The Great Food Truck Race - General Discussion

[kirklandia]

Food Network may be as geographically unreliable as HGTV.  Beavertail Lighthouse where they met up and McQuade's Marketplace where they did their shopping are both in Jamestown.  The winter farmers market at Newport Vineyards (which closes at 1:00 - hmm...) and the highway where they parked their trucks on day two are both in Middletown.

At least they were in Newport long enough to pick up their lobster on Long Wharf and reveal the winner at Marble House.

[spiderpig]

At least the lump people didn't win.  Any idea of the itinerary for the next season?

[libgirl2]

On 12/8/2019 at 2:08 PM, Sew Sumi said:

Lumpia are delicious. Find yourself a Filipina grandma to make you some.

My mouth was watering every time I saw them. Lumpia are sooooo good. 

[biakbiak]

I wish the lumpia team would have won but I knew they weren’t when they showed so much of the mother saying how proud she is of her son. 
I think I will make lumpia this weekend.

Edited December 19, 2019 by biakbiak

[GaT]

Did Tyler say how much Big Stuff won by? I don't remember hearing it.

[biakbiak]

6 hours ago, GaT said:

Did Tyler say how much Big Stuff won by? I don't remember hearing it.

It sounded like he was about to but our recording cut off, I was curious as well:

[suebee12]

It was a $50,000 prize!

[xaxat]

6 hours ago, GaT said:

Did Tyler say how much Big Stuff won by? I don't remember hearing it.

No. He said that both teams had more than $4k in sales and the money from the challenges went $600 to Big Stuff, $300 Lumpia. So I'm guessing the difference was more than $300.

Not really engaged by this season. But it was miles better than LA.

The one guy from Big Stuff could not wait to shave his beard off! Based on his appearance in their talking head, it looks like he got rid of it as soon as they knew they had won.

[mlp]

I was out Wednesday night so I taped the show then, yesterday morning, my DVR died and I had to go to Xfinity and get a new one which meant I lost everything on the old one.    So I'm surprised to read that the lumpia truck lost because they seemed like the winners all along.  I've never liked the cash advantages which seem somehow unfair.  I'd rather see teams that win challenges get something that doesn't give them a huge cash lead like maybe extra money for shopping or something.

[Sew Sumi]

4 hours ago, xaxat said:

No. He said that both teams had more than $4k in sales and the money from the challenges went $600 to Big Stuff, $300 Lumpia. So I'm guessing the difference was more than $300.

Not really engaged by this season. But it was miles better than LA.

The one guy from Big Stuff could not wait to shave his beard off! Based on his appearance in their talking head, it looks like he got rid of it as soon as they knew they had won.

Tyler actually said it was one of the tightest total numbers in the history of the show. That said, other than saying both trucks earned over $4k the first day, he didn't give final tallies for either team.

Edited December 20, 2019 by Sew Sumi

[Yeah No]

I really didn't care who won so I'm fine with the guys winning, but boy did those lumpias look great in this episode!  Much better than "Big Stuff"'s offerings.  As is often the case with these cooking competitions, focusing on strategy and game-play often results in a win even if the food isn't as good as the opposition's, and I think that's why Big Stuff won.  It always bugs me but that's the nature of competition I guess.

I've been to Newport many times at all times of the year except Winter.  Every time I saw those poor contestants standing outside for their Tyler pep talk shivering I felt bad for them.  Couldn't they get them some parkas?  When they were having trouble finding a decent spot to sell anything I saw a Starbucks in the background - wouldn't that have been a better place to park?  Here in New England, Starbucks is always crowded, especially in the cold weather.  Of course there wasn't much action at some random Mexican restaurant in the middle of the day.  That was weird, unless Starbucks wouldn't allow them to sit in the parking lot.

A solid "eh" to this season overall, but at least I liked it better than the last one.

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

I've been to Newport many times at all times of the year except Winter.  Ever

If you ever get a chance between Thanksgiving and New Years Day The Breakers, The Elms, and the Marble House are all decorated for Christmas and open for tours and it’s lovely.

