Sonia Ahmed photos
Demian Garcia Scalici serving up empanadas Monday afternoon outside Tweed airport.
The bright yellow truck outside the airport.
A former adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins and a native of Argentina is now selling “smash burger empanadas” outside Tweed New Haven Airport, in a bright yellow food truck parked outside the arrivals gate.
Demian Garcia Scalici’s truck — called Don Empanadas — opened three months ago. While its location varies, it is often outside Tweed at least three days a week, as was the case on Monday.
Don Empanadas was recently at the pickle festival at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, from June 25 to June 27. A TikTok posted by user named “loosie” rating food items at the festival went viral, accumulating almost 60,000 views; she gave Don Empanadas’ special smash burger pickle empanada a 10 out of 10.
Scalici said he has had several customers come up to him asking him if he was the truck featured in that TikTok post. The smash burger empanada, which was originally created for the festival, will now become a permanent item on the menu. The seared empanada includes burger beef marinated in pickle juice and melted cheese, served with a side of dill pickles and “smash burger sauce.”
The truck’s other popular empanada flavors include Philly cheesesteak and traditional beef or chicken. All the empanadas are labeled by what variation it is, using edible ink. Customers can get one empanada for $7 or three for $18.
Scalici, who hails from Guilford, said he and his wife Sarah Garcia Scalici prepare the empanadas in a commissary kitchen there. He added that what makes his empanadas unique is the fact that they are hand folded and baked, instead of fried.
“You taste the food more rather than just that fried taste,” he commented, explaining why he opts to bake them instead. Additionally, Scalici feels as though the baking process makes them healthier to eat.
Scalici stated that making sure that the empanadas are sufficiently filled is also important to him. “Nothing I hate more than biting into an empty shell,” he said. “We don’t want any of our customers to experience that.”
Scalici is originally from Argentina, and remarked that his culture is part of what inspired him to start the food truck. In Argentina, empanadas are “equally or more popular than pizza,” he noted, adding that many eat them on Friday and Saturday nights with friends.
“Empanadas bring me back to growing up, friends and families together,” he said.
The food truck owner was previously an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University, and had not worked in the food industry previously.
“I only have experience eating empanadas,” he joked.
Scalici traveled to Argentina, Spain, and across many U.S. states to taste various empanadas and to understand what makes one tasty to him before starting his business.
His food truck allows him to spend more time with his family, which is something he mentioned he couldn’t experience as much in his previous profession.
“It’s a great opportunity to work by my wife and by my daughters,” he said.
Outside Tweed airport, Scalici said most of his customers consist of passengers and airport staff, and business can vary based on when flights are.
Don Empanadas can be contacted through their Instagram.
Scalici and wife Sarah outside Don Empanadas food truck.
A box with every flavor of empanada from Don Empanadas.