergroundrestaurant

      September 27, 2014 at 7:35 pm

      It was inspiring. Am now on train to London tired but happy!

      Reply
  2. Anonymous

    September 28, 2014 at 9:07 am

    Everything sounds so delicious (Marmote on sourdough, delightful!). This IS inspiring, wishing you well.

    Reply
    • theundergroundrestaurant

      September 28, 2014 at 4:35 pm

      The marmite on sourdough was amazing. Even if nobody else ordered it, I needed it!

      Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

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My piece in the @hamandhigh about the 3 day @heat My piece in the @hamandhigh about the  3 day @heathostile training course. Incredibly interesting & challenging. Link: https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/things-to-do/hostile-environment-training-9037980 to read more #hostileenvironmenttraining
Supper club dishes from Saturday: pickled beetroot Supper club dishes from Saturday: pickled beetroot eggs, cheeseboard, stracciatella & cucumber, tomato/strawberry/peashoot salad with real balsamic & spruce oil, home cured dill gravlax, smoked salmon, homemade sourdough crisp bread, potato salad with wild fennel & lots more! #supperclub #midsummer #eattherainbow (miss you @linnsoederstroem)
Last nights supper club. My first supper club in 2 Last nights supper club. My first supper club in 2 years was great fun. I’m pleased with my food, the guests were lovely, it looked magical in the garden. But the weather! I even had to bring my duvets from the bedroom out. They looked like refugees. But this brought even more laughter! Next event September
My first supperclub in two years will take place t My first supperclub in two years will take place this Saturday 18th June starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are £50 byo you can book here: https://msmarmitelover.com/product/midsommar-supper-club there are still a few places left. Pescetarian menu. Scandi and botanical influences. #gettingbackonmyfeet #postpandemic #smallbusinesses #supperclub #london
I recently completed the 3 day @heathostile train I recently completed the 3 day  @heathostile training course. On the last day I was kidnapped by ex-special forces for a few hours & learnt how to deal with compliance training & a hostile environment. It was one of the most interesting experiences of my life. 3 intense days of combat first aid, navigation & how to survive in a war zone. I handled short, long guns, mortars, grenades, bullets, and tourniquet & bandaged an amputee. I learnt where to sit in a car, where to hide from a bullet, where to protect myself if in a car. It was brilliant. Highly recommended for any journalists, photographers, cameramen, charity workers, paramedics going into any difficult environment say a disaster or war. The stories from the tutors & the other participants were so interesting. My piece on it out soon. Book a course: https://hostile-environment.co.uk/  They also do jungle & desert training. I’d love to join the Antarctic expedition. Anyway that’s me hooded in the front. #adventures #het #hostileenvironmenttraining #experiences #travel
Bundoran beach, Donegal. I spent a week knocking o Bundoran beach, Donegal. I spent a week knocking on doors, going to libraries, searching through graveyards for my Irish forebears. It’s really hard to find information prior to 1850. I found this in last years trip to Arbroath in Scotland. Headstones wear out, records are lost or burnt in a fire, everybody has the same name and are known by nicknames, successive children have the same first name, that usually means they died and the next one is called by the same thing. Women did have children out of wedlock, and people remarried more often than you’d think, plus families fall out & never see each other again. I learnt that my Irish great grandfather michael went to Glasgow & met a woman who came from a similar place: somewhere wild & beautiful by the sea. Then they and their children came to london. Chasing the work & the money always. Politics and economics matter for they push people around from rural to city. And now we rodgers are Londoners. #ireland #scotland #family #travel #roots
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I’ve taken down the previous post as it’s poor I’ve taken down the previous post as it’s poor timing considering what’s happened over the last 24 hours. Being British I’ve not grown up around guns. It’s interesting to be on this course and find out more about the reality of them, although my focus is learning the ‘golden triangle’ of first aid, communications and navigation. But at the same time It’s depressing how in America nothing will ever change regarding gun law. RIP.
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in June I’m having my first supper club in two y in June I’m having my first supper club in two years: here is the link to book: https://msmarmitelover.com/product/midsommar-supper-club £50 18th June  Saturday night. Byo.
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Lemon drizzle cake. The trick is not to stint on t Lemon drizzle cake. The trick is not to stint on the citrus. I used 7: 2 Italian lemons (from Lidl):some ordinary lemons and some limes (18p) at Lidl. Don’t be afraid to mix and match your citrus. I also used buttermilk from @fenfarmdairy in Suffolk from their honesty shop. Last night we ate it still warm from the oven. #cake #lemondrizzle #homebaking #citrus #buttermilk
A Simple tomato, goats cheese and basil salad, spa A Simple tomato, goats cheese and basil salad, spanking fresh asparagus / fried in olive oil, season, then add a little boiling water, not too much, put on the lid, dressed with lemon zest & Parmesan, @fenfarmdairy baron bigod cheese, good bread. This is how I like to eat. Claire’s plates found at the beccles brocante. #suffolk #suffolkfood #supper #dinnerwithfriends  #vintageplates
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Easter Sunday. Daffodil skeletons. Easter Sunday. Daffodil skeletons.
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