Wheeled out two weeks ago, Le Camion Qui Fume (The Smoking Truck) is Paris’ first food truck and the brainchild of California native and Ferrandi-trained chef, Kristin Frederick. In a city where burgers of all forms and quality have become ubiquitous, it was going to take something special to make Kristin’s burgers buzz-worthy in Paris. Once she landed the permits and the truck, all that remained was a way to inform hungry urbanites of the truck’s daily location.

Following in the footsteps of successful food trucks back in the States with a prominent social media presence, Kristin went straight to Twitter and Facebook in addition to her website to announce truck locations and scheduling changes. That’s part of what got people talking, but full credit goes to the concept and the quality.

The beef is ground fresh each morning, the buns are of the bakery variety and the options on the menu are unlike any this city has seen before. I opted for the Campagne which came topped with aged gruyère, caramelized onions and mushrooms and a side of hand cut, perfectly salted fries.

As I stood outside the truck, my hands numb from the biting cold, I savored each and every bite until hitting that ultimate sense of disappointment when I came to the last morsel. By the time I had finished my melody of ooohs and ahhhs, my fingers were warm and my smile untouchable. “It’s still fast food,” Kristin said as I sang her praises. Call it what you will, Le Camion Qui Fume’s burgers have merited their cushy new spot at the top of my ultimate burger list (and yours). Hopefully their searing success after only 2 weeks on the road is a harbinger for additional trucks and stops in the near future.

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