Food Farm appeared on the scene seemingly out of nowhere, with no warning, serving up creative yet simple dishes like falafel dogs, ginger chicken, grass-fed beef sliders, strawberry salad, and avocado melts.  Turns out this truck-owning couple is no stranger to the world of fine cuisine, or comedy.

1. What are your names?
Dave and Kari Rich (ya heard!!)

2. When did you open for business?
Opened for business around the end of March.  Glad to finally be able to get weird on the SD public.

3. What did you do before you had the food truck?  What’s your background?
Kari- professional chef for 10 years.  Top of the Cove, Star of the Sea, Market, La’auberge, Jacks La Jolla, Revolver/Voyeur (current Executive Chef) BOOM

Dave- I’ll continue to dance on the weekends but that’s just because I can’t let my fans (well, one fan) down.  It’s a stylish mix between krumping and the robot.  I call it ro-bumpin.  Just waiting for it to really catch on.

Kari- He’s kidding. He works for Shell. And has done stand-up in LA, Austin, Houston and around town.

Dave-  head squeegee guy, no big deal… you’re welcome clean windows…you are welcome

CONTINUED….

4. Why did you start a food truck?
We wanted to open our own place but knew that the food truck wave is something that we couldn’t pass up.  It’s a great way to get people to try some real good food without having to make a night of it. Food trucks are the best way to try the city’s greatest food.

5. How would you describe the food you serve?
Kari- Sustainable, organic, local, and delicious.  It’s simple food, with a big flavor.  (S.O.L.D food? did I just make that up?)
Dave-  I believe our tweets speak for themselves.  “this food is so good you’ll drunk dial it later”

6. What’s your favorite thing about running the business and what is your biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge for us is getting the first time food truckers to come out.  There are a lot of people who have never eaten from a gourmet food truck before and still think that they are all just roach coaches. We want to hit new areas that don’t have any trucks. Trucks like ours show people that fresh, local ingredients, made by legit chefs, produce a product that will have them hooked for life.   We’re like good-looking crack dealers.

7. What are some things that are different than you expected about running a food truck?
We knew getting into it that it would be a ton of work.  We both are hard workers so that was no surprise. Driving around with lighted propane is a crazy thought. But the big surprise was that after trying for a few years to have a kid, we found out Kari was pregnant after we finalized all the paperwork and finished the remodel on the truck.  That’s inspiring our newest tweet  “truck so awesome it will get your wife pregnant.”

8. What would you say is your most popular item?
The item we sell most of are sliders. San Diego loves a good burger. This thing is so good people get a far off look on their face and tell us that they’ve dreamed about it. I would say our 2nd most popular item is the “arroz con coco”.  This sweet, coco-nutty, creamy, treat tastes like it was stolen from the secret kitchen of your Mexican Abulea.  Once people try it, they always come back for more.

9. What is something “off the wall” that you would love to put on your menu but aren’t sure people would go for?
One day we’ll bust out the “chavis gordita”. Like a little Mexican pita made with thick, fresh, flour or corn tortilla.  We’ll heat them up on the flat top, wait till they fill with steam, cut open that pocket and fill them with a delicious filling of roasted peppers, fresh chesses and crema.  This was something we learned to make from an old family while visiting central Mexico.  One day… mmmmm getting hungry just thinking about this thing.  Its gonna change lives hahaha

10. I have heard that there is a lot of paperwork, permits, inspections, in order to get on the road.  What did you think of that process?  How long did it take from start to finish?
Took about 8 or 9 months start to finish.  (That’s why I call it my baby)  Yeah it was a ton of paperwork  (no help from Dave) to get all the right permits and registrations we needed.   Even though it’s a pain to do I think it’s a good thing.  This will weed out the people who aren’t serious about food, or their food truck.   This is not something that you can just jump into cause you saw a show on the food network.  The trucks that are around San Diego are run by people who know what they are doing and have a real passion for the food they make.  It’s great to be a part of that group.

11. What is the best thing you’ve ever eaten from any food truck?  Which truck was it and where?
A deliciously soft veggie dumpling from the DIM SUM truck in LA. Before we started this shanagin we would go up to Abbot Kinney in Venice on the 1st Friday of the month and talk to some of the truck peeps up there. I dream about that doughy-dumpling sometimes, super tasty.

You can find Food Farm at @foodfarmsd or http://www.foodfarmsd.com