Edited December 22, 2019 by biakbiak

[Whimsy]

11 hours ago, biakbiak said:

If you ever get a chance between Thanksgiving and New Years Day The Breakers, The Elms, and the Marble House are all decorated for Christmas and open for tours and it’s lovely.

My daughters always wanted to do the tour during the winter/holiday season but we have yet to do it.

[Yeah No]

11 hours ago, eliot90000 said:

Of course, the bros won over the more interesting and creative food.  

It wasn't because they were "bros" that someone just handed them the win, it was because they themselves knew how to play the game to win better than the competition.  I'm usually the one to complain that women have a disadvantage in cooking competitions because they often get out-strategized by the men, but even if I hate that, the guys still won fair and square.

[xaxat]

I think Big Stuff won it on day one of the finale. In a head to head competition with a common customer base, they realized that opening first and serving fast was the key to victory. They managed to do both. Even Lumpia's chef admitted that they weren't serving food as fast. The second day it looked like there weren't nearly enough customers available for Lumpia make up the difference.

As for the challenges, the difference was Big Stuff by three hundred dollars. Typically, when the challenge money is the deciding factor, Tyler tells us. He didn't this final, which makes me think that Big Stuff won by more than their challenge amount. 

Edited December 23, 2019 by xaxat

[lh25]

On 12/8/2019 at 12:08 PM, Sew Sumi said:

Lumpia are delicious. Find yourself a Filipina grandma to make you some

We had some yesterday.  Made by a friend who is 1/2 Filipino.  Not a grandma, but he makes really good Lumpia!

I was glad Big Stuff won though, the fritters they made sounded yummy.

[Sew Sumi]

6 hours ago, xaxat said:

I think Big Stuff won it on day one of the finale. In a head to head competition with a common customer base, they realized that opening first and serving fast was the key to victory. They managed to do both. Even Lumpia's chef admitted that they weren't serving food as fast. The second day it looked like there weren't nearly enough customers available for Lumpia make up the difference.

As for the challenges, the difference was Big Stuff by three hundred dollars. Typically, when the challenge money is the deciding factor, Tyler tells us. He didn't this final, which makes me think that Big Stuff won by more than their challenge amount. 

Tyler said it was one of the closest results in the history of the show, so I took it to mean that the $300 was the difference. MMV, of course.

[Rachel RSL]

35 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

Tyler said it was one of the closest results in the history of the show, so I took it to mean that the $300 was the difference. MMV, of course.

That was my interpretation as well and, if I actually cared about this mini-season or any of the teams in it, I would be really annoyed that a challenge was, yet again, the deciding factor in who wins the season.

[seacliffsal]

I wish there weren't as many mini-challenges within the context of the overall competition.  The award amounts ($300) are often the difference between staying and going home.  And, to have $900 total in the finale just seemed like too much.  

I agree that the finale was won during the first day.  Not only did Big Stuff open earlier, they consistently had more people in their line buying their food (the competitor even went to their line to try to sell her food).  

I may prefer the trucks being next to each other (which also happened a lot in the previous season) because at least location isn't a factor in a win/loss.

Overall, I enjoyed this season.  I liked seeing New England in the snow, liked the holiday theme, and liked a lot of the dishes that were created.  

[Writing Wrongs]

People yelling for me to come try their food would make me immediately walk away.

[hookedontv]

I was OK with Big Stuff winning. I binged this the other night, so am just getting caught up on everyone's comments. The Magical Mystery Heroes (or whatever their name was?) - what was that all about. I couldn't tell what their food style was, and please, please please get rid of those capes and costumes. Just bad. The 3 people also just seemed pretty...how do I say this...simple.

The Creole Queens - I really did appreciate that they included vegan dishes!

Everyone seemed cold AF all the time though. I have lived in New England my whole life and am not a snow/cold person. I was freezing just watching all of them stand outside in the snow. 

I do like Tyler as a host. 

[mlp]

FN re-ran the finale I missed.  I taped it and finally had a chance to watch it.  After rooting for the lumpia team all along, I ended up wanting Big Stuff to win so I was happy that they did.  They seemed to have a much better grip on what it takes to run a business.  They also came across as nice guys which I didn't really see on previous episodes.  I'd be interested to know if the one guy decided to get into the food truck business.

