“What makes it all worth it to me? I know what makes it all worth it: we built something, from nothing.”
Meet Nick Karagiorgos, co-owner of Uncle Gussy’s Traditional Greek Cuisine food truck on 51st and Park Avenue in Manhattan. A 2012 Vendy Award Finalist. If you want to talk to someone who’s been around the street food business a long, long time, Uncle Gussy’s is a good place to start. They began as a tiny food cart in 1971, selling typical, ordinary, run-of-the-mill street pretzels and hot dogs, until they started slowly introducing their mom’s homemade recipes, just to see what would happen. The demand for their homemade Greek “specials” became so popular, they expanded the cart throughout the years to accomodate for their growing line of customers. According to Nick, the trick to staying in the business is giving “his people” what they want…and what they want is, apparently, LOTS of tzatziki sauce and his mom’s home cooking. Enjoy their fun story!
Be sure to get your tickets to the big NYC Vendy Awards event on September 15th on Governor’s Island.
Thanks for watching food. curated.! Happy Eating!