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How food truck workers get through the intense heat

Jul 18, 2024, 12:59 PM | Updated: 2:40 pm

Food truck employees work through scorching temperatures to keep their business going even during a...

Food truck employees work through scorching temperatures to keep their business going even during a relentless heat wave. (Jamaica's Kitchen Instagram)

(Jamaica's Kitchen Instagram)

SALT LAKE CITY — Food truck employees work through scorching temperatures to keep their business going even during a relentless heat wave.

If you’ve worked in a kitchen, you know that the inside temperature can easily reach 10 to 20 degrees hotter than outside temps. Donovan Thompson, owner of Salt Lake’s only Jamaican cuisine food truck, Jamaica’s Kitchen, said last week’s heat wave almost had him throw in the towel.

But he pushed through.

“I’m not going to complain about it and I’m going to keep doing it,” he said. “But, it’s really hard.”

Thompson said while the swamp cooler helps, it’s the people who show up to support the business that make it worthwhile.

Other tricks food truck workers use (and which you can use too)  include:

  • wearing thin wool socks, to wick away moisture,
  • fans (if you’ve got enough power from a generator),
  • ice towels,
  • neck cooling fans,
  • and paying attention to hydration.

You can find Jamaica’s Kitchen food truck on social media where they post their schedule every Monday.

Eric Cabrera is a reporter for KSL NewsRadio. You can follow him on Instagram.

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How food truck workers get through the intense heat