[Yeah No]

On 12/23/2019 at 8:35 AM, xaxat said:

I think Big Stuff won it on day one of the finale. In a head to head competition with a common customer base, they realized that opening first and serving fast was the key to victory. They managed to do both. Even Lumpia's chef admitted that they weren't serving food as fast. The second day it looked like there weren't nearly enough customers available for Lumpia make up the difference.

Completely agreed.  There were good reasons Big Stuff outdid Lia's Lumpia on day one and that was enough to give them the edge.  But I also think the $300 may have put them over the top.  Still, in both cases they won fair and square.  And I'm fine with that.  I do agree, though, with the poster that didn't like so many additional little challenges that potentially give a team the edge, but I'm sure the show didn't throw that one in there to ensure Big Stuff the win.  Both teams had equal opportunity to earn that $300.

[MajorWoody]

I spent two years stationed in the Philippines. That being said, lumpia is like a national dish there, and it is basically a thinner version of an egg roll/ spring roll, usually accompanied by a dipping sauce. They are usually very tasty. Also, adobo is delicious Filipino style, and I make it regularly at home these days. Although what they served on the truck did not look like traditional Filipino chicken adobo. 

I also don’t like the huge difference the challenges make, especially in a short competition. It isn’t fair to a team that is consistently good, to lose a single challenge and have that send them home. 

Finally, all the teams had one member yammering on about how the $50k was life changing. It always seemed like the person saying that was planning on keeping the entire pot of money, not sharing it with the team, or even considering the tax bite. Realistically, you would end up with mid to upper 30’s after taxes, and split three ways maybe $12-$14k a person if shared equally. In other words, just basically a little more than a single episode of Chopped, but you have to commit to a month or more for the contest. They really need to up the prize money, perhaps $25k for each team member. 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2019 by MajorWoody

[xaxat]

7 hours ago, MajorWoody said:

I also don’t like the huge difference the challenges make, especially in a short competition.

I don't remember what the challenge amounts were early in the competition. But I don't think there was a huge difference in the final. Both trucks had over $4k in sales. Big Stuff had a three hundred dollar advantage due to the challenges. At their respective price points ($15/$20), that was a fifteen/ twenty customer difference.

[biakbiak]

Casting for two new seasons to film in the next few months. Tyler mentions in the comments that you can apply even if you already have a food truck. 

 

[Hellga]

I just caught up with the season.  Maybe because it was a short one, or because I had a nice long break from food shows, I enjoyed it more than I did the previous couple seasons.  The challenges were more about food  than last season's too - though I would prefer to not have things like $500 advantages for a challenge!   I was rooting for Lumpia originally but I liked the Big Stuff guys too, both teams knew what they were doing, they just bet on different strategies - and the win was deserved.

[NYGirl]

I finally got to watch this past week.  Since there were only 4 episodes I was able to watch in one morning.

My son and I were shocked that Big Stuff was so close to being eliminated and then won!  We were sure Lumpia was going to win.  They were consistently good all along.  Plus the lumpia's looked delicious!

I enjoyed the winter version.  The best part was NO DRAMA!!!  Just cooking and selling.  My son kept waiting for one of the trucks to drive into something with all that snow. 

I liked this version way more than the summer one.

[RealityCheck]

New Season Of The GREAT FOOD TRUCK RACE Premieres Thursday, March 26th at 9PM ET/PT
 

Quote

 

The Great Food Truck Race kicks off in Los Angeles, with stops in San Diego, Santa Barbara, Palm Springs and Las Vegas.

This season’s competing teams are:

  Team Bachelor Kitchen (Austin, Texas)
  Team Crystal’s Comfort Food (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
  Team Eat My Crust (Phoenix, Arizona)
  Team Fat Kid (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
  Team Lunch Ladies (Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts)
  Team Mystikka Masala (Dallas, Texas)
  Team Super Sope (Turlock, California)

 

 

[Sew Sumi]

They've bumped up the start date of the new season to tomorrow. At least it won't conflict with Top Chef!

[Christina]

When I first saw the teams on Instagram during filming, I thought that Indian Tex-Mex sounded awful. My opinion hasn't changed. I cannot figure out the taste of that combination. It's a straight turn off from the go. Knowing me, I'd be first in line to try it, though.

