An RTÉ Player Original, Battle of the Food Trucks, is back with a bang for a second series to find Ireland's finest food truck.
Once again, six of the country’s top food trucks are going head-to-head in an intense culinary competition in search of who can handle the heat and create the best eating experience to deserve the ultimate prize of €5,000 prize money!
Presenters James Patrice and Justine Stafford will be working alongside some impressive judges. Eric Matthews, who has over 17 years’ experience working in Michelin starred restaurants around the globe and former Head Chef at Dublin’s famous Chapter One Restaurant, will be joined by the award-winning pastry chef Gráinne Mullins of Grá Chocolates with over 10 years’ experience in high level, fine dining establishments.
The final six food trucks participating in this season’s Battle of the Food Trucks is a melting pot of diverse backgrounds with multicultural inspirations to their cuisines.
Ahead of the show kicking off on Tuesday, 12th of July on RTÉ Player, we're getting to know this year's competitors.
Los Chicanos, Dublin
Founded by Scott Holder, Los Chicanos is on a mission to pay homage to Mexico's amazing culture, its people, and its food.
Regularly traveling to Mexico, Scott loves to immerse himself into the delicious food culture to gain inspiration for his own dishes, enabling him to serve up authentic Mexican fare from the heart of Dublin.
During one of his trips, Scott spent a day driving around Oaxaca trying to find someone who could teach him how to make Oaxaca cheese. He eventually ended up in the kitchen of Danielle Rosa, who taught him how to make the stringy cheese.
Coming from a line of foodies, Scott grew up over his parents' restaurant, Blazes, in Temple Bar. He admits that he was "a bit bold" in school, and when it came to college, he dropped out of not one, but two construction courses.
His mother, who now owns Phoenix café in the Phoenix park, frogmarched him to the café to work. This is where he really fell in love with food. From there, he went on to do the Ballymaloe course before working in some of the best restaurants in the world.
When he returned to Ireland, Scott found it hard to pay rent in Dublin, never mind paying for a restaurant premises, so he focused on his plan to open a food truck instead.
Four years in the making, Los Chicanos finally launched in June 2021 when the Irish chef bought his food truck, a former tool truck, (DHL style truck) from Los Angeles. At one stage it went missing for a year and a half, he wasn't sure Los Chicanos would ever become a reality.
Scott is very ethically minded, and quite innovative. Whilst he was working there, one initiative he ran was giving away a box of seed sticks with every cup of coffee they sold. Los Chicanos philosophy is "Be Good, Do Good" – and respect the journey of the food, from ground to plate.
Soul Roll Sushi, Limerick
Launched in 2019, Soul Roll Sushi is Louise Miller's take on sushi. She likes to create hand held burrito-style dishes, as she thinks it makes the perfect on-the-go meal. Her hope is to make sushi more accessible by bringing her creations on the road, making Sushi Burritos on her silver airstream food truck.
Louise is mostly self-taught in the very technical process of making sushi and gyoza. She has gleaned tips from Instagram, YouTube, and "oceans of cookbooks" as she is obsessed with Asian food.
She has done cookery courses, and had work experience in NOPI, one of Ottolenghi's restaurants in London. Ahead of launching Soul Roll Sushi she also did work experience at WA Sushi in Galway.
The origin story of Soul Roll Sushi began back in 2016 when she moved home from London. After 12 years away, she felt the lack of sushi restaurants in Limerick so started making them in her kitchen for her and her daughter. They were so good she decided to turn it into a business opportunity.
Louise used to run her business in the Milk Market in Limerick at the weekends, but the market closed down in the first lockdown in 2020. After the closure, she had her third baby meaning that she had to pivot her business plan.
Her food truck is now parked outside her house and she makes and supplies boxed up sushi rolls to a local fishmonger. One day, Louise would love to open her own sushi shop.
Spice Genie, Cork
Spice Genie is run by Christopher Braganza, a man who is passionate about making home cooked and authentic Indian food. His Masala Dosa is one of his most popular dishes.
Originally from India, Christopher moved to Ireland in 2012 with the support of his brother, Paul, who was already living here and working as a nurse manager in A&E in University Hospital Cork.
