Act II: 'From Hollywood to hot dogs' for Vineland man
VINELAND – Gilbert Soto was living his dreams when he moved to New York City in 2011 to pursue acting.
He wanted to be close to auditions and began taking stunt classes, which included things like fighting, high falls and body fire.
But eight years later, he was drawn back to Vineland to be closer to family.
During his years of living in the big city, he would regularly visit hot dog stands. So, a few years after returning home, the U.S. Army veteran opened Gil’s Weiner Wagon in Vineland.
“In 2021, I bought a hot dog cart and began Gil’s Weiner Wagon,” said the Vineland High graduate.
Where it began
Soto’s acting journey began in 1999 when he was an extra in a Will Smith music video for “Freakin’ it” in Philadelphia. After that, he was in several small music videos and independent films.
In 2004, he became a New Jersey State Corrections Officer at Southwoods State Prison and did that for two years before resigning.
“It just wasn’t for me,” said Soto, who also attended Stockton University in 1989-1990. “So, I continued working odd jobs while pursuing acting work in Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C. and NYC. In 2011, I moved to New York City so I could get an agent and be close by in case of an audition.”
Hot diggity dog
Soto’s hot dog cart was inspired by what he witnessed when he was in New York.
“In NYC, I would frequently visit a particular hot dog vendor and it sparked my interest in being a vendor myself one day,” Soto said. “I enjoyed the freedom and the interactions he had with customers. And he made a good living doing it also.”
His most popular hotdogs are “South Jersey Street Dog” (a hot dog with sautéed green peppers and onions, bacon, mayo, mustard, ketchup and crispy jalapeños) and his “Texan Dog” (a hot dog with pulled pork, bacon, diced onions honey BBQ sauce and crispy jalapeños).
“Last year, I sold my small hot dog cart and upgraded to a trailer,” Soto shared. “Business has been steadily growing each year. I will be selling hot dogs at the Vineland Flea Market on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning (in March). The business is completely mine. My sister and my granddaughter help me at food events. My goal is to grow the business and customer base and eventually have an actual sit-down hot dog joint.”
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Still acting
Soto, 52, says he still gets called for acting gigs from time to time.
“My last acting gig was (early February) in Philadelphia on the TV show Abbott Elementary', so I’m not fully out of the business,” said Soto, who has a 31-year-old son and a 12-year-old granddaughter.
He has appeared on “Law & Order SVU”, “Blue Bloods”, “Gotham”, “Power”, “FBI”, “Saturday Night Live” and “Luke Cage”, among other things, over the years.
Julia Roberts, Liam Neeson, The Rock, Ice-T, George Clooney, Rosario Dawson, Meryl Streep, 50 Cent and Taraji P. Henson are among the stars he’s worked with.
“I moved back to Vineland in 2019 because I wanted to spend more time with my family and granddaughter,” he said. “The hustle and bustle of NYC didn’t appeal to me anymore. I was approaching 50 and realized that family is more important.
“…I chose family over fame. From Hollywood to hot dogs.”
IF YOU GO
Follow Gil’s Weiner Wagon on social media to find out where he will be. Soto moves around on weekdays, appearing mostly in Cumberland County. He will be at the Vineland Flea Market on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning in March.
856-896-4900; gilsweinerwagon.com/
Celeste E. Whittaker is a news features reporter for the Courier Post, Daily Journal and Burlington County Times. The South Jersey native started at the CP in 1998 and has covered the Philadelphia 76ers, college and high school sports and has won numerous awards for her work. Reach her by email at cwhittaker@gannettnj.com.
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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Gil's Weiner Wagon in Vineland NJ latest performance for this actor
