Kristen Kish Cooking with Mei Mei Street Kitchen This Weekend

Kristen Kish will be cooking on the Mei Mei food truck this weekend. Photo courtesy of Mercure Photography

SoWa Market’s food truck court might be a little more crowded this weekend thanks to guest chef, Kristen Kish, who’ll be joining the Mei Mei Street Kitchen crew on August 31. The former Menton chef de cuisine and Top Chef: Seattle winner says she has always wanted to take part in the food truck phenomenon, and Mei Mei’s Andrew and Mei Li were more than happy to afford her the opportunity.

“I’ve always been a fan of Mei Mei and their food,” Kish says. “When I was working in the South End, I would always make a point of seeing them at SoWa on Sundays. I just happened to be in their restaurant a couple of weeks ago and the conversation somehow came around to food trucks. Mei asked me if I’d ever like to work the truck, and I was like “Oh my god, I’ve always wanted to do that. Hell yeah, get me on a truck!”

In addition to serving up Double Awesomes and pierogi dumplings, Kish will also be making a signature scallion pancake sandwich with fried tofu, kimchi, Japanese mayonnaise, crushed peanuts, and fresh greens.

“I knew I wanted to do something sloppy and dirty, but I was trying to avoid anything with meat because they already have a number of really solid meat dishes on the menu,” Kish says. “I wanted to make something simple and delicious with ingredients Mei Mei would most likely have in-house. It’s definitely food truck food; something I’d want to eat myself.”

A part of the proceeds from Kish’s sandwich will be donated to Holt International, which was pivotal in the chef’s own adoption story. “It’s the one my parents used along with a local chapter in Michigan,” Kish says. “These orphanages have so many kids and to take care of children, you have to have money. It’s a small way of giving back to something I was once a part of.”

Kish will be featured on an upcoming episode of Top Chef Duels, where she’ll be competing against Season 4 winner Stephanie Izard, with proceeds once again going toward Holt International. Kish says she’s been spending her time since leaving the Barbara Lynch Gruppo traveling and writing a cookbook.

“I can say it now, I’m working on my first cookbook,” Kish says. “I’m at the very, very beginning stages, but it’s coming along. I’m still doing some travel and I’m actively pursuing the possibility of a restaurant.”

Kish would not comment on the future destination of her upcoming restaurant.

540 Harrison Ave., Boston.