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Last December we brought news of new nonprofit MarketShare, which works with members of Seattle's refugee and immigrant communities to create mobile food businesses. At its launch, the organization had funds to support two fellows in creating new mobile food stalls, and ultimately chose Rosario "Chato" Carver from the Philippines and Jackie Nkirote from Kenya among its 37 applicants from various countries.
Now, as of this month, Carver's Filipino Salu-Salo food stall is now operational at Fremont Sunday Market, and Nkirote's Kenyan Jikoni stand will debut at Lake City Farmer's Market and at the new Terry Ave Market the first week in June.
At Filipino Salu-Salo, find chicken white adobo, pork lumpia (a variation of egg roll), ube cheesecake balls, and more. At Kenyan Jikoni, expect curry goat, beef samosas, mandazi (Kenyan friend dough), and beyond. At both stands, dishes run approximately $3 to $8.75, and both stalls will be at various farmers markets and festivals throughout the summer. Visit their Facebook pages (Salu-Salo and Jikoni) for more details.
"One of the roles we want to play in society is to bring folks together--literally to the table. We want to be a meeting place where exchanges can happen," MarketShare founder and chief executive officer Philip Deng says.
Both businesses are work-to-own through MarketShare, with profit first paying off equipment. They can then emerge as independent businesses, "with the training wheels off." Ultimately, MarketShare hopes to build a permanent, year-round indoor international street food market featuring Carver, Nkirote, and other fellows, and due to the enormous public support the organization has received so far, that may be a possibility by some time next year.
According to MarketShare's founder and chief executive officer Philip Deng, the organization's purpose and the vision for this new indoor market is three-fold: to give immigrants unique business opportunities, to grow community in a city that is diverse but doesn't always have a lot of crossover between ethnicities, and to offer Seattle a range of quality food from different countries under one roof.
"One of the roles we want to play in society is to bring folks together--literally to the table. We want to be a meeting place where exchanges can happen," Deng says.
