Food Truck Face Off
Food truck face off pits two teams of food-truck wannabes against each other. The winner gets their very own truck for a year. The judges put the teams through a tough test of sales over two days.
The event raises money for Fourth Street Clinic, Children’s Center Utah and Utah Community Action. More than 30 food trucks will gather at Liberty Park.
Food Network Canada
The food truck trend has made its way north of the border with shows like Food Network Canada’s The Great Food Truck Race, where aspiring chefs compete for a chance to win their own mobile kitchen. But not everyone is ready to trade their day job for a life on the road.
The new season of Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race kicks off Sunday. The premise of the reality competition has contestants – each with their own unique food truck – competing for a chance to win their very own restaurant on wheels and $50,000 in seed money to start their business.
Last year, the show’s New York City competitor, Korilla, was disqualified for cheating in what was deemed “the weirdest elimination yet.” But with food trucks becoming a staple of every major city, it seems that the industry isn’t going anywhere.
Austin
Food truck culture is a big deal in Austin. You can find them at every major event, from music festivals to the local college football game. The culinary students worked hard to embrace the Austin vibe and make a business plan for their food trucks.
The show features four teams of food truck wannabes who pitch their ideas to judges. The two best teams then hit the streets to test their concepts. The team that earns the most over two frenzied days of selling wins their own food truck for one year.
This year, the Food Truck Face Off is supporting three nonprofits that serve Utahns in need. Fourth Street Clinic helps homeless people improve their health and quality of life through high-quality primary care, street outreach, education and housing services. Utah Community Action empowers individuals and families to achieve self-reliance through education, counseling, housing, nutrition and case management services. And Children’s Center Utah provides mental health and wellness services for infants, toddlers and young children.
Miami
Four food truck dreamers pitch their concepts to judges who deem two worthy enough to test their fare on the streets of Miami. Day one sorely tests the teams as they cope with potentially disastrous truck issues, backbiting and missing ingredients. Then they ramp up their culinary chops on day two as they square off alongside local trucks during a busy block party. Whoever earns the most money over two frenzied days of selling will walk away with their own custom truck for a year.
Owner Robyn Almodovar, whose IMDB page is as long as her menu, brings bold flavors to this truck that draws on her Puerto Rican and Italian roots. Try her crowd pleasers like the sweet plantain and black bean quesadilla or the mushroom risotto balls. Check it out at a food truck event around town or find them on the weekends at the Distillery District.
Los Angeles
Palm trees, beaches and the Hollywood sign may come to mind when thinking of Los Angeles, but food trucks are also a big part of this city’s culture. This culinary revolution is constantly evolving to match LA citizens’ changing tastes, and the cuisines on offer have gone from traditional street food to gourmet on-the-go options and creative fusion menus.
Host Jesse Palmer unleashes a two day culinary battle between food truck hopefuls on the streets of LA. On day one, the newbies learn that their love of cooking isn’t enough to make it through rookie mistakes like missing flavor and chaotic service. On day two, ramped up menu fixes and game changes give them a fighting chance against the established food trucks that line the streets, but will they have enough to win?
Join over 30 food trucks at Liberty Park for a day of live music, great beer and good food to support three great nonprofits. The Children’s Center Utah provides comprehensive mental health care to enhance the emotional well-being of infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families, while the Fourth Street Clinic and Utah Community Action empower individuals and families to succeed through self-reliance and education programs.