Bollywood star, Saif Ali Khan got to reprise his role in his 2017 film, Chef somewhat last week when he launched Marriott on Wheels. The service is a mobile food truck that will travel to Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Lucknow, Pune, Madurai and Kochi. Marriott on Wheels will cover a distance of 6,761 kms in 40 days, while drawing from the food and beverage expertise of its various properties in the country.
Spending two days in each city, Marriott on Wheels will be parked at some of the most popular hubs like Sahara Plaza Market in Lucknow, Food Truck Park in Ahmedabad and Koregaon Park in Pune. In each city, an executive chef from a Mariott property will come onboard. Apart from the fixed menu, Marriott on Wheels will create locally inspired dishes. Mutton tikka quesadillas, Karaikudi chicken wings, kosha mangsho kathi roll are planned for the changing menus. Neeraj Govil, Area Vice President, South Asia, Marriott International Inc. elaborated, “With culinary experiences driving the focus for Marriott this year, Marriott on Wheels, is an initiative that showcases our strength and leadership in the F&B industry.”
Other players
This is not the first time Mumbai has witnessed food trucks. Some years ago a momentum had built and several food trucks made their presence felt in many areas. Food Truck Festivals at several locations were organised, with participation from a bunch of home-grown brands like Bombay Food Truck, Anda Ground and the Big Juicy food truck. The Lalit Mumbai too, forayed into this space a few years ago with their food truck. The truck parked mostly at events, offers a special menu to patrons in the city at affordable rates. From shredded lamb with jalapenos in taco shells to refried bean and cheese quesadillas, and walnut espresso brownie, the menu is limited, but exciting.
It’s a lack of clarity in terms of permissions and licenses required and stringent Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) regulations, according to food entrepreneurs, that have resulted in several food trucks closing down. Waffle on Wheels, in Breach Candy and The Burrp Machine in Lokhandwala Andheri, eventually bowed out after a struggle. The Food Truck Park in Bandra too, which started in 2017, closed down soon after its launch, owing to lack of necessary permissions. Says Ashish Sajnani, Founder, Bombay Food Truck, Opa Hospitality, “Food trucks are still in the grey area, owing to lack of legal guidelines. Many fade away due to the lack of industry knowledge from truck owners and a strong back-end to deliver the product from the truck.”
Current scenario
Yet, a few food trucks continue to survive. Most of these are relegated to events, corporate parks and concerts, as they are not allowed to park at busy streets or tourist spots. Honey’s Delight, a truck, by Jayant, a qualified chef, offers burgers and caters to the call centres at Mindspace, Malad in the morning, while Tasty Trails seen during the weekends at Kandivali, survives owing to its presence at corporate events during the week. Yummy Meals on the other hand, caters to offices inside Times Square, Marol. In Thane, Darjeeling Momos and More, has been parked daily at Hiranandani Meadows, for over two years now. One of the oldest and most successful examples is the Bombay Food Truck, which started business in 2015, and is usually parked at One BKC.