S05.E01: Venice Beach Brawl

[radishcake]

Host Tyler Florence welcomes eight new teams of aspiring food truck owners to Santa Barbara, Calif., where they must first define their brands and create a signature dish for an afternoon of sales. Then, Tyler sends them to Venice, Calif., where the owners of L.A.'s top food truck will taste each team's signature dish. The seven surviving teams realize they're in the ride for their lives as they continue to battle it out for the grand prize of $50,000 and their very own food truck!

 

[leighdear]

Nobody annoying me right off the bat, so that's good! 

 

A group of chubby, bearded, hipster guys obsessed with bacon: are they breeding them in a secret lair somewhere? Also, another Fish Taco truck.  Both are just a little too cliché at this point and completely expected. 

 

I've got a soft spot for the Military Moms, I hope they do well. They're going to make me cry a lot.   Also liking the Graduates. Adult-focused "Hot Pockets" are my sweet spot. Though their neon green truck is REALLY bright!

 

I hope they dial back a little on the speed bumps and don't screw with people too much.  With their inexperience, they screw themselves enough. Yes, Chatty Chicken, you learned the hard way.  Nice people, but they just didn't know enough.

 

Tyler looked really hot in those aviator shades.

Edited August 18, 2014 by leighdear

[Fostersmom]

See, I'm an evil bitch. When Chatty Chicken didn't buy enough oil the first time, I said, no wonder your stand closed. And when the whole debacle with the cash box happened, I said, you are morons, you deserve to fail. It didn't seem the father or either of the kids had any business sense or drive. I was also convinced they were going to give someone food poisoning with their pan fried chicken. 

 

I should like the bacon truck guys since they are the hometown team, but yeah, not feeling them so far. The military moms are gonna work my last nerve as will the grads. I was shocked when the middle east guy was whining the store didn't have hummus. Uh, make it, it's not that hard. I liked the Texas team, the homemade Mexican team, and even the surfer team whom I expected to not like. 

[GaT]

Nobody is really impressing me with their food, & it's not surprise the chicken people got eliminated. First you leave your cash box, & then you leave the key to your cash box? Pure stupidity.

 

Next week's previews look stupid.

Edited August 18, 2014 by GaT

[biakbiak]

Uh, make it, it's not that hard.

He said he was going to make their own hummus but than said they didn't have tahini or cumin, "so we don't have hummus," I believe he is was planning on making hummus but because English isn't his first language it was oddly phrased. No COSTCO in the world doesn't have hummus.

Edited August 18, 2014 by biakbiak

[Monty]

I thought this was a very promising start. No really intrusive interruptions, and everybody got to cook what they're supposed to be good at. I remember the season that Seoul Sausage won, they couldn't even cook sausages for the first few weeks. I'd much rather see people trying to compete at what they're good at than have Tyler constantly calling an end to the day early and making everybody cook only one ingredient.

 

It looks like Tyler's going to be doing some mentoring this season, which is also a welcome change. The guy can cook, so let him do something besides read out numbers.

[cooksdelight]

The Chattanooga ABC news affiliate did a big story on the chicken people so I knew they were doomed. I figured if they had done well, they'd wait until a little further along in the season to spend that much time on them. Not the brightest bulbs on the tree, that's for sure.

I know I shouldn't but I like the Texas gang, yee-haws and all. Anybody that makes BBQ and does their own rubs and sauces has one leg up already.

On the flipside, how long do we have to listen to the cancer survivor? Bless him for making it, but once is enough to hear him talking about it. I thought I'd slipped into the Chopped twilight zone for a minute there.

The Venice beach girl who bought a food truck that the city wouldn't approve... did she not think to check with them first, do her research on what types of vehicles are allowed? Or look at what others were using? Then they don't come in first in their hometown, LOL.

The Maine Lobster guys were part of Shark Tank last year, I think Barbara Cochran was their investor. I believe they were struggling until she came along.

[leighdear]

@cooksdelight,  The other sharks are STILL kicking themselves over missing out on Cousins Lobster!  Barb scored big with those guys.  Also already annoyed with Cancer guy.  But you know we'll be hit over the head every episode with his backstory.

 

@Monty, I had major problems with the Seoul guys last year and their inability to do anything sausage related. 

[WickedTuna]

I was really surprised at the totals of the bottom few. I didnt realize the lack of customers was that bad.

I was having flashbacks to Lenny fron FNS when I saw the chuckwagon folks -shudders-

I'm wondering what's gourmet about american cheese slices.

I really liked Madres. I was touched by the father and son.

I was annoyed by the military moms. I think the military angle is just a way to bring in customers. They should absolutely be proud but it doesnt have to do with cooking.

[cooksdelight]

I can see how Military Moms focused on that as their "hook" since they are cooking for their families and want to pass along that type of food to the public. They didn't bother me so much. Yet. If it's a sob story every week, I'll FF. My sister's son is in the Marines and we're all so proud of him. But I don't see her ever using that as a way to get a job.

If the Madras truck got that extra $500, I expected them to win. Texas gang and the Venice truck came in ahead of them so they must have been selling the hell out of BBQ and fish tacos.

