Kitchen Fire Shutters Two Popular Milwaukee Food Trucks

Cocina Filipina. Photo taken June 24, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.

It was supposed to be an exciting week for Cocina Filipina. The bright green food truck, which serves Filipino cuisine at events throughout the area, planned to announce a new vending opportunity: selling lumpia and rice bowls at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

But a Dec. 12 fire at its base kitchen has put the business out of commission for the foreseeable future. While the blaze didn’t affect the food truck directly, owners Marilupe Moreno and Billy Bush are unable to operate without a city-approved space.

“Unfortunately, moving forward requires us to locate, access, afford, and fully transition into a new licensed kitchen capable of supporting full-time operations,” the business wrote on its GoFundMe page. “Since the license cannot be filled without an approved kitchen, we have to shut down our schedule … for an uncertain amount of time.”

Moreno and Bush’s other truck, Modern Maki, also uses the space, and will temporarily close alongside Cocina Filipina. The food truck operates full-time at Zocalo Food Park, where it serves sushi and ramen.

Nobody was injured in the blaze, and firefighters were able to prevent its spread to the rest of the building, including upstairs tenants. However, the kitchen sustained extreme damage, as evidenced by a series of photos shared via Instagram.

The devastating fire compounds an already difficult situation for the business owners. “We were in our slower season and already tight with sustaining our staff, however a new contract with the Panther Arena was going to provide a great opportunity to vend,” the GoFundMe states. “This fire sets us back what we thought we were gaining.”

Bush and Moreno are actively seeking a new base kitchen. In the meantime, they are seeking community aid through the GoFundMe, organized by Shannon Romero, which had so far raised $3,370 of its $8,000 goal.

Supporters can also purchase gift cards for Modern Maki and Cocina Filipina online.

Bush and Moreno acknowledged the difficult time for independent restaurants.

“We sympathize with other small businesses in Milwaukee who have also called out for support,” they wrote. “As we grapple with the effects of this fire, we know the path forward is still ahead, though not linear. Despite the abrupt change, despite not knowing how we will figure it out, we are optimistic to rebuild.”