Trouble Maker's Cocina is One of Milwaukee's Next Top Food Trucks
The Trouble Maker’s Cocina Mad Mexican Food Truck. (Picture by Liyah Sumner/Carvd N Stone)
The Trouble Maker’s Cocina Mad Mexican Food was originally meant to be a podcast between Executive Chefs Arnie Gonzales and Martin Magaña to provide a space for Latinx chefs. The plans didn’t go through but that didn’t stop them from going into business together.
Gonzales and Magaña founded Trouble Maker’s Cocina to provide a unique spin on Mexican food.
“We create a style of food that people aren’t typically used to,” said Magaña.
The Trouble Maker’s Cocina menu changes often but some items stay the same like their authentic chicken tinga tostadas (chicken tinga, Mexican crema, cotija cheese, lettuce, red salsa, and corn tostada) and loaded street corn fries (Mexican street corn, cilantro sweet guajillo chipotle aioli, chili piquin, and cotija cheese). They even have a menu for the little ones that includes hot dogs and chicken nuggets.
The two like to source their ingredients locally. Magaña used to work with local farmers at his last gig, so he made sure to bring that concept over to his new venture. According to Gonzales, they go to the store and see what looks good, along with what’s on sale and in season, then create their menus from there.
The business started doing monthly popups on Milwaukee’s Southside at The Sugar Maple. Through these popups, the two were able to share their creations with a diverse crowd.
“With limited kitchen equipment and pure, simple ingredients, Chefs Arnie and Martín are able to create beautiful dishes of complex flavors, always balanced, always delicious,” said Sugar Maple Owner Adrienne Pierluissi.
The two businesses benefited from each other.
“Adrienne was super supportive,” Gonzales said. “One of the best people I’ve met.”
Martin Magaña (L) and Arnie Gonzales (R). (Picture by Liyah Sumner/Carvd N Stone)
The team is no longer doing popups at the bar because they have expanded into the food truck business. Chef Dillion Knight has been invited to join the team.
Along with starting this new venture, the team experienced a setback that cost them some equipment, but they said they will overcome.
“When you have a cutback like this you just have to work together as a team and focus on what you do have,” said Knight.
Trouble Maker’s Cocina will continue taking its food truck across the state of Wisconsin, and eventually beyond.