E-Dogz updates

Hi, my name is Eric, otherwise known as Jefe.
I've been posting (semi)regularly on the board since 2007. I also write a foraging column for The Local Beet.
I am also an artist, a summertime chef at a 100 year old art school in Saugatuck, MI called Ox-Bow, and the director of a nonprofit art center in Noble Square called Roots & Culture. I am also pursuing a Master’s degree in Fine Arts at Northwestern University in multi-disciplinary art practices, in particular exploring the intersection of food, ecology, and art.

I am trying to launch a new Food Truck project, called E-Dogz. We will serve a variety of street food fare at street level pricing- Chicago dogs, LA style street dogs, tamales, and Jamaican patties to start. The sales of the products will be re-invested in the greater project:

E-Dogz is more than just a food truck, it is a Mobile Culinary Community Center. And what exactly does that mean? Food is a medium for social interaction. All over the world, street food- food that is prepared and served in public- provides moments which bring together communities. Our city, Chicago, has a distinct lack of this type of culture. I would like to launch this project as a means for not only serving great food, but also ideas and conversation about food. I would like to inform and stimulate people’s relationships and attitudes towards what they eat.

The Center will host a range of public activities that will inspire community conviviality such as block parties, cook-offs, and a visiting chef series that will feature everyone from professionals, to amateurs, budding young cooks, and talented grandmas. The Center will also host educational programming such as cooking demonstrations and urban food awareness workshops. Even through the cuisine itself, which will feature unlikely ingredients that may be foraged from the landscape or grown at the Center itself, an awareness and appreciation of food sources will be promoted.

Most of the costs for the facility was secured with a grant through Northwestern University. I am trying to raise an extra $3000 to cover some equipment and licensing costs. I maintain a professional style kitchen at the gallery that I hope to have certified.

Some of you may be familiar with the Kickstarter website for small project fundraising. It is incredibly easy to use and pretty fun to look at. Please consider making a small donation for the project through this website. It can be as small as $1. I have about 30 days to reach my fundraising goal and they only release funds to fully funded projects. I have some pretty cool rewards for donating a variety of levels which will be spelled out on the site. The address for my project is:

Link to Kickstarter

So, check out my (slightly embarrassing) video and please consider a small donation.

Thank you so much for supporting my project! Hopefully I’ll be cooking up some crazy cuisine on a street corner near you!

Very Best,
Eric

Hi Eric,

I like the idea that you are elevating a food truck to a "mobile culinary community center." Congratulations on your grant from Northwestern - are you a current or former student?

I love the food photos in your video too, my only suggestion is to speak in a more lively tone of voice. It would help to convey your passion and excitement for your project.

Happy holidays and best of luck with E-Dogz!

Hurdler4eva wrote:Congratulations on your grant from Northwestern - are you a current or former student?

Jefe wrote:I am also pursuing a Master’s degree in Fine Arts at Northwestern University in multi-disciplinary art practices, in particular exploring the intersection of food, ecology, and art.

Otherwise agreed. Good luck!

haha - I can totally read!

Good idea. Have you thought of hiring people from society that are "at risk" to work at your food truck? You could start a mini job training program. Perhaps then you could secure more grants from other places in the future.

Jefe, do keep us posted on your project here!

good luck eric. i made a kickstarter pledge- i hope this project works out. justjoan

Good luck on your journey Eric, we wish you much success. It looks like you are well on your way to your 3k goal. MCM is a Chicago based online magazine that covers the mobile food industry, we will be keeping an eye on your progress. If you would have interest in sharing your story as you proceed through your project, we would be more than willing to help you share it with our nationwide readership to help you gain a following before you even open your doors for the first time.

Hopefully the food truck ordinance in Chicago can be passed as soon as the new mayor is elected, that should make it easier to operate.

If there is anything we can do for you, let us know. If you would like we can even run a story about your project to help you reach your kickstarter goal in time.

-MC

MobileCuisine wrote:Hopefully the food truck ordinance in Chicago can be passed as soon as the new mayor is elected, that should make it easier to operate.