Paul has been incredibly supportive of his brother, and lent Christopher the money to buy Spice Genie food truck. Christopher has previously worked as a pastry chef at the Cliff house under head chef, Kwangi Chan, and even featured with him in an episode of Masterchef in 2014.
He is very accomplished, not only has he worked as a pastry chef, he is also a trained masseuse, and is a referee for `League of Ireland football. His father was the national referee in India, so both he and his brother signed up the FAI refereeing programme in 2012.
Christopher has always been very passionate about food and, like so many others, his food truck was a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Time in lockdown gave him the opportunity to reset, step back and focus on food. And since its launch a year ago, Spice Genie has been going from strength to strength.
Spice Genie parks up in the Middleton and Kinsale food markets mid-week. Christopher generally does private events at the weekend, after refereeing that day.
Ginger’s BBQ, Kildare
Ginger’s BBQ is run by Nathan Diamond, a chef with over 25 years of experience.
Despite hailing from Wales, he describes his food as American style, low and slow. He is also influenced by Asian and Mexican flavours, and says his signature dish is the Karaage Chicken Burger. However, he'd love the opportunity to make his Pork filled doughnuts for the judges.
Nathan's career began at a young age. When he was just 16, he decided to leave school but had no sense of what he wanted to do with himself. His father gave him a month to figure it out, or he would have to move out.
A month later he started his training as a chef. (He says he's very grateful that his father pushed him to find a profession.)
Later in life, he moved to Ireland to take up a position as the executive chef at Cliffs at Lyons, where he met his wife.
When the couple first met, she thought it was really strange that he said hello to everyone he passed on the street. Now, their four-year-old Theo is exactly the same, saying hello to every person he passes.
Nathan also has a six-year-old daughter, Georgia, and when his kids go to school all their friends talk about the chips from Ginger’s BBQ.
Nathan is very community and family focused. His food truck is generally parked up at Moate theatre in Naas, Kildare (manager Celine Garvey is a big supporter).
He advocates for a reduced waste policy on his food truck. And in an attempt not to pass rising costs onto his customers, he has reduced the amount of dishes on his menu.
The Salt Project, various locations
The Salt Project launched in September 2021 by Caomhán De Bri, but has been years in the making.
Serving up small plates of authentic Irish street food or tapas (blaisíní), the menu is hyper-local, inspired by local growers, producers, and the landscape where the food truck is parked.
Caomhán qualified from Cathal Bruagh Street in 2007 and has a rich experience working in various kitchens - namely Gordon Ramsey's Michelin star restaurant in London. Most recently, he completed a course in Botanical Cuisine, which is all about the process of food, plant to plate.
One of his star dishes is Dumpliní, an Irish take on Dumplings. These Dumplíní have been transformed to take on Irish flavour combinations associated with a warm winters evenings eating homely roast chicken dinner with a herb packed jus and crispy coated potatoes and stuffing.
The name The Salt Project is about Ireland. And a reminder that we are a rich and plentiful Island surrounded by sea.
Caomhán is all about what we can produce from the land. And even goes so far as to tap Birch trees for their syrup, to use on his desserts.
Wherever The Salt Project parks up, it really engages with the local community. Finding the best of local growers, and food producers. Sometimes even drafting in locals to work on the food truck.
Bahay, Dublin
Bahay (meaning Home) is run by Richie Castillo and his partner, Alex O’Neill. The two met at a gig four years ago, and bonded over a conversation about soup.
Richie is the chef, and he serves Filipino food inspired by his Dad's cooking and culture. Alex doesn't cook, but she is the driving force behind the food truck, and is a self-proclaimed foodie.
Richie previously worked in Clanbrassil House, and Bastible. When Covid hit, he immediately lost his job and but says that multiple lockdowns helped him rediscover a healthy work/life balance.
As well as running the food truck, he is currently studying Psychotherapy and does some part time work as a DJ. His real passion, though, will always be food as he says it keeps him connected to his culture.
Bahay doesn’t have one particular pitch, it moves around quite a bit, and is involved in various pop ups across Dublin.
It has connected with people across Ireland and was even booked to cater a wedding recently as the bride-to-be was so obsessed with their Filipino spring rolls.
