Iron Chef Jose Garces talks tacos

BY: Shannon McLaughlin & Natalia Chiarelli

Philadelphia food trucks aren’t just cheesesteaks and gyros anymore. And they aren’t just limited to stationary cinder blocks during the Center City lunch rush, either. Need proof? None other than Iron Chef Jose Garces has taken the scene in a completely new direction.

Garces’ beer-cap-bedazzled taco truck, Guapos Tacos, has been making nocturnal weekend trips around the city since it launched in March. Typical spots include 2^nd and Poplar in Northern Liberties and between 20th and 21st Streets across from Whole Foods in Fairmount.

The truck is covered in 45,000 beer bottle caps and usually hits the streets between 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. Devotees have declared the tacos, traditionally thought of as street food, to be as sublime in the early evening as they are after a long night.

Garces was already well known as a celebrity restaurateur and winner of the Food Network’s “Next Iron Chef” well before he put plans for Guapos Tacos into motion. He’s already successfully launched more than a half dozen other restaurants throughout the city, with construction underway at an eighth property.

Moveable Feasts caught up with Chef Garces to discuss his latest nomadic gastronomical endeavor.

Moveable Feasts: What led you to expand into the food truck realm?

Chef Jose Garces: When I travel, I always make a point of sampling as many different foods as I can, and that often includes street food from trucks or other vendors. In particular, I enjoyed terrific, satisfying street food snacks in Mexico City while I was there doing research to open Distrito. I wanted to bring those vibrant flavors to Philadelphia, and a food truck seemed like a fun way to make these snacks accessible.

MF: How is managing the truck's business different from (and similar to) the standard restaurant management?

JG:  There is a different permitting system associated with a mobile food business, so that has been a learning experience for us.  Overall, though, the truck is wonderfully low maintenance – we load it up, prepare the food on the go, and share it with our friends.

MF: Do you feel that an Iron Chef-backed food truck has elevated the culinary scene in terms of trucks in the city?

JG:  There is a real food truck renaissance sweeping the nation right now, which is especially cool because it echoes the lively street food cultures in Europe and elsewhere in the world. Guapos Tacos is just another piece of that puzzle.

MF: Who is cooking at Guapos Tacos? Have they been inside other Garces Restaurant Group (GRG) kitchens in the past, or are they new employees?

JG: The Guapos Tacos team comes from our GRG kitchens – sous-chefs, chefs-de-cuisine, and occasionally, even me.

MF: What has the scene been like at the truck? How consistent has business been?

JG: We’ve been very lucky to experience such a positive response. Whenever possible, we try to let our guests know where we’ll be in advance, and we use social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to make sure that our whereabouts are available to anyone who wants to sample our food.  We’ve also tried to visit many different neighborhoods, so people understand the spirit of the truck – that we’ll come to them, rather than the other way around.

MF: What kinds of special events have been booked for the truck so far?

JG: The truck is already booked for a birthday party or two, a going-away party for a large company, and a wedding. We really want people to think of it for any occasion.

MF: Are there any plans to expand the truck's business or hours?

JG: We’re very new, so we’re really playing it all by ear at this point.  We love working private events, and we expect that to be our primary business, but it’s also been great fun to show up around the city and interact with people in that way.

MF: Are there any plans to launch any other trucks reflecting other restaurants in GRG?

JG: We don’t have plans for any other food trucks at this time, but we never say never.

Without a standalone website, Garces fans can follow the truck’s stops via its Twitterfeed, @guapostacos.

Shannon can be reached at shannonm@temple.edu / Natalia can be reached at natachiarelli@aol.com