Finalists Announced for LA's 1st Annual Vendy Awards

LA's first edition of NY's staple, the Street Vendor Awards, aka The Vendys, is just around the corner. Today, fresh off the wire, The Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center announced its top 6 contenders who will battle it out grill to grill on May 15th to claim the prized Vendy Cup. Drum roll please...Nina Garcia (good god, no, not the fashion director of Elle or is it Marie Claire now?), known in Boyle Heights for her Mexico-City style fried quesadillas and huaraches; husband and wife duo Neil and Phyllis Strawder of Bigmista’s BBQ; Chef Sumant Pardal proprietor of the India Jones Chow Truck; Dave Danhi and Michele Grant, the brains behind the Grilled Cheese Truck; Elizabeth Palacias of Hot Dog Kings in LA’s fashion district; and finally Juan Torres, one of LA's original mobile food vendors with his Tacos El Galuzo truck that has been traversing East LA since the 1990’s.

Judging for the event falls to the Animal boys Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook, Javier Cabral the Teenage Glutster himself, Bill Esparza from Street Gourmet LA, and Evan Kleiman, host of KCRW’s Good Food and will be based on flavor, portability and personality.

So, for those looking to score a street food-centric bite, hit up MacArthur Park on May 15 from 4-7PM. The $50 ticket (proceeds from the event go to three non-profit organizations working to advance vendor rights in LA) opens the door to the all-you-eat cook-off plus open bar with wine and beer. Good deal, but hopefully it won't be as insanely overcrowded as the Grilled Cheese Invitational, sheesh.
·Vendy Awards Hit LA May 15 at MacArthur Park [~ELA~]