PopUp Republic

Interview with Jeff Wang, Owner/Operator of Yum Dum Food Truck in Chicago, Illinois

The yum dum truck can be found on Twitter at @YumDumTruck, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/yumdumtruck. Customers can taste the delicious offerings from Jeff and his crew, including “Kimcheesy Rice Balls,” “Sriracha Pecan Browniez,” and “Baowiches,” at various locations throughout Chicago.

• Q: What is your background and what led you to open a food truck?

  I went to the University of Illinois and studied economics. Not exactly your typical path to owning a food truck. After graduating, I did what most 20-something college grads do and worked in corporate America. However, sitting in front of a computer for 8 plus hours per day wasn’t my idea of how I wanted to spend the rest of his life. So I left my finance job and pursued my passion for food.

  I grew up around food since my parents came over to America and opened Chinese restaurants. I always knew I’d eventually find my way back to the kitchen; I just never knew it would be in a truck.

  The idea for a food truck came to me when I was in Taiwan at a night market and really developed my love for street food. I wanted to bring the amazing street food that my parents grew up eating and cooked for us back to Chicago, and a food truck seemed to best articulate my message.

• Q: What are the main reasons you think food trucks have become so popular so quickly?

  I think the quality of food has become the driving factor for the popularity of food ...