Food Network chef and "The Great Food Truck Race" host Tyler Florence shares an umami-rich recipe for hummus in his 2024 cookbook, "American Grill: 125 Recipes for Mastering Live Fire."
Tom Pizzica checks out LA's White Rabbit food truck where they're serving up six pound burritos; Hickory Hollow restaurant in Houston where the chicken fried steak weighs 22 ounces and is served on a pizza platter; And it's a cupcake in Philadelphia, where the cupcakes are topped with everything from caviar to lox to lamb.
When the top three teams arrive in Tulsa, Tyler Florence takes away their phones and internet abilities: All of their research, outreach, marketing and navigation have to be done the old-fashioned way. He then challenges them to build roadside attractions to pull in customers. On their second day, the teams sell at one of the last drive-ins on Route 66. They race from car to car, knowing that each lost sale could be the one that sends them home.
Tyler Florence starts his day in Santa Barbara, CA, with an artisanal cup of coffee, followed by oven-fired pizza. Then he picks fresh tree-ripened avocados before a decadent dinner of rare olive wagyu beef and black truffles.
The remaining six teams arrive at the Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida to receive their next marching orders. For this challenge, the highest grossing teams from the first leg of the race get to pick teams to work with to feed 50 service members. The teams pair up and have one hour to cook before the hungry service members arrive. The teams with the favorite dish get $200 added to their final till. Next, they hit the streets of Pensacola to sell their dishes. But the teams get a chance at a life vest when Tyler offers immunity to the next round to the team that can make the most profits off a dish featuring the special of the day, a full fresh Red Snapper.
In Santa Fe, N.M., Tyler Florence challenges the five teams to use peppers to create the ultimate spicy Sante Fe meal. The hot challenge comes with a hot $1,000 prize. Then, the teams must put their planning skills to the test, as they only have one hour to shop for the entire weekend. Selling head-to-head at the farmers' market, some teams discover their best laid plans are their worst enemies.
The four remaining teams pan for gold to earn their seed money, and some teams gain a clear head start on shopping and selling. Meanwhile, extreme cold and winds continue to challenge everyone. Tyler Florence issues a challenge to the teams to use a quintessential Alaskan ingredient -- crab -- to create a special dish for their menu, and the team that sells the most will win an extra $500 in their till.