A married couple from different parts of the world have come together to create a fusion food truck that blends Mexican and Mediterranean flavors in Shokan.
Fast & Fusion relocated from the Finger Lakes this year, and is the creation of Sofia Peniche and Jameel Wells. The couple’s food truck combines their diverse backgrounds—Peniche has roots in Cuernavaca, Mexico, while Wells is Lebanese American.
Peniche enhances Wells’ family’s Lebanese recipes, creating new dishes such as an all-vegan “al pastor.” Al pastor, which translates as ‘herdsman style’, is a popular Mexican dish made of thinly sliced pork marinated in a blend of dried chilies, spices, and pineapple, then stacked and cooked on a vertical spit called a trompo. As the meat rotates and cooks—similar to shawarma or gyro—it’s shaved off in tender, crispy layers and typically served in tacos with pineapple, onions, and cilantro.
“We really love each other’s cooking. Whenever I cook, she jumps in the kitchen, adds her flavors, and we realize just how similar they are. A lot of people don’t know that ‘al pastor’ actually originated from Lebanese tradition,” Wells said. The technique of cooking meat on a vertical spit is thought to have originated with shawarma, a Middle Eastern staple brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants.
Their menu features a variety of options, including vegetarian, vegan, and meat dishes. The offerings are updated monthly, allowing them to introduce new items based on feedback and rotate different ingredients.
Peniche and Wells met while working on a farm. Wells had already worked in the food industry, traveling the West Coast in a mobile kitchen serving wildfire survivors through disaster relief efforts. Peniche, meanwhile, studied to become a renewable energy engineer.
Their relationship, which began in Oregon, blossomed into a partnership in both life and business. Today, they have two children and lead a nomadic life, moving from place to place to provide their family with the best educational and community opportunities.
“We want to raise our girls in a place where there’s a lot more going on. There’s so much in regard to theater, music. There are not many places in the States where you see playhouses and it’s such a small town that’s pretty cool,” said Peniche.
Fast & Fusion has been operating for two years, primarily attending events in the Finger Lakes region.
“We were focused on the Finger Lakes, with all its vineyards, bars, and breweries,” Wells said. “Now, we’re looking to take advantage of the natural trails here in the Hudson Valley and tourism passing through.”
Walking up to the food truck on their front lawn, customers are greeted with a welcoming atmosphere, as if about to enjoy a home-cooked meal. Their two children play happily nearby.
Peniche and Wells both agree that the flavors of their respective cultures have much in common—a connection that has helped their business thrive.
The food truck also allows the couple to expand their business in creative ways. Peniche hopes to incorporate other parts of her culture aside from food, including live music. They plan on attending more events in the Hudson Valley and Catskills to showcase their offerings.
“It’s been a work in progress, with our business plan and brainstorming what we wanted to do. This is nice to see it come to fruition and see things that were written in a notebook actually come to life,” stated Wells.
The truck can now be found outside Overlook Bicycles, a bike rental shop in Shokan, with the bright yellow vehicle on the front lawn welcoming customers.
Olivia Sippel is a contributing reporter. Send correspondence to reporting@theoverlooknews.com.