My Take | For a true Hong Kong experience, bring back authentic street food, not Hollywood-inspired food trucks

I guess we have the Hollywood movie Chef to thank. It is about a former celebrity chef down on his luck who re-energizes his career by offering a gourmet menu on his food truck.

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah apparently watched it on HBO and decided we must have food trucks, too. Seriously, I am not joking. He said as much when he first raised the idea in his budget speech this year.

That’s our market-enabling government for you.

Now the government has unveiled a pilot scheme allowing 12 food trucks to operate in six prime locations for two years to boost tourism: Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai; Salisbury Garden and Art Square at Tsim Sha Tsui; the Central harbourfront; Ocean Park; and Disneyland.

Just one question: is it going to be some overpriced Maxim’s or Café de Coral on wheels?

The start-up costs for a food truck have been estimated at HK$600,000. Who will have that kind of money and be willing to have hygiene and other monitoring officers looking over their shoulders all the time?