Husband and wife team Joshua and Jayme Staten are fulfilling a lifelong dream with the launch of their food truck Curbside Street Kitchen.
Jayme Staten said the truck offers their family a way to be independent while fueling Joshua’s passions.
“He’s from the Navy and was a chef with the Navy in Nassau, Florida, and decided to join the (Culinary Institute of America),” she said. “He graduated in 2012, so it’s been a lifelong thing for him. He grew up cooking with his grandmother and his dad, on the backyard grill. For the last few years … he wanted, instead of working for somebody, to work for himself, because it’s tough to work for other people.”
The Margaretville residents are offering street food classics, with a twist.
“We started officially last month, and we’ve been out quite a few times,” Staten said. “Josh has more of a Latin flare, because he grew up in Puerto Rico. Feedback has been great, and a lot of people are really liking the Puerto Rican flare, and the burgers are a big hit, as well. We have rice and bean bowls, and those are the biggest hit, and the churros are another that everyone seems to love.”
Staten said, as a family of four, they were motivated to offer quality food at affordable prices.
“We went out to eat a couple months ago — just to a burger night — and it was over $100,” she said. “It’s ridiculous. Our goal was to make it affordable for families, because we are one. So, for $10 bucks you can get this, or for $9 you get that, then there are additional items, so it’s a pick-and-choose, and it can be $60 for a family of four.”
Customers, Staten said, are reflective of that approach.
“I would say it’s more families and younger (people), and as of right now, mostly in Margaretville,” she said. “We are doing catering, as well, and our goal is to go around Delaware County and then into Ulster (County).”
According to an Aug. 5 post to the Curbside Street Kitchen Facebook page, the Statens are accepting catering appointments for fall and winter, including staff events, weddings, parties and more.
“We’re hoping, with the catering, we can do Christmas parties and stop the truck November-ish, and come back in April,” she said. “We’re thinking more seasonally (for the truck), then catering year-round.”
Staten said they hope to expand steadily, while continuing to prioritize a family approach.
“I think the future is just being successful and branching more into catering,” she said. “We have a lot of catering coming up, and we’d like to do more of that. (Josh) supported me through my whole business, and here I am being a waitress — I’m actually a real estate agent, as well — but I help him because we wanted to be family-owned, and we want you to see our family.”
Curbside Street Kitchen will be at the Catskill Watershed Corporation office Tuesday, Sept. 2 and the Margaretville Cauliflower Festival, Saturday, Sept. 20. They are also, Staten said, “usually in the parking lot at Freshtown (Marketplace)” in Margaretville on Thursdays.
For more information, find “Curbside Street Kitchen” on Facebook or contact curbsidestreetkitchen@gmail.com.