Tyler Florence kicks off the race at a cattle ranch outside of Los Angeles, where he welcomes the seven teams with their first challenge. The ranch's cowhands need something to wash down their breakfast, so each team must hand-squeeze a pitcher of orange juice in order to receive their seed money and keys to their truck. The trucks then head out to shop and prep for their first day selling on the busy streets of Los Angeles, but Tyler calls with another challenge: a beef auction where each team has to create an original dish with the cut they win. The team that sells the least is sent home, while the other six head to the next city.
The final four trucks arrive in New Orleans and meet Tyler at the Louisiana Superdome. The competitors run into shockingly unpredictable weather; one minute it’s clear, and the next it’s a major downpour. Putting even more pressure on the teams, Tyler calls them with the Truck Stop challenge: the teams must close down their trucks for the night and meet him near the Mississippi River at day break to prepare a classic catfish dish for a local legend, Chef Jacques Leonardi (Jaques-Imo and Crabby Jack’s). The winning team earns $500 and the opportunity to immediately open their truck for business, while the three losing teams endure filleting 700 pounds of catfish before returning to their trucks.
The final three teams head to the Coachella Valley in Southern California, where thousands of country music fans will soon arrive for a massive festival. Tyler Florence educates the teams on Medjool dates, which are grown in the area, and each team pits a pound of dates and sprints off in their truck. Then Tyler calls with another challenge: Each truck must create and sell an original date dish to be judged by date growers Albert Keck and Melinda Dougherty. Sales spike during the festival, and the race is neck and neck, but only two trucks move on to the finale.
Before the six remaining teams make it to Flagstaff, Ariz., Tyler Florence calls them up to let them know that their first challenge is underway: The team who sells the most in Flagstaff will get a one-hour head start to their next stop, Sedona, Ariz. In Sedona, the teams must make a dish incorporating the local delicacy, rattlesnake/rabbit sausage, and leave the comfort of their trucks to sell from Pink Jeeps.
From the world's most famous taffy to iconic Florida fare like fresh grouper straight from the Gulf, Tyler Florence explores can't-miss eats in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The six teams remaining enter the mountains of Pocatello, Idaho. For their Speed Bump challenge, they have to rework their dishes to get rid of all starches on their menus. On day two, they're given their Truck Stop challenge: they have to dig up the potatoes they need at a nearby farm, and they'll need a lot, as the potatoes must be the main ingredient in all menu items. After reaching their sales goal, they race to a vista high above the city, where the first three teams to arrive win a reward, and the team who sold the least over the weekend is eliminated.
The seven remaining teams head to Portland, Ore., where they're challenged to make the most with what they've got: In their first Speed Bump, they have to go the entire first day without restocking their supplies. On day two, they're given geoduck, which must be the main ingredient in all menu items. After selling $200 with their geoduck menus, they race to a local lumber mill, for a chance to win a reward, which might be enough to save them from this week's elimination.
The final two teams head back to Los Angeles, where Tyler Florence welcomes them to the historic Pueblo de Los Angeles, the epicenter of LA's Mexican heritage and culture. He introduces Bricia Lopez, co-owner of James Beard-award winning restaurant Guelaguetza, and they explain the Mexican ingredients and flavors the trucks will be using in their final challenge: chayote and habanero peppers. Both trucks pull out all the stops for the win, but only one team is awarded the $50,000 grand prize.
The remaining five trucks arrive in Tuscaloosa, Ala. to find Tyler Florence and pastry chef Jan Moon waiting for them with a challenge: to crack the most pecans in just 15 minutes. The teams must then use their pecans in a dessert dish to sell on their trucks, with the winner receiving valuable mentoring time with Jan and the team that makes the most profits winning $200. On the second day in Tuscaloosa, Tyler challenges the cooks to a happy hour: for one hour, the pecan dishes will be sold for $1 only, and the team with the overall lowest sales will be out of the competition.