[Totale]

Madres was heart warming and made everybody tear up and their food sounded great.  They also got $500 extra and brought their whole extended family along (so they must have been nearly as home town as the beach bunnies) and came in third.  What's up with that?

 

I hope I heard right that somebody (Texas?) said their dish was $5.  That's how it should be done, and if it was Texas that's how they ended up in first place with no extra in the till.  The lobster guys can snerk about how they needed more steak in their quesadilla, but I'll bet that you can't walk away from their truck without spending $25 or more.  For that much dough I'll sit down, thanks.  A good lobster roll here costs $15-20 and we don't have to fly the lobsters across the country.  Drop one of their trucks and the Texas truck somewhere where money is tighter and I know who I'd bet on to win.

 

We buy our hummus at Costco in big tubs.  Adapt, kids.

[walnutqueen]

He said he was going to make their own hummus but than said they didn't have tahini or cumin, "so we don't have hummus," I believe he is was planning on making hummus but because English isn't his first language it was oddly phrased. No COSTCO in the world doesn't have hummus.

 

The guy who taught me how to make hummus forgot to mention tahini and cumin!  I make it with peanut butter, lemon juice, garlic & garbanzos (served hot with melted butter, pita bread and sweet Maui onion wedges for dippin' - YUM).  :-)

 

I skipped over all the introductory sob stories this year - they never seem to touch my heart  or make me think a team is more "deserving" because they've had such a hard life.

[Dagny]

Madres was heart warming and made everybody tear up and their food sounded great.  They also got $500 extra and brought their whole extended family along (so they must have been nearly as home town as the beach bunnies) and came in third.  What's up with that?

 

You think with the amount of air time they got, they were going to get the kiss off.

 

When the Beach Lady mentioned how perfect things were starting off, I thought that they would have issues too.

 

I think I'm over analyzing how the monkeys are cutting the show.

[leighdear]

The Madre's son kinda irked me.  What's with dragging out that his father didn't want him to work in food?  Am I supposed to feel sorry for him or inspired by him? We see that in a lot of these shows, adults desperate to "prove" to a parent that they should be "allowed" to cook.  WTF?  It's not like he wanted to club baby Harp seals....

[Fostersmom]

When I was a freshman in college (1995-1996), I did a short stint working in the dining hall. I lucked into the least gross shifts ever, doing salad bar prep for an older woman who made other students cry on the regular (apparently it was really, really hard to follow this woman's directions exactly, other kids went out of their way to do it "their" way and not hers and she would go on a rampage). I can't remember all the ingredients, but I know the hummus I had to make from a giant ass can of gabanzo beans didn't involve tahini or cumin. Authentic, hell no, but perfectly passable. 

 

When I saw the part about the illegal food truck, all I could think about was a guy I went to high school with. He went to culinary school, worked for Wolfgang Puck, and came back home to Cleveland and started a very trendy and raved about restaurant. He decided he wanted to do the food truck thing. Yeah, Cleveland really had zero food trucks at the time. He went out and bought one, and started driving it around. He quickly got shut down. People were calling the city left and right sure that this thing was going to literally blow up and demanding it be moved/the propane be turned off. He had a hell of a fight to get it all legit and now there's other food trucks in Cleveland. Maybe illegal food truck lady did the same thing. Thought just because she wanted one, no one would say anything. 

[mlp]

I was annoyed by the military moms. I think the military angle is just a way to bring in customers. They should absolutely be proud but it doesnt have to do with cooking.

 

 

I agree. My son is an ex-Marine (not that there is really any such thing as an EX Marine LOL).  I'm very proud of him but he's not a disabled war vet so he doesn't qualify for pity or tears.  All that hugging and carrying on with a total stranger because she had a kid in the service was ridiculous.

 

I have to see more of some of these people to know how I feel about them.  Right now, the bacon guys don't appeal to me because they looked hairy and sweaty, not things I want to associate with food.  The Middle Feast guy also looked unshaven and unclean.  And cachectic.  Not a good advertisement for a food truck.

[jackjill89]

My favorite part of the show is Tyler and his ledger. I like to think of him going from truck to truck, counting the money, using his little calculator and then recording the totals in his ledger with a mechanical pencil. Cracks me up every week. 

[cooksdelight]

Tyler cracks me up the way he juts his head forward for emphasis when he talks. Almost like a rooster. I thought about a drinking game with that, but I'd pass out.

[biakbiak]

We buy our hummus at Costco in big tubs. Adapt, kids.

They did Adapt and came up with a new dish, the hummus was going to be one of their dishes, I am glad they decided to switch out the dish when they couldn't make it from scratch rather than sell some premade stuff from Costco.

[bobbyjoe]

I was having flashbacks to Lenny fron FNS when I saw the chuckwagon folks -shudders-

 

Quick, before it's too late, somebody pass a law that Food Network can't give us anybody else using the term "chuckwagon" for at least seven years.  Please, for the love of God, stop Food Network before they ain't-I-folksy "aw shucks" Texas-two-step us all into oblivion.

Edited August 18, 2014 by bobbyjoe

[Calamity Jane]

The right team definitely went home.  Part of me wants to feel bad for them, part of me is just glad they're out of their misery.  

