During the heyday of the food truck movement in Baton Rouge, mobile kitchens parked along downtown streets or rounded up in empty lots as aspiring chefs dished out food to eager customers lining up at their windows.
But as Business Report details in its latest issue, today those roundups seem to be all but over, and many popular vendors have stopped rolling or moved on, leaving the Capital City to wonder if the food truck frenzy was just a fad. Yet those in the industry say the movement is still alive, but refocused, as vendors move toward more catering and event-based business.
Meanwhile, an appealing new trend in dining has popped up in cities across the country and will soon make its way to Baton Rouge: gourmet food halls. The planned mixed-use development Square 46 on Government Street will be home to White Star Market, an upscale food court similar to the popular St. Roch Market in New Orleans. White Star will feature 10 food vendors, each serving a different delicacy, and a full-service bar.
“Food trucks made a splash four or five years ago in Baton Rouge,” says Jay Ducote, local food blogger and Food Network Star finalist. “But I think there was always a problem with the business model because it was so dependent on pedestrian traffic and a vehicle that runs.”
Plus, in a city like Baton Rouge, food trucks can be particularly hard to sustain due to few densely populated areas with heavy foot traffic—not to mention the notorious heat in the summer.
Ducote, who will be a vendor at White Star Market, says the gourmet food hall may be the answer to questions about the food truck movement. It’s taking the idea of the food truck roundup and making it a permanent indoor structure.
“I really think it’s a successful model and something that will have more longevity than the food truck model,” Ducote says.
While never interested in opening his own mobile kitchen, Ducote was immediately drawn to the food hall, which solves many of the problems with food trucks. It’s similar to a restaurant, but several chefs are able to lease space in an incubator-like setup, where customers have their pick of different culinary offerings.
“What draws interest to White Star is it has a food truck feel with a modified menu, quick service and similar price points,” says owner Clark Gaines. “Plus, we’re indoors.”
