The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has unveiled the lineup for this year's food-truck program, which will kick off in late June with a block party featuring a mix of new and returning vendors.
For the fourth year running, there will be a food truck onsite daily in select Whistler parks from June 29 to Sept. 2, usually from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rainbow and Lost Lake parks will serve as the main locations, with Lakeside Park used as an alternate site when necessary. A block party on June 28 in the Upper Village will serve as an introduction to this year's vendor roster. The party gets underway at noon.
Seven food trucks will be featured this summer, including three returning and four new vendors. Here's a rundown of all the tasty eats and refreshing bevvies on offer:
The only vendor to have taken part in every year of Whistler's food-truck program, Squamish-based Carte Diem is the Sea to Sky's only purveyor of homemade Greek fare. Known for its signature souvlaki, the food truck has earned a loyal following in Squamish, and also appears at several events a year in Vancouver.
"It is fun going up to the parks and people are really happy that you're there because there's no food around," said owner-operator Karin Shard. "The program itself is kind of fun having all the different food trucks going to the different locations. Tourists seem to really enjoy it."
Owned and operated out of Port Coquitlam, Cravings Kettle Corn offers a range of sweet and savoury gourmet kettle corn flavours, including its signature caramel corn, its platinum white cheddar and its aged orange cheddar popcorn. Cravings also offers a number of adventurous special flavours, including coconut crunch, whiskey and Sriracha, cranberry caramel corn, and more.
A newcomer to Whistler's food truck scene, Folie Crêpes is the brainchild of Leslie Trompeaux and Bach Souayah, formerly of Il Caminetto. Dishing out a range of sweet and savoury crêpes, Trompeaux and Souayah want to bring an authentic taste of their native France to the resort community.
"We will come back from France on May 8 with some ideas from Paris and everywhere around France," said Souayah.
Folie Crêpes will appear at the Squamish Farmers' Market this summer, and has also applied to the Whistler Farmers' Market. Souayah said the goal is to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Squamish over the next few years.
Juice Nation Organic Cafe*
Juice Nation Organic Cafe is an organic, plant-based food truck offering juice, smoothies, hot beverages, a range of savoury items as well as dessert.
"This mobile cafe believes in natural, wholesome ingredients along with the power of nourishing food that satisfies your taste buds," said owner-operator and local yoga teacher Emily Kane in a message sent to Pique.
Check them out online at juicenation.ca or @JuiceNationOrganicCafe on social media.
Another Squamish vendor, Mountain Squeeze is a vegan-friendly mobile juicery specializing in cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and salad and acai bowls. This is the third year Mountain Squeeze will be part of Whistler's food truck offerings.
"We really like the fact that we get to be in these random little parks," said co-owner Ami Massey, who runs Mountain Squeeze alongside Erin Stansa. "We get to be a part of the local community and the tourist (community), but in a way that's in an outdoor environment."
You can also pick up Mountain Squeeze cold-pressed juices at several retail locations in Squamish, or have them delivered throughout the Squamish area.
Mamo Ijima splits his time between Whistler's only Japanese steakhouse, Teppan Village, in the winter, and his own food truck, Teriyaki Boys, in the summer. His third year vending in Whistler's parks, Ijima called it "a dream" to be able to dish out his distinct brand of Japanese street food in his second home.
Specializing in its namesake teriyaki, the truck also serves other classic Japanese pub staples, such as the popular buckwheat noodles, yakisoba, as well as Ijima's Far East take on a quesadilla.
Ijima will be on a busy schedule this summer, appearing at the Squamish Constellation Festival, the Squamish Street Market, and at several Vancouver events.
A brand-new player on the scene, The Turmeric Trailer is a 100-per-cent plant-based food truck that serves up tasty, health-conscious food inspired by owner-operator Clare Stenham-Brown's travels around the globe.
After switching to a plant-based diet two years ago, Stenham-Brown was motivated to create a truck that would be "an ambassador for vegan food."
"I know it can be boring and unflavourable, but it doesn't need to be like that," she said. "I just wanted to showcase what vegan food can do."
The food truck runs out of a custom-built, yellow Boler trailer, and will primarily specialize in hearty bowls, such as a vegan poke bowl made from dehydrated and marinated watermelon that mimics the flavour and texture of tuna, a deconstructed Vietnamese banh mi bowl, and a number of vibrant summer salads.
"I really want to just cook what I eat through the summer, which is really funky salads and whatever is fresh and seasonal," Stenham-Brown explained.
The Turmeric Trailer will also offer a number of plant-based ice creams made with a banana base, and its signature cold-brew turmeric latte, made with coconut cream.
For more information on this summer's food truck program, visit whistler.ca/culture-recreation/parks/food-trucks.
*In the print version of this article, the RMOW had no information to provide on food truck Juice Nation. Pique has since been in touch with the vendor and added some additional info.
