Ernie Wong Featured in The New York Times

December 24, 2025

We’re excited to announce that Shanghai Mobile Kitchen Solutions owner, Ernie Wong, was recently quoted again in an article published by The New York Times.

The story highlights the realities and challenges New York City street vendors face when sourcing mobile kitchens, navigating regulations, and maintaining safe equipment; all topics Ernie has deep, decades-long experience with.

Since 1979, the Wong family has been building custom food trucks, food trailers, and mobile kitchens from our workshop in Brooklyn. Being recognized by a national publication underscores our long-standing commitment to quality, safety, and supporting the hardworking street-vendor community.

Why The New York Times Reached Out to Ernie

With more than 45 years in the industry, Ernie has seen firsthand how rapidly the food-vendor landscape has changed in New York City. The article explored issues vendors often face, including:

Sourcing equipment that meets city health and fire codes
Distinguishing between safe custom-built kitchens vs. modified or outdated units
Understanding the real costs and risks of pre-owned or poorly outfitted food trucks
The challenges created by limited access to legal vending spaces

Ernie’s perspective helped illustrate why proper equipment and expert guidance matter, especially for new vendors entering the industry.

What This Recognition Means for Our Customers

Being featured in The New York Times is meaningful not just for our family business, but for the vendors we serve every day. It reinforces our long-standing reputation as an industry leader in:

NYC-compliant food truck fabrication
Custom mobile kitchen design
Commercial and residential kitchen ventilation solutions
On-site repairs and modification work

From hot dog carts to full commercial kitchens, we’ve helped thousands of food entrepreneurs launch safely and successfully.

Read the Article in the New York Times

Here is the link to the New York Times feature (please note that access may require a login or subscription):

“How New York Can Protect Its Street Vendors - The New York Times”

Thinking About Starting a Food Truck in NYC? We Can Help.

If you’re planning to launch a food truck or mobile kitchen in New York City, working with an experienced manufacturer can save you time, money, and prevent costly code violations.

Shanghai MKS has been trusted by NYC vendors for more than four decades, and this national recognition reflects our continued commitment to craftsmanship and safety.

Contact us today to get started on your custom-built food truck in NYC.

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The Pitfalls of Food Truck Ownership (And Why You Should Source Your Own Vehicle)

By Ernie Wong • January 3, 2026

Discover the common pitfalls of food truck ownership—from surprise repair costs to warranty limitations—and why sourcing your own truck is smarter. Learn more from Shanghai Mobile Kitchen Solutions.

Essential Food Trailer Accessories for a High-Performing Mobile Kitchen

By Ernie Wong • November 20, 2025

Why Accessories Matter in a Food Trailer Setup Equipping your food trailer with the right accessories, and the right equipment for a food trailer overall, means you can use every inch of your workspace while maintaining high standards and productivity. When paired with essential equipment, accessories like prep tables, insulated food carriers, and menu signage boards create a smoother service workflow and keep ingredients fresh. Using convenient accessories helps staff safely prepare delicious food and serve more customers in less time, ultimately driving profits up. Kitchen Equipment Accessories for Efficiency Equipping your kitchen with portable sinks, portable scoops, and fry baskets can keep food orders flowing during busy service times. Cutting stations and storage racks ensure your kitchen is organized. Dependable refrigeration allows you to reduce food waste and clean surfaces, ensuring hygiene practices are followed. When your food trailer has efficient tools installed, it saves time and empowers your custom mobile food truck to function more efficiently, so additional customers can be served. Prep and Storage Add-Ons Wall-mounted storage racks and fold-down prep shelves maximize your workspace and make every inch of your kitchen usable. With space-saving undercounter compartments, staff can grab what they need to ensure cooking is more productive and efficient. Using dry bins for staples like rice and flour eliminates moisture and can prevent contamination and pests, extending their shelf life. When you invest in versatile storage and prep solutions, your kitchen will be more organized and prepared to create new menu options. Cooking Equipment Extras Hot plates and flat-top add-ons extend the capacity of your kitchen so you can quickly create items like grilled sandwiches and stir-fries. Additional fryer baskets allow cooks to increase food output. Hanging magnetic utensil strips or knife racks gives quick, convenient access to the cooking tools they use the most, making food production faster. Having extra accessories available streamlines food trailer operations so food can be cooked expeditiously. Power & Utility Accessories A food trailer needs to be mobile and fully self-sufficient in order to be successful. It needs a reliable power source of electricity, or food can’t be cooked, it can spoil, and you can’t process payments without one. The power source is the lifeline that runs your fridge, freezer, grills, and fryers. To ensure safety, you need commercial-grade extension cords and wiring so your food trailer can handle a continuous heavy supply of electricity without overheating or violating fire codes. Surge protectors are also worth having to safeguard expensive commercial appliances, so they won’t have unpredictable voltage spikes. A quiet generator can be a convenient backup when an outage occurs, while propane can power hotplates, grills, and fryers if necessary. Health & Safety Must-Haves Making health and safety the top priority in your food trailer protects employees and customers. Having a working fire extinguisher provides critical protection if an emergency develops. A first aid kit is an important way to prevent small injuries and burns from escalating. You’re required to have a hand-washing station to avoid violations. It’s also the best way to stop viruses, bacteria, and parasites from spreading. Installing non-slip flooring prevents falls and workplace accidents. If you plan to run a safe mobile kitchen environment, investing in protective equipment is essential. Customer-Facing Features Customer‑facing features like brightly-colored signage and attention-grabbing menu boards allow customers to easily see the type of food your trailer is offering and feel welcome. An accessible ordering window is convenient for you and your potential customers. Using streamlined payment systems reduces wait times. When you add these features to your mobile food truck operation, you can deliver a better dining experience that keeps customers returning for more. Mobility, Storage & Transport Tools If you need your food trailer to have the ability to easily relocate so it can reach prime locations with high demand for food, you’ll need secure racks and tie-downs that keep equipment stable while in motion. When you have the heavy-duty wheels and versatile storage options installed, your food trailer will be dependable, so you can travel to high-traffic areas. Work With an Expert Builder to Get It Right Shanghai Mobile Kitchen expert designers and builders specialize in c ustom built food trucks and can integrate smart storage options into yours. We can upgrade your food trailer into a polished, professional kitchen with modern conveniences to make your cooking team more productive. The equipment we can add will take your business to the next level. Contact us today, and we’ll show you how we can make your mobile food truck operation work harder for you.