[Spooneroonie]

Right now, the bacon guys don't appeal to me because they looked hairy and sweaty, not things I want to associate with food.

 

Me either, and I really, really wanted to like these guys. I love me some bacon, and these guys are Buckeyes, to boot. But they only made $300-ish? Usually, you throw bacon on something and folks are falling all over themselves to try it. Something was way off, there.

 

Next week's previews look stupid.

 

 

Yeah, they do. It reminded me of the talent show at grade-school summer camp.

[Fostersmom]

Me either, and I really, really wanted to like these guys. I love me some bacon, and these guys are Buckeyes, to boot. But they only made $300-ish? Usually, you throw bacon on something and folks are falling all over themselves to try it. Something was way off, there.

 

 

I think the problem was the location. They were at Venice Beach. I know nothing about Venice Beach and have never been to California, but even I know that something fresh and healthy or with seafood would be a much better decision than a bacon burger or whatever it was they made. Yeah, bacon covered anything will sell here in Cleveland, but you have to cook for your audience. 

[cooksdelight]

Usually, you throw bacon on something and folks are falling all over themselves to try it. Something was way off, there.

They should have made a healthy fresh salad with bacon accents or bacon dressing. You're not going to sell bacon at Venice unless you're parked over near Muscle Beach.

[MortysCleaningLady]

Did the Chatty Chicken folks just want a vacation courtesy of the Food Network?  I thought the handful of dishes they put out looked great, for the record.  How much time did they lose between pan frying the first day, forgetting the cash box on the first grocery store run on day 2 and forgetting the keys to the lockbox on the second grocery store run? 

 

I was very pleased that a blind taste test was part of the contest this week.  The past couple of years have focused less on the quality and quantity of the food and more on the marketing and final cash count.

[cooksdelight]

Here's the news story about Chatty Chicken. What's so odd is they say they love Food Network, yet found out about the race on Craig's List? That makes no sense.

http://www.newschannel9.com/news/top-stories/stories/chatty-chicken-truck-competes-food-network-12194.shtml

[mlp]

 

http://www.newschann...ork-12194.shtml

 

The daughter is an "estetician."  What in the heck does that mean?  She's a hairdresser?  She sells Mary Kay?  She demonstrates make-up at Macy's?  She does paint-by-numbers on the side? 

[Fostersmom]

I think that's facials and brow waxing. The whole family was just not cut out for this though, especially the father. 

[Lola16]

Chatty Chicken were a family of lack luster slackers.  They really shouldn't be running anything. 

 

All the beared hairy people were a turn-off.  I like my food hair free please.

 

While it was nice that the fish taco truck hooked up bacon with a slot at Venice Beach, not sure how much of a favor it was considering the food choice.

 

The military mom's food sounded gross.  Wasn't impressed with the college grad's either.  Didn't see anything yet that I'd flip for, hopefully it improves.

[cooksdelight]

While it was nice that the fish taco truck hooked up bacon with a slot at Venice Beach, not sure how much of a favor it was considering the food choice.

Might have been strategic on the fish taco's part. If they get someone beside them who is selling something they know the locals won't go for, then everyone will flock to them. Bacon guys were next to last in the money,, so if it was strategy, it worked.

[GaT]

How is it possible that the bacon truck didn't do well? In what universe does bacon not sell? It's bacon! Delicious, salty, fatty, smoky bacon! Mmmmmm, bacon.

[Totale]

How is it possible that the bacon truck didn't do well? In what universe does bacon not sell? It's bacon! Delicious, salty, fatty, smoky bacon! Mmmmmm, bacon.

 

Welcome to 2002!  It's played out, already...  :)

[cooksdelight]

And from the times I've been to Venice Beach, that's not a hot commodity there. Fresh foods, salads, healthy options are what you will find an abundance of.

[GaT]

Welcome to 2002!  It's played out, already...  :)

Bacon will never go out of style.

[fliptopbox]

I couldn't even get through the entire episode. Too much constant freaking out about every little thing. Suck it up people! Adapt! I'm sick of watching competitive shows where the contestants can't seem to handle any level of actual competition.

 

The Chatty Chicken truck didn't have a chance, I'm glad to read they got canned first. They seemed exceptionally clueless.

[backformore]

The daughter is an "estetician."  What in the heck does that mean?  She's a hairdresser?  She sells Mary Kay?  She demonstrates make-up at Macy's?  She does paint-by-numbers on the side? 

it's actually esthetician, or, Aesthetician -  I looked this up when I came across an article saying I should tip whoever this person was.  Found out - it's a skin care specialist.   generally - the person who waxes your eyebrows, mustache, and/or bikini area.   (So I realized I didn't have to tip anyone) 

 

Back on-topic -   I missed episode 1 , but I'm glad this show is back!

[In Pog Form]

Bacon will never go out of style.

But just saying "bacon" like it's some kind of magic spell has long gone out of style. People know what bacon is, and can get it anywhere. The religious overtones to "let there be bacon" is almost as galling as the military moms and the Texas douchebags. Almost.

[walnutqueen]

And yet, I must be reminded that it is BACON DAY IN THE USA.   ;-)