There is a profusion of food trucks roaming the streets in the United States that cater to a variety of people. In this paper I argue that food truck types can be defined through their mobility practices. To this end, I present an original framework for food studies through the exploration of spatial practices. I then empirically evaluate a mixed ethnic couple that owns and operates a taco truck and the ways in which they navigate the Latino and Anglo landscapes of Columbus, Ohio. Their practices make evident the city’s uneven social terrain and how aspects of social injustice sculpt the city’s cultural contours. I conclude by considering what social justice means for taco truck operators and their Mexican clientele.

This paper evaluates how taste preferences produce space in Austin, Texas. Austin is a booming city. Indeed, it has been the fastest growing metro area in the United States for the past 20 years. It is also renowned for its evolving and enthralling food truck scene. Food trucks of all sorts spring up throughout the city. Some of the more innovative foods stem from gourmet trucks. And these trucks often become symbolic capital that spur gentrification. Other trucks, such as the traditional taco truck, are ensconced in marginalized neighborhoods. They feed the working masses of Mexicans who flock to Austin to find work. Certainly, the gourmet truck vendors experiment with food flavors; however, taco truck entrepreneurs are innovative as well. The taco truck cooks modify their menus to accommodate Austin’s shifting demographics. To this end, I argue Austin’s landscape transformation can be examined through cooking practices. This paper takes a close look at how immigrant cooks negotiate social spaces through the foods they make. In so doing, I interviewed two traditional taco truck owners about how they decide what to cook based on the social spaces in which they park their trucks. Surprisingly, their subtle choices reflect the changing culture and budding taste preferences of the city’s residents.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract