Local Traveling Eatery May Be Nation’s Best Food Cart

By Stephanie M. Mangino

A food cart devoted to serving dishes created from regional farm products is one of four finalists in the “Good Morning America Weekend” competition to name the best food cart in the nation.

The ABC-TV show asked customers to submit 300-word essays about their favorite food carts and whittled the list of nominees down to four.

Local Sixfortyseven, a mobile farm-to-fork kitchen that was a regular every Tuesday at the Freight Station Farmers’ Market on Boscawen Street in Winchester, is one of them.

Its operations were recently filmed at Barrel Oak Winery in Delaplane for a “GMA Weekend” segment that will air Saturday in the show’s last half-hour.

One of their regular customers at the Centreville market Local Sixfortyseven submitted the essay that caught ABC’s eye, said Amanda Luhowiak, who owns the Marshall-based food cart business with her husband Derek, an experienced chef.

A number of things about Local Sixfortyseven drew ABC’s interest, said program producer Ameya Pendse.

Many entries were submitted about the cart, she said, with the words and phrases “homemade,” “community-oriented,” “genuine,” and “environmentally friendly” making frequent appearances.

“ ‘They make the best burgers ever!’ ” was also a popular comment, Pendse said. “Also, unlike our other nominees, [which] are in big cities, Local Sixfortyseven had a nice country ‘local’ to it.”

Echoes of Derek’s Pittsburgh upbringing can be found in the name, which tips a hat to the city’s unions (called locals) while also describing the enterprise.

He and Amanda live at their farm off Rt. 647 in Marshall, and serve local foods.

Amanda believes the other carts in the competition are in Portland, Ore., Seattle, and New York City.

The attention has come toward the end of Local Sixfortyseven’s first season, she said.

While the year has been marked by positive news stories and customer response, it has been a learning experience, too, as the young couple has been introduced to a variety of local ordinances and permits needed to operate their unique business.

“We’ve had so many ups and downs all year long,” Amanda said. The couple will reorganize and regroup over the winter, and reopen the cart at area farmers’ markets in late winter and early spring.

While their cart has operated less than a year, Amanda said Derek has worked hard in the food business for a long time.

Also, she said, the couple shares a passion for local food, supporting local farmers, and providing good food.

Although the cart will receive recognition Saturday on the show, the actual winner of the competition will be the author of the essay for the food cart selected as the nation’s best.

The essayist will win a two-night stay in New York and a $450 gift certificate for dinner for two at a New York restaurant.

People may vote online online for their favorite cart, and the winner will be determined by online votes and a judging panel.

The link for voting will be displayed on the “GMA Weekend” Web site at abcnews.go.com/gma/weekend.