photos by Erin Simkin

A new company called Gourmet Syndicate is poised to make a move on Vancouver city streets if City Hall’s mobile food truck pilot program doesn’t ruffle any No Fun feathers next month. Their first mobile catering brand is a pimped out, 25 foot pan-Asian looker called Roaming Dragon.

It’s a fully equipped kitchen on wheels, starring the consultative talents of none other than Don Letendre, formerly the long-time executive chef at the Opus Hotel. His menu showcases panko crusted Chinese sausage and shrimp stuffed rice balls; chicken karaage with passionfruit and palm sugar; hoisin pork belly slider steam buns; duck confit salads with pickled pineapple and more. I just got off the phone with company principal Jason Apple, and he promises restaurant quality food on the streets very soon. Too good to be true? Nope. It just debuted at the Richmond Night Market this week, and folks from city council have already been given a full walk-through and taste.

The coolest thing about Gourmet Syndicate is that it’s basically a turnkey operation for prospective truck owners.  You explain your concept and they guide you through the process step by step, navigating all the red tape and rigmarole that might trip up neophytes. They pimp your ride with whatever it is you need to fit your menu requirements (burners, fryers, etc), et viola…you’re rockin’ a fly food machine, welcomed wherever you drive as a demigod.

From the sound of it, they may also provide maintenance and storage. Perhaps within a year or three they’ll have a base of operations housing a whole fleet of trucks that venture out every day. When I asked Apple to elaborate, he tried thusly, “Ok, imagine if Refuel had a truck…” He didn’t get far before I started thinking about walking down Hastings two-fisting buttermilk fried Polderside chicken. It screwed with my ability to concentrate, so I stopped listening then and there. This is too rad. I can’t wait to see how it plays out.