The street food scene in Durban is slowly growing to be a major player in the city, thanks to some really innovative people who realised that there was untapped potential. And our scene is now seen as one of the best in the world, as stated by CNN last year.
Fudart StrEATERY is one of the players in the Durban street food scene. You can’t miss the orange truck that carries good food. It is one of the stalls at Decorex this weekend.
Durban’s street food scene is slowly getting the attention of the foodie world. How much of a role do you think Fudart StrEATERY played in that?
I would like to hope that I have played a role in changing the mindsets for food trucks. Daft (Durban’s awesome food trucks and trends) is a company/division of Fudart which was established to promote food trucks as a catering option at many of Durban’s highlights over the past year, such as the Tourism Indaba and the International Aids Conference.
It’s obviously great that people are finally paying attention to street food. Has that therefore made you make sure that you are one of the best in Durban?
Absolutely, we always take pride in our food, sourcing ingredients from local suppliers, cooking from scratch and also trying to keep in touch with pricing and value for money. We try to provide restaurant-quality-style food on the go.
What do you think is the appeal of street food?
It is a funky concept – it’s fun and easy to eat on the go. It adds a great casual dimension and a change to the formal offerings at most functions. Durban has many outdoor events and with our great weather this allows for some quirky on-the-go dining experiences.
What food are you most famous for?
Dim sum, burgers and tacos.
Recipes? Are they family secrets or did you develop them yourself?
I feel my cooking roots will always stem from family cooking, but my recipes will always be developed and tweaked according to trends
What would it take for street food culture to grow even more in Durban?
It would be awesome if there were more readily available properties that would allowwhere food trucks to trade on,could trade on a more daily basis. It willThis would give everyone the opportunity to try out the street food. Currently, as Durban by-laws do not allow food trucks to be licensed to trade daily as a mobile option, we are only able to come out to shows, exhibitions and events such as Decorex. So only a percentage of the public will come across us and the trend.
You’re at Decorex this weekend. What kind of meals do attendees have to look forward to from Fudart StrEATERY?
This year we are providing a Mexican-influenced menu. We have a Mexican-inspired Gourmet Burger (Mexican spiced chicken breast layered with an avocado purée, sweetcorn bhajis, bacon, tomato jam, and micro pea) and burrito (ground beef simmered in tomato and warming spices layered with a fresh salsa, coriander and jalapeños).
Plans for Fudart StrEATERY this year?
We are currently in search of a more permanent restaurant-style spot that we can offer a daily offering to customer. Please watch this space.