After a long time, the Bratislava square in front of the Old Market Square is once again filled with deliveries for a few days. After more than nine months, food trucks set up in a circle are once again welcoming people who often travel across the city for lunch at the legendary Street Food Park. Most vendors are standing in their old, familiar places, offering what all gourmets have been missing for a long time. And among them, the most fashionable "fish and chips" place, Poľná Kuchyňa, cannot be missing.
Everyone knows that their fish and chips are among the best that Street Food Park has to offer. However, it is less well known that Martin Labanc and his wife Katarína are among the pioneers of Bratislava's street food culture as such. We met Martin during a busy afternoon between his lunch and dinner service, so he could tell us about how a journalist and a lawyer would one day become food truck owners.
"Field Kitchen was created in 2014 quite organically. As a journalist, I wrote a lot about gastronomy, and of course I enjoyed cooking," Martin begins his story. "At the time Field Kitchen was founded, I worked for a Prague company that organized real estate conferences and created various analyses. I was de facto their "branch" in Slovakia, which prepared me to work independently, not have to go to work for a fixed 8 hours."
When starting our own project, it was not only the fact that a food truck is less financially demanding than a full-fledged restaurant that was important, but also the family background. "My wife's parents inherited part of a farm in Senec, where our kitchen is also located. This background gave us such confidence and courage to start."
" Street Food Park already has its name, the first one took place in September 2015, and we have already been there. It was quite challenging a year before that. We started at Trnavský mýt in front of Istropolis, and those were very rough beginnings when no one knew street food. At the same time, we tried to spread awareness of street food among business centers, but when we approached the owners of office buildings and said we would like to offer lunches in front of their buildings, they slowly laughed at us. However, two or three years later, the situation is completely different. Today, they call us, and not just Polná kuchyně, to come and diversify their food offerings."
How did the Labancs get the idea to sell fried fish in beer batter on the street?
"The idea originally came from my wife. Every food truck has to have its own so-called "signature dish". Something that will bring people to the establishment. And we wanted to bring food that wasn't here before. It was a significant amount of risk, because no one had ever made fish like this in our country before. And as I mentioned, the street food community was just emerging at the time, we were maybe the second or third in Bratislava. There were literally only a few hamburger stands before us, and that's why we wanted to come up with something different. That was one of the main reasons why we started doing "fish and chips". And we gradually built on that, which allows us to do other things today, such as catering for various weddings and events."
If you don't feel like eating fish in the street, Poľná kuchyňa also likes to prepare other, interesting dishes. "It wouldn't be possible without changing the menu. In addition to "fish and chips", we also have other regulars, but we always try to prepare new ones. Street Food Park lasts four days, so we have to bring something new and interesting. We always offer this on the first day in the form of limited editions."
It is on these innovations that they are building the development of their operations. "We are increasingly strengthening our catering services, so that people can order us for various events, celebrations or parties. The limited editions that we offer on the first day of Street Food Park, on Wednesday, give people the opportunity to see what we can do in catering. It is our showcase."
Martin searches the world for new recipe ideas. If you want to find street food that is based on the philosophy of recipes from Michelin-starred restaurants, you don't have to go far.
I have been gathering inspiration from fine dining since the beginning. I start from haute cuisine and transform it into something simpler. I have also been interested in the connection of different cuisines for some time. We want to combine elements of Slovak cuisine with international cuisine, but it is always important that there are elements of seasonality of ingredients, and that this connection is gentle. Sometimes we go for wilder combinations, but it must still be within the norm.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Martin likes to favor establishments where they also share a similar philosophy. So where does he go if he wants to have an experience from food? "I used to write restaurant reviews, now I know the establishments a little less. I really like fine dining, I have written a lot about it in the past and I have devoted a lot to it. That is why I really like Gašperov mlyn . However, I also really like Iasai, Fou Zoo or Bistro Baroza."
You will definitely have the opportunity to taste Field Cuisine at the nearest Street Food Park in front of the Old Market, we believe, soon. If you haven't tried it yet, don't hesitate for a minute.
