Prior to opening La Patrona Comida Mexicana, Kevin Aldana was like most people struggling to get a job during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially in his market.
The 27-year-old Hollister resident had graduated from UC Davis with a degree in sociology with an emphasis in law society and planned to attend law school with hopes of interning with a lawyer.
Meanwhile, his mom Leonor, 52, was a nail technician but the salons were shut down due to strict public health guidelines.
Their options became limited until the idea of possibly dabbling in the kitchen came up.
“Everybody always gives comments,” said Aldana about his mom’s delicious cooking. “One day she was like, ‘I’m just gonna do it.’ So we did it. We started [La Patrona] and we haven’t stopped since.”
Aldana and his mom along with his dad Adolfo, 58, and brother Brandon, 22, own and operate the mobile kitchen trailer based out of Hollister. The dishes are inspired by Mexico City street food, which is where Adolfo and Leonor originally hail from.
“We’re trying to incorporate popular street gastronomy out there from Mexico City and put a little modern twist to it,” Aldana said.
Aldana put a big-time twist on an all-time American classic by creating the birria grilled cheese sandwich, which is loaded with pepper jack and mozzarella cheeses and piled high with birria (beef stew), onions and cilantro on a toasted Texas toast.
One thing to point out though is La Patrona doesn’t offer al pastor as an option for meat, which is highly popular in Mexico City.
The dish—marinated pork shoulder stacked on top of each other and cooked on a rotating spit before it is thinly sliced for tacos or other dishes—has been on the menu at least three times in the past month.
However, it’s something the Aldana’s are still trying to perfect before they start offering it to the public.
“A lot of people like the tacos de al pastor,” said Adolfo, who also has a full-time job in waste management.
The Aldanas bought their first food trailer one year ago and began to set up shop in Morgan Hill when they first opened.
Food trucks became a product of the Covid-19 pandemic when bars and taprooms such as Kelly Brewing Co. in Morgan Hill had to follow mandates of serving food in order to remain open.
At the time, taproom manager Isaac Laing was just trying to pivot and go with the flow as the restrictions began to lessen up.
Once everything got “back to normal,” as Laing put it, he continued to bring back the food trucks and noticed having them around was essentially better for business.
“We’re giving them a space,” he said. “It’s good for them, it’s good for us.”
Laing calls it more of an agreement since Kelly Brewing Co.—which opened in 2018—is not profit sharing with any of the vendors. He said it’s mostly about narrowing it down to what customers are craving.
“We’re just trying to make it the hangout,” Laing said.
Kevin said the biggest challenge for them is finding locations to park, especially because most places already have a list of vendors that set up shop. They sell all across Santa Clara County including Gilroy, San Jose and Sunnyvale.
“It’s about staying persistent,” he said. “Show them that you can provide some type of value to their business, as well.”
The Aldanas began selling food in Hollister to slowly build their main audience, yet a strict mobile food ordinance prevented them from parking just about anywhere in the city.
The City of Hollister last month amended the ordinance that will allow food vendors to park in what used to be restricted areas throughout the city.
For the Aldana brothers, their key challenge lies not in finding just any location to park but in identifying the perfect spot that aligns perfectly with their target market and business vision.
In order to make it happen, they’ll need to apply for two essential permits: the health permit for the County of San Benito and a business license for the City of Hollister.
“Our ultimate goal is to create a unique and outstanding experience for our customers from the moment they set eyes on our food truck to the moment they savor our delicious food,” Brandon said. “Thanks to the incredible support of the Hollister community, we were able to bring La Patrona to life, and now we’re eager to venture into new locations.”
Brandon said he’s confident the food truck scene can both survive and thrive in Hollister. He noticed several food trucks from Hollister are taking the initiative to organize community events.
To ensure long-term success, he believes it’s essential to diversify the market and embrace the competitive advantages that come with operating in a smaller market.
“With the right mindset and a passion for culinary excellence, food trucks can undoubtedly thrive and continue to be an integral part of Hollister’s vibrant dining scene,” Brandon said.
Food trucks in Hollister
As of July 20, the City of Hollister officially implemented an updated mobile food ordinance that allows food trucks to park throughout town. The city offers three types of annual administrative mobile vending permits: short term or long term operations within the public right-of-way, and developed private property operations.
Great article!