Grab 'n' Go Lunch Truck

The cuisine at Grab ‘n’ Go Lunch Truck has both international and personal history. Amada Guerrero, the chef behind the truck, prepares traditional Venezuelan food that she also cooked for her son, Alejandro Matsuka, when he was growing up. “She’s always been a great mom,” Alejandro said. “She always cooked when I was little.”

Alejandro helps his mom sell empanadas and arepas most Saturdays at the Haile Farmers Market. He came to the U.S. when he was a boy, and Amada immigrated 15 years ago. Amada uses recipes she learned  in her upbringing in Venezuela and other recipes that were requested from customers.

Some of the best-selling items at Grab ‘n’ Go are arepas, which are corn meal patties stuffed with melted cheese. “There are many styles of arepas across Latin America,” Alejandro said. “Ours are Venezuelan style. They’re a little sweeter, and we use mozzarella cheese.”

And what’s Alejandro’s favorite item? “I like the black beans and rice,” he said. “I know that’s silly, but that’s what I ate when I was little. It’s comfort food for me.”