Philosophy

WHAT IS A NAACO

Imagine this: A hot, humid day in India. Miss Naan was dehydrated and sweating. Mr. Taco was new in town, looking for friends, looking for love. As the sun set, they ended up in the same rickshaw where with one look, they promptly fell madly in love and gave birth to the most irresistible child you will ever put in your mouth (not that we condone eating children, but ours you should!) – A Naaco.

The best mode of delivery – the taco – and the best flatbread – the naan – have combined to make a delicious naaco, filled with sexy ingredients to give Calgarians a fresh, curbside perspective on Indian cuisine.

WHAT IS NEO-RETRO

Neo-retro is your grandma in a bikini, and your grandpa with a tan-line slightly above his knees.

We love traditional Indian and East African food, but knew it would be great if we could put our own spin on it, because, well, change is good. No where else can you find Indian cuisine that is not only influenced by history and culture, but also by the great local product that Calgary has to offer. We have used all of these inspirations to create our version of fantastic, approachable food – rooted in tradition but grown with a modern touch.

OUR COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

The Naaco Truck supports organic, local and/or sustainable operations wherever possible. We want to get our products from establishments in and around Calgary because, why not? Naaco is, after all, a Calgary-born truck! All of our meat is from local farms and has been raised with no hormones, no antibiotics, has been fed only the best, and lived happy lives, much like your own pets. Our produce is local and organic, and grown by some of the best green thumbs Alberta has to offer. For more information, click here.

The majority of the merchandise Naaco uses is made from eco-friendly products. We have tried our best to make the truck as energy efficient as possible. We understand that driving a truck around isn’t the best for the environment, so we have come up with a way to help offset our carbon footprint through Naaco Cuts Carbon. Our goal is to reduce our environmental impact with everything we do, right down to what we clean with.

Naaco’s Monthly Cause initiative gives customers the opportunity to donate a dollar to charity for a chance to win a free combo at the end of every week. Naaco’s team chooses a well-deserving organization that mirrors it’s own philosophy – everything from environmental to giving kids a healthy meal at school. We hope to be leaders in the community and work hard to make our city and our world a better place – one Face of Naaco at a time.

Naaco’s VisioN

Our vision of making Naaco a socially-responsible establishment from the beginning has been realized to it’s full potential by becoming the first LEAF certified food truck in Canada.

THE NAACO TEAM

Aman “el Capitano” AdatiaChief Naaco Maker & Co-Founder Stephanie “SNOUT” ShieldsRight-Hand Woman & Co-Founder
Nazma “Mom” AdatiaNaaco Ambassador
Meghan “Moogs” KeelanNaaco Ambassador
Chelsea “Yorky T” ShieldsNaaco Ambassador

Aman “ el Capitano ” AdatIa

Chief Naaco Maker & Co-Founder

What are your 3 favourite things about Calgary?
Naheed Nenshi, the amount of sunshine we get, and the arrival of food trucks.
Which 5 people would you have at your dream dinner table?
Nelson Mandela, Heston Blumenthal, Anthony Bourdain, Natalie Portman, and George Stroumboulopoulos.
What 3 kitchen gadgets could you not live without?
My new 240 mm Konosuke Mirror Gyuto (RIP to my 240 mm Misono UX10 Gyuto), a boat motor AKA stick blender, and
my granite mortar and pestle.
Who are your top 3 food role models?
Heston Blumenthal, my Mom and Grandma, and all the people I’ve met that cook with love and don’t get enough recognition for it.
What is your dream retirement?
Valpolicella, Italy. Tending my vines, operating a seasonal restaurant where I roast whole animals. People will come to drink, eat, laugh, and share stories.
Do you sleep with the closet door closed or open?
I close my closet every night before I go to bed and check under my bed for monsters.
If you could speak to one kind of animal what would it be?
A white tiger. I’d ask it how it got so beautiful.

BIOGRAPHY

After deciding that pursuing a career in medicine would not be nearly exciting enough and would probably pay too much, Aman spent his life savings (and his parent’s) to move to Paris, France to explore his lifelong love of food and become classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu. There, with his incredibly creative better-half Stephanie, the idea for The Naaco Truck was born. Around this same time, conversations about food trucks were just beginning in his hometown of Calgary – seemed serendipitous.

Aman and Stephanie returned home to make The Naaco Truck a reality. Pouring in an endless amount of blood, sweat, and tears – not to mention countless heated discussions – Naaco’s were born! Aman hopes that The Naaco Truck menu shows his passion towards the cultural and historical significance of his East African and Indian influenced cuisine, while demonstrating his appreciation of relevant, thoughtful, and unique food. Rooted in a desire to create fare that is available to everyone, fun, and of the highest quality, The Naaco Truck makes Indian eats approachable to Calgarians while doing it’s best to engage the community and make Calgary the curbside munching Capital of Canada!