I was disgusted by the Bachelor Kitchen(?) truck and was happy to see Tyler ream them for it. No chance of me ever eating anything they cook in the future, should the chance arise. Did they not know they were filming and cameras were going to see that mess? They are the only team I really dislike so far, but it is only episode one. 

The team who made the least amount of money won the challenge and stayed in. I know that is how the game is played, but it still annoys me. Even if it was my favorite team in the competition, I would still not like it. It's as annoying as the introduction of a new ingredient over halfway through the challenge on the baking shows. 

[Stardancer Supreme]

I'm rooting for Crystal's Comfort Food and Team Fat Kid.  Their food looked so good!

I wanted Tyler to bounce Bachelor's Kitchen so bad. They are gross. Their food didn't look too appetizing either. They shouldn't last too much longer; to get lowest sales yet win the champagne challenge, they must have sold nothing but those champagne tacos.

Not too surprised about Eat My Crust leaving either. Healthy food on toast? Not a great concept! I wonder what their price points were.

[LittleIggy]

Hate the Bachelors, too. It was great when Tyler chewed them out about being pigs.

A local restaurant has a half and half (ground bacon/beef) slider and it is delish. Great combo. 
Loved the drag queen.

2 hours ago, Stardancer Supreme said:

I'm rooting for Crystal's Comfort Food and Team Fat Kid.  Their food looked so good!

I wanted Tyler to bounce Bachelor's Kitchen so bad. They are gross. Their food didn't look too appetizing either. They shouldn't last too much longer; to get lowest sales yet win the champagne challenge, they must have sold nothing but those champagne tacos.

That’s what they said they would do (and did).

[GaT]

Tyler really does not like Bachelor Kitchen, & I don't blame him. I hope they get eliminated soon.

2 hours ago, Stardancer Supreme said:

Not too surprised about Eat My Crust leaving either. Healthy food on toast? Not a great concept! I wonder what their price points were.

Until they got eliminated, I wasn't even sure what their name was. I couldn't figure out what the symbols on their shirts were, & even knowing the name, I still can't.

[mlp]

Like everyone else, I was very pleased when Tyler chewed out the bachelor slobs.  He was not happy to have to give them immunity.  That one with the stuffed pig and gold necklace is just obnoxious.  Having said that, the right team went home.  Nothing they made looked very good and the name of their truck was awkward.

I'm glad this show is back.  I always enjoy it and I like Tyler.

 

 

[spiderpig]

Like everybody else here, my main takeaway from this ep was how openly Tyler expressed his dislike for Bachelor Kitchen.  They were messy and crude and generally behaved like they were still in middle school.  (No offense to most middle-schoolers.)

I haven't really formed an opinion about any of the others yet.

Did they show price points for any of the menus?  If they did it was too quick for me to register.

[SevenCostanza]

5 hours ago, spiderpig said:

Did they show price points for any of the menus?  If they did it was too quick for me to register.

I don't remember seeing any prices and I was looking for them too.  I was wondering how much the crust team was charging for toast.  I didn't think they were going to last too long, there's only so much you can do with toast. 

Like everyone else I hated the Bachelor guys,  hopefully they'll be gone next.

[Sew Sumi]

15 hours ago, GaT said:

Tyler really does not like Bachelor Kitchen, & I don't blame him. I hope they get eliminated soon.

Until they got eliminated, I wasn't even sure what their name was. I couldn't figure out what the symbols on their shirts were, & even knowing the name, I still can't.

Peace Love Toast

Gah, those bachelor guys are gross. Their ringleader, Stefanos, I believe, is flat out slimy. I hope they go soon.

Edited March 20, 2020 by Sew Sumi

[GaT]

21 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

Peace Love Toast

 

The deserved to get eliminated just based on how stupid that is.

[biakbiak]

37 minutes ago, GaT said:

The deserved to get eliminated just based on how stupid that is.

And when they showed their first dish it looked like they hadn’t toasted the bread, Tyler even mentioned it wasn’t toasty; not even doing such a basic thing that is your entire concept is ridiculous.

