Food is something many have a shared love for. Edmonds Community College is known for having affordable, great-tasting food that satisfies many dietary restrictions and cravings.

This spring, community members will be able to purchase food made by culinary students in a new mobile format: the EdCC Triton Taste food truck.

The Triton Taste food truck has been in the works for almost two years. The idea was brought to the college by Rep. Strom Peterson from the Washington State House of Representatives and his wife Maria Montalvo.

Peterson and Montalvo assisted the college in getting a $52,000 grant from the Hazel Miller Foundation to assist funding for the food truck. EdCC’s Workforce Development and the business division also provided funding for the food truck.

With the grant and help from other college departments, the culinary department was able to partner with Seattle Food Truck Builders to renovate a white step van into a food truck. EdCC’s Marketing Department created a custom wrap for the truck.

After a year of fundraising and the truck taking a year to be outfitted by the Seattle Food Truck Builders, it is now fully built.

“It’s brand new and beautiful,” said Stacey Schwartz excitedly, a full-time faculty member in the business division of the culinary department.

The truck has one permit approved by the Washington State of Labor and Industries and is waiting on a permit approval from the Snohomish County Health Department.

“We are just a couple of weeks away from that approval,” according to Schwartz. Once the permits are in order, the truck should be open for business!

“Right now the idea is for the food truck to be on campus, hopefully starting sometime in the beginning of spring quarter,” said Schwartz. The truck is expected to be on campus for a couple days a week and will later attend community events.

Regarding the menu, the Triton Taste will provide vegetarian and/or vegan options.

“The plan for the food truck is to have gourmet sandwiches and bowls,” Schwartz said. “It is what we’re calling a plant-forward menu, so we are trying to include lots of vegetables.”

Thankfully for those with a sweet tooth, the Triton Taste is planning to partner with the EdCC baking department to offer signature cookies and ice cream sandwich cookies during the summer.

Along with serving delicious and healthy food options, the food truck will be affordable at a price range between $6-8.   

During the 2019 summer quarter, the college offered its first Food Truck Fundamentals course that was taught fully online. The 2020 summer quarter will mark one year since the college added its culinary certificates in Mobile Food Cooking and Mobile Food Entrepreneur. Summer culinary courses will provide students with hands-on experience in the truck.

“They will be doing their core-classes in the truck, as well as in the kitchen,” said Schwartz.

While being two separate certificates, there are classes that double-dip in each other’s requirements.

Mobile Food Cooking will give students experience working inside a food truck and provide them with entry-level culinary skills. Mobile Food Entrepreneur offers experience working inside the food truck and the opportunity for students to complete the certificate with a business plan for their own food truck. This program will benefit both culinary and business students.

“We knew that we wanted to be able to offer that to students as something to actually learn from,” said Schwartz. “Not just as a food service outlet.”

Students interested in these certificates can visit the department, website edcc.edu/clart, or contact one of the advisors: Stacey Schwartz, Traci Edlin and Kevin Fogarty.

“We are super excited to have these programs available to students because we think it is a really exciting area of the culinary industry,” said Schwartz.

This summer will be an exciting time for the food truck. The Triton Taste will be at the Taste of Edmonds, located at the Frances Anderson Playfield. It will run from Aug. 14-16.

The Triton Taste will bring its profits back to the college.  According to Schwartz, “it will go back into the Culinary Department and help us with expenses for the truck, and maintenance of the truck.” Food lovers from the area are highly encouraged to visit the food truck on campus or at a local event.