Street Vendors Compete In Annual Vendy Awards

By: Taunia Hottman

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Some of the city's top food vendors hit the grills Saturday, vying for the title of the city's best vendor. NY1's Taunia Hottman filed the following report from Brooklyn.

Sometimes the finest food in New York is served à la carte, à la food cart that is.

To decide who has the "best meat on the street," as they say, the annual cook-off, the Vendy Awards, was held Saturday at DUMBO's Tobacco Warehouse.

"I like food. I like eating it cheap and on the street," said one New Yorker.

"I think it's so great to be a part of it," said a vendor.

Jesse Vendley and his two brothers were among five vendors in the competition.

"We use top ingredients," said Vendley. "We make everything from scratch everyday and we treat it like a restaurant on wheels."

The Vendleys got the idea of selling their Tex-Mex fare after they came to the first Vendy Awards.

Vendley said it's great to be a part of this diverse group.

"I've eaten at all these carts; they're all terrific!" he said. "I wouldn't mind losing to them. There's no shame."

"People are sharing their food and they're also sharing their culture," said Sean Baskinki of the Street Vendor Project.

Vendor Meru Sikder calls his cart a part of his American dream. His famous kati rolls give him plenty of regulars.

"I've been working in the food service business for the last eight years," he said. "I used to work for the Hilton Hotel, but I wanted to be independent."

More than one cart owner told NY1 that the recent downturn in the economy is driving up business.

It seems hungry people with thin wallets care less about the stigma attached to eating on the street than they do getting a good meal at a reasonable price.

"In these tougher economic times, maybe it's time to look a little revisionist policy; sponsor the immigrants, which is what the street vendor policy is all about, and support New Yorkers," said a street cart customer.

As for this year's winner: the Vendley brothers' Calexico.

In the dessert cart category, the people chose Kim Ina's Treats Truck, which travels all over the city on any given week.