The owners of East Coast Street Tacos have teamed up with two non-profits: Man-Up Inc. and DAPS (Drug Addiction Prevention Society). The neighborhood of East New York has been hit particularly hard by Covid-19. The event takes place on Saturday, November 7th, in Brooklyn at 521 Stanley Avenue from 12pm to 5pm. (Social Distancing will be observed).
The East New York location will serve as a food manufacturing site that will offer youth Food Certifications and also mentor local aspiring food entrepreneurs in how to go from the first recipe to retail distribution. “We were fortunate in the pandemic,” says Ruben Angarita (above). “Our Astoria location was able to do take-out and when all the Jones Beach restaurants had to close, we were invited to come in with our food truck. It was very profitable.”
“My family has been investing in East New York since the 1950s,” says Ivan Vichinsky (above). “When this was mostly empty land we had an arcade with go-karts on our property. Ruben and I used to play there on the weekends since we were 8-years-old.”
Ivan and Ruben decided to open a new restaurant location and create a community not-for-profit kitchen including outdoor seating and a large amount of cold storage in the back.
In addition to their entrepreneurship, East Coast Street Tacos is partnering to train locals in a 10-week course culminating in New York State food handling certification and knife work certification. “We will also hire some graduates to work with us at the restaurants or on the food truck for extra experience. I believe this is more than just about business. Our city, this neighborhood especially, has been through a lot. Our country has so been so divided currently. Food brings all people together,” says Angarita.
For more information please contact:
East Coast Street Tacos
Ruben Angarita
(917) 504-3285
rangarita@nystreetfoods.com
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