Food trucks get green light to roll into Jerusalem
Restaurateurs look to bring more gourmet options to office parks, industrial areas while trying out possible expansion opportunities
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
New food options are coming to Jerusalem, as food trucks, those restaurants on wheels, will finally be parked in the city’s streets as of this summer.
It’s an urban culinary element that’s been in demand for some time, but Health Ministry regulations repeatedly vetoed the possibility. One exception was a food truck run by chef Assaf Granit during the Jerusalem Season of Culture Food Trip back 2013.
The latest effort is being called AutoChef, with a fleet of five to seven trucks, each with a single culinary specialty and run by a local restaurant.
By moving around industrial areas and office parks such as Talpiot and Har Hotzvim each day, the trucks will serve areas without easy access to gourmet options, while restauranteurs will be able to explore expansion ideas without taking the financial risk involved in opening a new branch in a lesser-known area.
The fleet of food trucks will drive to different residential neighborhoods, parks and tourist areas throughout the city, creating a kind of foodie pop-up event.
It took a year to find this particular solution, said a spokesperson for JLM i-team, the consulting group founded and funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies which works in conjunction with the municipality’s business development department on certain areas and problems in Jerusalem.
“These are changing times,” said the spokesperson. “It’s been a collaborative process making the regulations work for new trends.”
A call for bids from local restauranteurs for AutoChef opened this week and there will be a meeting for bidders on April 11, hosted by the city’s business development department.
The restauranteurs must be seasoned food business owners with several years experience, said the JLM i-team spokesperson.
Besides bringing more options to particular neighborhoods, the food truck initiative aims to offer more commercial opportunities in certain areas of the city that lack sufficient infrastructure.
“The Jerusalem culinary scene is renowned worldwide, appealing to visitors and residents alike,” said Mayor Nir Barkat. “We want to bring restaurants to residents, workplaces and neighborhoods in order to connect Jerusalemites with their local businesses.”