Yes, that will surely be the new administration's first priority.

Kennyz wrote:

MobileCuisine wrote:Hopefully the food truck ordinance in Chicago can be passed as soon as the new mayor is elected, that should make it easier to operate.

Yes, that will surely be the new administration's first priority.

It may not be in the top of their priority list, however it should be addressed by the city within the administration's first quarter. There are many small businesses that are sitting in limbo waiting for a yes or no answer to the food truck issue. Then again, it wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't brought out of committee, I mean it's not like Chicago is the last major city in the country that hasn't addressed the issue...oh wait, yes it is.

-MC

MobileCuisine wrote:There are many small businesses that are sitting in limbo waiting for a yes or no answer to the food truck issue.

a yes or no answer to what question?

The passing of the food truck ordinance that is sitting in committee (most likely waiting for the next administration to be elected before being brought out for a full vote).

If passed, food trucks will have new regulations in regards to their proximity to restaurants as well as more health code regulations. The biggest part of the ordinance is that if approved, food truck operators would be able to prepare food in their trucks, instead of preparing it in a regulated stationary commissary, and being able to make their fare fresh to order, instead of having to prepackage it and keep it in a warmer.

-MC

Kennyz wrote:

MobileCuisine wrote:There are many small businesses that are sitting in limbo waiting for a yes or no answer to the food truck issue.

a yes or no answer to what question?

Hopefully the question of establishing a permanent public market like almost every other major and/or minor city in the country. Sorry, but until they start coming to my neighborhood (where they are actually needed due to lack of variety in brick and mortar alternatives), I have little use for food trucks. Oh, and then there's that pesky budget shortfall...

stevez wrote:

Kennyz wrote:

MobileCuisine wrote:There are many small businesses that are sitting in limbo waiting for a yes or no answer to the food truck issue.

a yes or no answer to what question?

Hopefully the question of establishing a permanent public market like almost every other major and/or minor city in the country. Sorry, but until they start coming to my neighborhood (where they are actually needed due to lack of variety in brick and mortar alternatives), I have little use for food trucks. Oh, and then there's that pesky budget shortfall...

Pretty sure this conversation is happening over in this other thread

I am simply trying to raise funds for an earnest project.

And thanks to the LTHers that are helping me reach my goal. More news soon...

stevez wrote:Hopefully the question of establishing a permanent public market like almost every other major and/or minor city in the country. Sorry, but until they start coming to my neighborhood (where they are actually needed due to lack of variety in brick and mortar alternatives), I have little use for food trucks. Oh, and then there's that pesky budget shortfall...

I have no beef with your desire for a perm public market, and agree there is a need, however allowing food trucks to work in the city as other major cities around the country could be a help to the city. I am not naive enough to think food trucks on their own would save the city, but it certainly wouldn't hurt it if the people walking the Chicago streets had more options for food. When I worked downtown, I would take my lunch hour and walk from Wacker to Millennium Park and then back. I didn't have the time for a sit down meal, and really preferred to stay out of the fast food chains. Had there been food truck options, I could have grabbed a quick, fresh, and in many cases a healthy meal on the go from a truck and continue my walk.

I'm not in favor of food trucks having the run of the city, I am not in favor of unregulated trucks serving food that may make me or others sick, but this isn't what is being asked for. Just the ability for another option.

-MC

MobileCuisine wrote:

stevez wrote:Hopefully the question of establishing a permanent public market like almost every other major and/or minor city in the country. Sorry, but until they start coming to my neighborhood (where they are actually needed due to lack of variety in brick and mortar alternatives), I have little use for food trucks. Oh, and then there's that pesky budget shortfall...

I have no beef with your desire for a perm public market, and agree there is a need, however allowing food trucks to work in the city as other major cities around the country could be a help to the city. I am not naive enough to think food trucks on their own would save the city, but it certainly wouldn't hurt it if the people walking the Chicago streets had more options for food. When I worked downtown, I would take my lunch hour and walk from Wacker to Millennium Park and then back. I didn't have the time for a sit down meal, and really preferred to stay out of the fast food chains. Had there been food truck options, I could have grabbed a quick, fresh, and in many cases a healthy meal on the go from a truck and continue my walk.

