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The home of Hot Spot Kitchen at 504 E. Belmont Ave. in Fresno is seen in this photo via Hot Spot Facebook page. Belmont has been targeted for major upgrades with $5 million in state funding.

published on July 22, 2021 - 2:56 PM
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A Fresno commissary kitchen is reopening with a new name, new owners and new mission to serve more than mobile food vendors.

Miriam Martinez and Roberto Jauregui will cut the ribbon on The Hot Spot Kitchen this afternoon. The two owners of La Jacka Mobile purchased the building at the outset of the pandemic. Their aim was to create an affordable kitchen to help support culinary diversity in Fresno as well as supporting street and mobile food vendors.

It has room for ten different businesses per shift. Right now, they have four vendors cooking a range of different kinds of food, including Jamaican, Mexican, vegan and a food truck specializing in baked potatoes.

One of their main goals is to reach out to food carts. Mobile food vendors including trucks and carts have to have a permanent kitchen in order to operate legally.

Many food vendors want to become legal, said Jauregui, but there are a lot of regulations they have to navigate and many don’t know where to begin.

The Hot Spot partnered with Fresno State, the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation as well as the Fresno Chamber of Commerce to help food vendors go through the inspections required to become legal. This will also help food vendors who have faced increased violence against them this year.

Jauregui said many are afraid to call the police or security. Becoming legitimate will alleviate many of those fears.

“When society sees they are more organized they are going to get more respect,” Jauregui said.

In addition to licensing, Jauregui and his wife and kids want to help businesses develop financial plans to get off the ground.

“We are trying to make this place a center for new business owners who want to become entrepreneurs in the food industry,” Jauregui said.

Hot Spot Kitchen will have their ribbon cutting at 5:15 p.m. at 504 E. Belmont Ave.


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