The food-truck trend that raced to popularity a decade ago had many exciting characteristics for foodservice entrepreneurs, among them the ability to enter the space at a relatively low cost and the opportunity to try out innovative menu ideas. That was exactly what appealed to Roz Edison and Kamala Saxton. The business partners, inspired by chef Roy Choi and his Kogi BBQ truck in L.A., developed the idea for their own food truck at a dinner party in February 2009, and by June had hit the streets of Seattle with their truck concept, Marination. Leveraging Saxton's Hawaiian heritage, Marination serves a fusion menu that includes staples like Spam Sliders, a Kimchi Quesadilla, and a Pork Katsu Sandwich.
In this conversation with QSR editor Sam Oches, Edison describes how that simple dinner-party idea evolved into a popular Seattle mini-chain that now has a truck, three fast-casual brick-and-mortars, and a sister full-service concept, to boot.