I'm not in favor of food trucks having the run of the city, I am not in favor of unregulated trucks serving food that may make me or others sick, but this isn't what is being asked for. Just the ability for another option.

-MC

MC: I think Jefe would REALLY like his thread back--as pointed out above, we have another thread for discussion of the food truck dilemma--might be a good idea to move your comments there going forward.

LTH,
I am pleased to announce that I have reached my funding goal on Kickstarter! The funding cycle is open for another week and donations will continue to be accepted. The press has been especially supportive, with a nice write up on Feast.com today. Many of you may have seen this great blurb in last week's Reader. At this point I am pursuing a few leads on a used trailer, but have a back up plan to buy a new custom built unit. I have got the ball rolling on the bureaucratic processes of starting the business and pursuing licensing. I hope to have the trailer by the end of the month and running by mid-March.
Thanks for the support LTH and I'll see you on the streets!
Thanks,
Eric

congrats!!!

Yay!

Congratulations! I can't wait to see you out on the streets of Evanston and Chicago!

Very proud to announce that we're launching THIS FRIDAY, 5-7 pm at the Block Museum on the NU Campus during my MFA Thesis Show.
Featuring a very special guest who is well-loved by the LTH Community:

http://www.ericchristophmay.com/

Looking forward to seeing your launch (and seeing the real person behind the LTH persona )

Congrats!!!

LTH,
E-Dogz will be up and running for several events in October. For the sake of not shilling here, please "like" me on Facebook for full updates.
Hope to see you soon,
E

Jefe wrote:LTH,
E-Dogz will be up and running for several events in October. For the sake of not shilling here, please "like" me on Facebook for full updates.
Hope to see you soon,
E

Jefe,

You are more than welcome to post them here. In fact, I think many here would appreciate it if you did. It's hardly shilling when you are up-front about who you are, what you are doing and your affiliation with a given project.

=R=
for the moderators

Okay, cool, thanks ronnie. Previously I had posted on threads in other topics, one of which was removed by a mod., thus my timid posting here. But this turns out to be the right spot, so here it goes:

Firstly, on October 8th, we've got the International Hotdog Forum showcasing original recipe street dogs from around the world prepared by our team of guest chefs including the following styles: OG Frankfurter, New York dirty water, Carolina slaw dog, Detroit Coney, Chicago minimalist, Kansas City swiss and kraut style, Seattle cream cheese dog, LA street dog, Sonoran style, Brazilian- Rio style, Venezuelan- Maracaibo style, and Chilean- completo style.

The event is October 8th, 4-7pm at 1034 N Milwaukee Ave. $10 donation to be made inside (the food is served from the E-Dogz trailer parked on the street in front of my art gallery) Dogs will be cut into tasting portions.



Also, Oct. 21-22, we will be vending at the MDW Fair, which is an independent, curated art fair held at the Geolofts in Bridgeport. We will be serving up a special recipe pigs-in-a-blanket that I am developing with a special guest chef.
3636 S Iron. Times TBA

WHAT?!?! No Vancouver Japa-dog?! (Kidding. Mostly.) Seriously, it sounds like a lot of fun and a great chance to taste dogs from around the world (mostly). Thanks for posting on this.

Gypsy Boy wrote:WHAT?!?! No Vancouver Japa-dog?! (Kidding. Mostly.) Seriously, it sounds like a lot of fun and a great chance to taste dogs from around the world (mostly). Thanks for posting on this.

Yeah, I am aware of the Japa-dog, though something about it didn't seem old school enough (not that everything on our list is). Its more a matter of fact that I put a call out to friends for those that know how to cook particular styles and nobody volunteered that recipe. Are you a fan of the style? If this event goes well, I plan on hosting it annually, so maybe next year.