The Lowdown: Schmaltz

12-Oct-2017 - Last updated on 20-Feb-2018 at 12:20 GMT

A new chicken-focused food truck is bringing better birds to the street food scene with its Michelin-starred pedigree.

Ah Schmaltz. Love that word. Are we getting all sentimental?
Not quite. Schmaltz isn’t about nostalgia but looking to the future.

Do expound
In a nut shell, Schmaltz is a new dandelion print wrapped food truck that is promising to bring ‘elegantly re-imagined chicken to London’ this month by way of Label Rouge chicken sandwiches, salads and soups, all made with the highest quality protein. It’s goodbye dude food, hello haute-cuisine, as the blurb goes.

Who’s behind it?
The menu has been developed by chef Karl Burdock, previously of Notting Hill Brasserie and The Ninth, with George Clark, formerly of Le Bun and Bao, heading up the mobile kitchen and Glen Leeson (ex Patty & Bun and Bao) overseeing operations.

What’s the deal?
Schmaltz’s teardrop shaped sandwiches (their shape is supposed to provide a feminine nod to the fast food revolution?) contain chicken that has been seared and roasted with the skin on to give it a bit of crunch. Options include Chicken Schmaltz - roast chicken skin, carrot reduction, pea leaf, parsley sauce and pickled fennel; Chilli Schmaltz - roast chicken skin, preserved lemon feta, baby kale and wasabi rocket; and Mushroom Schmaltz - roast chicken skin, mushroom sauce with mushroom duxelles, baby kale and wasabi rocket leaves and parmesan mayonnaise. There’s also an ‘Elegant’ chicken soup made with fresh capellini, confit leg with spring vegetables; and a ‘Bold’ chicken soup with chicken and duxelles mousse-filled ravioli, roasted winglette and mixed mushroom. Everything is around the £7 mark.

Not one for veggies then...
Don’t get your feathers ruffled. Meat-free options include a bun filled with a fresh courgette rosti, lemon and feta sauce, fresh green chilli sauce, wasabi with baby kale leaf salad and parmesan crisps.

So what’s the feminine vibe then?
It’s all about fashion and flavour, apparently. The Schmaltz mobile kitchen will be re-dressed to suit each fashion season while the high-quality, 81-day aged birds and sophisticated sandwich fillings are more Michelin than macho. “Nobody has gone and purposefully designed chicken with discerning women in mind,” says Hartnett. “I love that Schmaltz pushes in the opposite direction of ubiquitous dirty dude food. It’s clean and delicious.”

Where can you try it?
Schmaltz will nest at Pitch 4 in London’s Broadgate Circle from next Wednesday (18 October).