 

[Maverick]

 The healthy team was a little late.   Toast (mostly avocado) being trendy came a went a few years ago.

 The Bachelor truck has to be a plant by FN.   There's no way they qualified to be on a cooking show, even one populated by amateurs.  The only thing I'm trying to figure out is if FN hates Alton Brown more by forcing him to do Worst Cooks or Tyler more by dropping these skeevy bozos in his show.    Having some greasy, shirtless buffoon wearing Mr. T gold chains is about as unappetizing as it gets.    And that's without seeing what a pig sty they made of the truck.   And let's not forget the stuffed animal he carried around like some douche bro kangaroo.  That thing was dangling on the counter and in the food when he leaned out the window.   Would you like dirty fuzz with your champagne? Supposedly the local food inspectors check these trucks but if so theirs should have been shut down in a hot minute.   

[Maya]

I’m confused by the Lunch Ladies concept. They’re lunch ladies...but they don’t make school lunch food! What do they make? Not lunch lady food, despite the giant sign on their truck!

[Yeah No]

On 3/21/2020 at 11:46 PM, Maya said:

I’m confused by the Lunch Ladies concept. They’re lunch ladies...but they don’t make school lunch food! What do they make? Not lunch lady food, despite the giant sign on their truck!

They're ladies who make lunch.  It's not any deeper than that, LOL.  I think it's supposed to be kind of a play on words, but it's a lame one.

I'm not watching this show this season.  Last season was enough for me plus FN has two new shows on right now that I like better - "Tournament of Champions" and "Vegas Chef Prizefight".

[xaxat]

Tyler was right to call out the bros on their messy truck, but I think he actually went to easy on them.

ONE OF THE BROS WAS STANDING IN THE TRUCK (HIS KITCHEN) WITHOUT A SHIRT!

Can't wait for those guys to go home.

[Chyromaniac]

Bachelor guy: My brother and I are Greek from a very young age...

Me: Isn’t that how that generally works???
 

I know he continued on- but for a moment that was a weird statement.  And yeah, they suck.  That beef sushi must have given Tyler some Worst Cooks flashbacks.  Everything about those guys is off putting.

I’m also not a huge fan of Team Fat Kid - there seems to be a trend of purposefully unhealthy food these days that rubs me the wrong way, and these guys feel like a part of it.  I mean, a deep-fried, bacon wrapped pork chop stuffed with cheese and bacon?  Seems like overkill.  I don’t know- it just smacks of the same kind of willful ignorance that has permeated practically every topic of discussion.  “Oh- I should watch my weight?  Well why don’t I just mainline bacon grease instead?”

The other trucks seem mostly fine- I enjoy sopes, so I’m kind of rooting for them.

[screengem]

Crystal’s Comfort Food mentioned their prices ever so briefly during day 1 selling.  I believe they were offering 4 menu items for 8 dollars each.

[BusyOctober]

This is the first season I’ve watched.  After seeing the obnoxious “personalities” in Ep 1, I can say this will be my last.  The Mystikka loudmouth and the Slob Bro’s were just so damn annoying.  Their food didn’t look great either.  I don’t get the toast people. At all.  I guess I’m not clear on Lunch Ladies either.  Maybe I am either too stupid or too uninterested in food trucks to watch this. Peace out.

[Christina]

On 3/21/2020 at 11:46 PM, Maya said:

I’m confused by the Lunch Ladies concept. They’re lunch ladies...but they don’t make school lunch food! What do they make? Not lunch lady food, despite the giant sign on their truck!

 

On 3/23/2020 at 9:31 PM, Yeah No said:

They're ladies who make lunch.  It's not any deeper than that, LOL.  I think it's supposed to be kind of a play on words, but it's a lame one.

They are lunch ladies at a school in Martha's Vineyard. I'm guessing a private school with a tuition that allows for real cooking in a smaller amount than places like our regular school system here in Podunk, Ohio.

[LittleIggy]

I’m nosy so I want to know why the guy had to leave.

Sorry that the Comfort Food team had to go.

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by LittleIggy

[biakbiak]

Tyler launched a food truck this week. Serving fried chicken and other items to SF and Marin.