Since 2011 the Public Market and its shifting ownership have teased their pursuit of food truck vendors to establish roots in the former Paraffin Paint Factory Warehouse turned food & retail destination. Yesterday, through BizJournals.com, it was announced they have finally delivered on this promise. Michelin-Starred chef Carlos Altamirano will open an 800 sq. ft. “fast-casual” stall named “Chicharon” that will serve modern Peruvian food including rotisserie chicken and the lomo soltado sandwich currently served through his Sanguchon food trucks.

“Our vision for this property is to have it be a great place for people in Emeryville and the East Bay to get together, particularly in the evenings. We also wanted to have a way to drive business for our current tenants” says Tim Bacon, VP of City Center Realty Partners who acquired the Public Market in 2012.

For Bay Area foodies, this could be a big shot in the arm to transitioning the Public Market to support more organic, sustainable and locally-sourced ingredients and lure other notable chefs & popular food trucks to bring their cuisines into the fold. For fans of the Public Market’s current “Cheap Mall Food Court” approach, they may be wondering what the future holds for the existing tenants and pricing model as it has already been announced that some existing tenants will be “getting the axe“. Chicharon will open in the space currently occupied by the revolving DISPLAY pop-ups events that are booked throughout the end of the year. Construction for the property’s remodel will not begin until February and should last six months.

Public Market Emeryville lands Michelin-starred chef

By Renée Frojo
San Francisco Business Times Reporter

Public Market Emeryville has signed the first retail tenant for its soon-to-be revamped food court — Michelin-starred chef Carlos Altamirano — leading the way for other local restaurateurs and retailers to stake a claim in the project.

Altamariano’s diverse brand of Peruvian restaurants include La Costanera in Half Moon Bay, Mochica and Piqueos in San Francisco, and an upcoming restaurant called Parada in Walnut Creek. He also owns food truck Sanguchon, which has four outposts that roam throughout the Bay Area.

His newest location at the market will be an 800-square-foot fast-casual joint called Chicharon that will serve modern Peruvian food with things like rotisserie chicken and some of the most popular items from its Sanguchon food truck, including the lomo soltado sandwich.

Altamirano said he’s looking forward to being in good company at the new space. “We’re really excited about the vision at the market, which is all very organic, sustainable and locally-sourced — just like our brand,” he said.

City Center Realty Partners, the project’s new owners, which recently bought the property from TMG Partners, are planning on building between eight and 12 new stalls ranging from 200 to 1,200 square feet in the revamped market.

The market is part of a massive 14-acre development, which includes offices and stores as well as a hotel, food court and movie theater. The project has entitlements for up to 800,000 square feet of new commercial and residential space.

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