Chefs and Restaurants

Philly’s Kiki Aranita Finds Balance and Builds Community Without a Kitchen

It’s no surprise to hear that Kiki Aranita had to hibernate after the nine-month-long events season wrapped up for her Philly-based food truck, Poi Dog. For seven years she worked nonstop, popping up at events from Toronto to Honolulu and serving Hawaiian-inflected specialties like mochi nori fried chicken, Kalua pork tacos, and Spam musubi.

But as much as she loved serving dishes from her childhood and connecting with homesick Hawaiians, “it was...