PUHI — Eating the street proved to be profitable for both Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School as well as participating food truck vendors Saturday.
“We’re trying to create a community event while helping raise funds for some of the school’s projects,” said Jody McCune, the school’s PCNC and coordinator for the first-ever event that featured a collection of lunchwagons as well as activities and entertainment in the school. “We still have room to grow and can accommodate more vendors.”
Sarah Tochiki, the CKMS band director, said the band hosted the activity and game stations to raise funds for a trip to O‘ahu and the marching bands competition.
“Last year, we took a trip to Los Angeles and worked at the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau Fair to help raise funds for that trip,” Tochiki said. “That was a lot of work, but we’re so blessed the community supports us. If this Eat the Street event works out, the school plans to host one a month, tentatively scheduled for the second Saturday of the month from 5 p.m. until about 8:30 or 9 p.m.”
McCune said six trucks participated in the first Eat the Street event and there is room for more trucks for the Oct. 13 event.
“We want to make sure there is variety and no duplication,” McCune said. “I think we can handle up to 12 trucks. That way, everyone can share in the profits.”
Brad Nakayama of the Hanalei Taro and Juice Co. truck said he loaded his truck with twice what they normally stock on a Saturday trip to the Kaua‘i Community Market at the Kaua‘i Community College campus.
“But today, we were smashed at 9:30,” Nakayama, who along with Cody Arashiro, simply moved the truck from KCC to CKMS following the market. “Hopefully, we have enough to take care of the crowd.”
Sandy Poehnelt of The Right Slice set up a tent outside her van and unpacked batches of pie, several still warm from the ovens of her Puhi bakery.
“We’ve always wanted to do something like this,” said Poehnelt, who helped organize the collection of food trucks. “Several of the food truck people have been talking about something like this, but when we approached the county, we were told we couldn’t sell anything on county property.”
John and Rhonda Cabello of JC’s Puerto Rican Kitchen, another vendor who came from the Kaua‘i Community Market, said they were both substitute teachers.
“We’re both subbers,” Rhonda said. “John is a true Puerto Rican and business has taken off ever since the newspapers did an article on his food.”
The popular eatery offering Puerto Rican pork pastelles and empanadas enhanced its offerings with authentic music from a small sound system.
“John’s mom and dad and grandparents were all from Puerto Rico and used to cook Puerto Rican food in New York,” Rhonda said. “He knows how to cook Puerto Rican.”
Wanda Shibata, the governor’s Kaua‘i liaison, was on her way to attend the Waimea High School Alumni and Friends Lu‘au, with her husband Myles in tow, but had to stop to see what was taking place.
“We have to see what is available,” Shibata said. “We can eat this on the way to Waimea, and it helps the school.”
For more information, or to reserve a space for the Oct. 13 Eat the Street, call McCune at 212-3473.
