Street Spice food truck helps feed Rock Hill's homeless

Brooke Barber returned to her grandparents’ neighborhood Wednesday evening.

Before she visited with James and Sally Bertha, Barber, her finance DaRel Daniels – and the crew on the Street Spice food truck – turned their culinary attentions to cooking for the residents of The Haven men's  shelter. Each plate had three sliders, a choice of curly fries or mac-in-cheese, a dessert and drink.

The chance to give back to the community she calls home was special for Barber. She is a graduate of Rock Hill High School and Winthrop University where she majored in communications and German. She recently completed a master’s in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Barber grew up dancing for the Just Dancin’ studio on Celanese Road and is back as a teacher, instructing tap and jazz classes. “Been there for all of the 20 years of the studio,” she said.

The chance to serve those staying at The Haven is part of Street Spice’s goal to give back to others. Barber and Daniels said they hope to do similar events each quarter. Originally, they wanted to do a “burgers and blankets” event at The Haven, but they opted for just the food when Haven staff said they had enough blankets.

“This feels good, that we are in a position to do this,” Barber said. “It’s scary running your own business.”

Street Spice has been operating for a year. Daniels, a culinary arts graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte, quit his full-time job to run the truck. They had the truck specially made by a Florida company. Street Spice spends time |in Charlotte and Rock Hill. The truck has been part of Food Truck Friday at Fountain Park and most recently was at ChristmasVille.

“It’s fun to have your own mobile kitchen,” Daniels said. It’s also fun the share the kitchen with friends. Most of the 10-member crew have studied at Johnson and Wales, Barber said.

Daniels is in charge of the food and Barber runs the marketing and business side. It is food, however, that brought them together. They met at the Olive Garden in Rock Hill where she was server and he was the assistant kitchen manager.

Dennis Brice, one of the residential managers at The Haven, said the Street Spice crew showing up outside his doorstep was an example there are still people “with heart. ... This is good stuff.”

This story was originally published December 23, 2015 at 8:48 PM with the headline "Street Spice food truck helps feed Rock Hill's homeless."