Black Food Trucks as Agents of Change
Ariel Smith
February 1, 2020
In the 2016 film “Barbershop 3: Back in Business,” JD (played by Anthony Anderson) runs a food truck called Gangsta Grub in Chicago. Staffing his
Welcome to The Food Truck Scholar
The Food Truck Scholar is a platform where research, media, and storytelling about food trucks and food truckers meet. Created by Ariel D. Smith, M.Ed., The Food Truck Scholar serves as the central space to gain access to scholarly articles, public scholarship, and podcasts aimed towards telling the food truck stories often missed.
#TFTSPodcast
The Food Truck Scholar Podcast is a weekly discussion about all things in the food truck industry. Join your host, Ariel D. Smith M.Ed, a Ph.D. student studying the food truck movement in the United States as she discusses food truck civic engagement and activism, ordinances and restrictions, as well as cultural and economic implications of the food truck industry with food truck owners, public policy officials and academic scholars.
#TFTSResearch
The Food Truck Scholar is a platform where research, media, and storytelling about food trucks and food truckers meet. Created by Ariel D. Smith, M.Ed., The Food Truck Scholar serves as the central space to gain access to scholarly articles, public scholarship, and podcasts aimed towards telling the food truck stories often missed.
“I thank the Lord for The Food Truck Scholar. Ariel has a burning desire within her heart and soul for what she does It was truly a blessing to have Ariel to do a podcast on my business; it helped my business increase in sales as well as interest in people wanting to know about Lip-Smackin Creations Food Medic. My wife and I will forever be appreciated of Miss Ariel and what she has done for our business. Thank you Ariel from the bottom and the top of our hearts.”
“From the research she’s conducted to the platform she’s provided to the network she’s created around black food & beverage businesses, Ariel Smith is not A food truck scholar...she’s THE Food Truck Scholar!! Her podcast is creative, authentic & destined for even greater things & could not be more excited to support it as it continues to grow! She’s our friend & we are appreciative of her role in our journey at The Beignet Bar!!”
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“I thank the Lord for The Food Truck Scholar. Ariel has a burning desire within her heart and soul for what she does It was truly a blessing to have Ariel to do a podcast on my business; it helped my business increase in sales as well as interest in people wanting to know about Lip-Smackin Creations Food Medic. My wife and I will forever be appreciated of Miss Ariel and what she has done for our business. Thank you Ariel from the bottom and the top of our hearts.”
“From the research she’s conducted to the platform she’s provided to the network she’s created around black food & beverage businesses, Ariel Smith is not A food truck scholar...she’s THE Food Truck Scholar!! Her podcast is creative, authentic & destined for even greater things & could not be more excited to support it as it continues to grow! She’s our friend & we are appreciative of her role in our journey at The Beignet Bar!!”
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The A-List
Want to know the food trucks Ariel has visited? Check out the A-List below and click on your state. If you have a food truck you want to recommend, click here to let us know!
- Encore Rouge
- Granny’s Fish and
- Grits
- Hollywood Grill
- K&J’s Elegant Pastries
- Nola Ice
- Prejean’s Bayou Magic
- Saw’s BBQ
- The Arctic Shack
- Travis Chicago Style
- Urban Smoke Food Truck
- A Taste of Grace
- Good Azz Sandwiches
- Jerk Brothers Food
- Truck ATL
- Magnolia’s BBQ &
- Fish
- Slutty Vegan
- Drop It Like It’s Hot Wings
- Lip-Smacking
- Creations Food Medic
- Prince’s
- The Beignet Bar
- Boricua Soul
- La Deliciosa Helado
- SoulFresh Spring Rolls
- Emoji’s Grilled Cheese Bar
- Bleu Kitchen
- Mega Potatoes Stuffed
- Mr. Fries Man
- Nay’s Tacos
- Not Ya Mama’s
- Smitty’s Signature Pudding
- Wut-a-Pickle
- Ragin’ Cajun
- Giovanni’s Shrimp and Grits
- Iron Grill
- Leonard’s
- Surf N’ Salsa
- Boiler Garden
- Chef TLC “Faith” Food Bus
- EMT
- Famous Frank’s
- GuacBox
- LL Kora
- Mitchell’s Mex
- Pink Walrus
- Rare and Extreme Wings
- RTB
- The Daily Bite
The Creator
Ariel D. Smith, is a Ph.D. student studying the food truck movement in the United States. More specifically, her dissertation work connects African American food trucks to the Hip Hop industry and culture. A native of Birmingham, AL, Ariel has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Master of Education from Vanderbilt University. Ariel launched The Food Truck Scholar brand in June 2018 and the podcast in March 2019. Since then, Ariel has presented nationally and internationally on her research while the podcast has reached over 30 countries worldwide.
You can book Ariel for food truck consulting and podcasting workshops
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In the 2016 film “Barbershop 3: Back in Business,” JD (played by Anthony Anderson) runs a food truck called Gangsta Grub in Chicago. Staffing his
Two Nashville Food Truck Owners Offer Hope One Plate at a Time
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Early on a chilly Saturday morning in February, I found myself jumping in my car at 5 a.m. to travel six hours to Nashville, Tenn.
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Food trucks have become part of the vernacular here in the United States. Every week, you can bet your bottom dollar that somewhere, whether in
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Since 2008, the food truck industry has exploded in ways unimaginable. It is commonplace to attend food truck festivals, go to breweries with a food