For my Photo Essay Project, I am going to discuss the “Vendy Awards” -an event known as the Oscars for Food Trucks. The food truck industry has grown at a rampant pace and has changed the way people eat – quick, small and fun. In a busy city like New York, the food truck industry is set up to succeed as everybody is always in rush. This food is portable which allows for quick mobility as well as multi-tasking or skipping a lunch break if necessary.
In regards to why I am interested in focusing my project on this space is because I generally tend to describe myself as a “foodie.” In fact, when I took a Public Affairs course at Baruch, my policy pitch focused on the sanitary issues faced by the food truck industry. Moreover, when I lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, I became interested in attending food truck events that took place very Friday in my neighborhood.
I think the opportunity to speak to and photograph goers next to a variety of the top tier food trucks and ask what makes food trucks attractive to them and why they resort to food trucks over restaurants will help me paint the picture of the cultural impact the food truck industry has made. Also, the fact that there even is an event of this sort should speak to the growth. Therefore, I’d like to photograph the entire event in landscape view as well.
Lastly, to gain perspective, I’d like to interview and photograph managers representing different trucks and ask for their take on industry trends, sanitation issues, policies, licensing & government regulation. I’d like to find out the benefits of a truck versus a sit down eatery and what truly led them to opening a truck given the amount of risks they need to undertake to succeed.
Hi class. I didn’t know where to post our pitches exactly; so here goes something.
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Pitches for Photo Essay
Rachel Opatowski
1. Introducing “The Odd Pairing”
Meet the people and juxtaposition behind Manhattan’s former Mexican food craze. Angela, known to many as ‘Angie’ , a pale red- head and former executive chef of restaurant franchise Cilantro NYC, who recently and independently opened her own chef’s table ‘Angela’s Montana Table’ on 91st and Second Avenue. Working alongside her is a tough looking, Alfonso, of Mexican descent, who creates the delicate, infamous Viennese pastries and cakes of the Neue Gallery’s Café Sabarsky. A great fusion comes together in this quaint, little place.
-document daily operations
-capture the energy of the 3 person staff, the restaurant, and cozy neighborhood
2. “Meet Barry”
Grabbing a coffee after picking up an archaic looking male dress form the day before New York City’s 2016 Fashion week, I realized what I absentmindedly created: a thought provoking, public art spectacle when I placed the torso in the seat next to me. By carrying Barry around with me to public places, I will record the conversations which ensues with those curious, introducing who they are and chronicling their feelings had toward Barry.
– A satiric play off of ‘Humans of New York’
– Pics taken if anyone is interested