Pidgin Hole

Why Portland Food Truck The Pidgin Hole Will Never Become a Restaurant | Eater Portland

"Before Jeremy Hansen and Becca Russell opened their food cart in 2017, they had considered brick-and-mortar restaurants but chose a cart they could own outright; they named it the Pidgin Hole as a nod to Hansen’s Cantonese American upbringing and cooking with his Hawaiian grandfather. Over the ensuing five years I saw them survive extreme heat domes and freezing winters (the cart reached internal temperatures of about 150°F), weather the COVID-19 pandemic even after losing event business, and cope with a months-long recovery after Hansen was sidelined by a hit-and-run. Their deliberate choice to stay mobile — avoiding pods in favor of “going where the people are” — lets them book concerts, festivals, wedding catering, and regular lunch runs at business parks and apartment complexes (their booking agent pivoted to apartments early in the pandemic), which helped keep them afloat. Mobility also keeps overhead low: they carry a generator plus fresh- and grey-water tanks, run shorter event-specific shifts, and can make up losses through bookings, all while building loyal followings who look forward to their appearances. The work is hard (Russell has worn snow pants to take orders in winter), but being out at events and talking to Portlanders is how they get through the tough days; follow them on Instagram for current whereabouts." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden