My Story
Hello and Welcome! I am Daphnée. I was born on a beautiful island called Haïti and immigrated to the US when I was 11-years-old. As a child, I didn’t enjoy eating food. As a matter of fact, I didn’t want it at all. Starting from about 6-years-old my family had to force-feed me because I wouldn’t even open my mouth when the spoon came close, so eventually, I had a brilliant plan. A few minutes after taking a bite of yummy goodness, I would walk around the yard to find a place to spit it out! When my family finally caught on, I received an oral inspection after every bite.
Fast-forward about 10 years later… I realized how delicious food was. Although we lived in the US, our family stayed true to our Haitian culture, especially when it came to the food. Living in NYC, it was easy to find a market that offered all the ingredients required to make our meals. I would help my mom in the kitchen by grinding up spices in a special hand-carved mortar & pestle made in Haiti. She would have me clean dry beans to remove sediment or wash rice before adding it to the pot. I would later graduate to cleaning the meat and eventually to making my first meal, rice and beans! a staple in our culture.
As I got older and started traveling, my palate grew with me. My passion for food expanded. It became impossible to separate me from food. Now, I live to eat. I take the time to savor each and every bite. What makes it more pleasant is knowing the reason why each meal is different from the other. For example, the mushroom that makes your black rice only grows in Haiti and the spices that make your jerk seasoning is a blend of culture from Africa and the original settlers. Knowing what it takes to make your food and knowing where it comes from makes it that much more enjoyable.
The FWF Story
If it wasn’t for passionate people sharing themselves through their food in a box, we would not be here. One of the most authentic and unique eating experiences is through a food truck. There is this intimacy between you, the food and the chef. So, how did this road trip start you ask? My dream was always to travel and eat. I formulated a plan to alternate traveling internationally and domestically! One year I would travel outside of the US and the next year a state within the US. So, I kicked off the journey but did not get very far and my career sank. I lost my job (Ouch!). But there is always a light at the end of the tunnel! I started talking to a friend who said,
You have the passion and I have production
and VOILA! Four-Wheel Feasts was born! It is a food truck road trip!, traveling and tasting unique eats on food trucks. I will take you along on the journey, sharing some of what I’ve learned on the trucks, my travels, and of course awesome recipes.
Now for the life and times of the food truck industry. Food Trucks are a mobile food service which serves a variety of products from ethnic cuisine to street food. Mobile vending has been a part of America for centuries, from pushcarts to lunch wagons. According to QSR Magazine, food truck popularity has surged over the last five years. We have more than 4,000 food trucks nationwide with annual sales exceeding $1.2 billion. Food truck revenue increased annually at 7.9 percent over the past five years. Some of the trends for this maturing industry include:
- Food trucks operating at food festivals and markets
- Big companies are promoting food trucks by using them at events
- Unconventional menu items
Everyone from commuters, families, locals, and tourists gather at a Food Truck. The most vibrant food truck scene is Portland (look out for me!)
