The Great Food Truck Race, Season 3: Behind the Scenes of Episode 5
Get an inside look at the truckers' challenges and relive the most memorable moments from “Music City Madness," the fifth episode of Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race.
The final four food trucks think they're cruising straight into Nashville, but Tyler takes them beyond the city and into Pottsville, Tenn., where they meet on a farm owned by country musicians Joey and Rory Feek. Instead of sending the teams to sell, he immediately introduces the week's Truck Stop cooking challenge.
Country Challenge
With just $300 to shop and only 60 minutes to prepare, each team must create a Southern-style picnic-basket lunch for Joey and Rory, who will taste their dishes and decide the winner. On the line this week? A prize that Tyler says "will all but guarantee that you'll move on to the next city."
Farm-Fresh Fare
The teams head to Nick's Produce, a local farmers' market, to stock up for their challenge. Since Nick's offers only a few dairy items and a basic selection of meats and vegetables, some teams struggle to track down their ingredients of choice and are forced to rethink their menus.
Down-Home Dishes
Momma's Grizzly Grub decides to serve a colorful plate of Buffalo-fried chicken, glazed sweet potatoes and cranberry-laced coleslaw that garners mixed reviews from the judges. Rory appreciates "the salty and the tang and a little bit of kick and spice" in the chicken, although Joey explains that the coleslaw is too sweet for his taste.
Korea Meets Mexico in Tennessee
For their picnic feast, Seoul Sausage settles on a Korean-spiced empanada, country-style potato salad with Korean flair and a handmade pie. Though Rory says that the guys' food is "really, really good," Joey thinks that their nontraditional flavors may be too unusual for Tennessee locals.
Picnic Basket Win
Pop-A-Waffle's Southern-fried chicken, grilled vegetables and corn on the cob wow Joey and Rory so much so that the team is named this week's winner. "It fits well here in Tennessee," Joey says of the guys' menu. Their prize includes Joey's $1000 guitar and exclusive rights to sell to the 1500 fans attending Joey and Rory's concert.
Nashville State of Mind
The other three teams cruise into Nashville in the hopes of making a few sales before the end of the day. Momma's Grizzly Grub decides to sell outside an ice-cream shop downtown. "It's better than not having a spot and wondering where we're going," Angela tells Adriane.
Concert Crowds
Pop-A-Waffle takes full advantage of their Truck Stop win, returning to Joey and Rory's farm to sell to an ever-growing line of country music fans at the concert. "This is gonna be insane," Bobaloo exclaims. "We are so busy. Nonstop action on this truck."
Culinary Reinforcements
On day two of selling, Tyler announces that in an unprecedented Speed Bump, the lead cooks on each truck will be selling with two students from the International Culinary School at The Art Institutes, not their teammates, who will be forced to watch the action from afar.
Just Like Nonna's
Lisa from Nonna's Kitchenette enjoys her time with the culinary students. "I think this is great, actually. I love my teammates," she says, "but I have two chefs here right now and it's very peaceful." In no time, she and her new food truck partners are dishing out the team's signature meatball sliders, deep-fried rice balls and root beer floats to a line of hungry customers.
Sideline Support
Though Scott knows that his Pop-A-Waffle truck is in good hands with Anthony, he still feels uneasy about being away for an entire afternoon. "That truck is my baby," Scott explains, "and even though we've got a competent babysitter, I'm not exactly comfortable leaving it for the first time."
Waffles Win It
On elimination day, Pop-A-Waffle is confident that their Truck Stop win has given them what they need to move on to the next city. Sure enough, Tyler announces that the guys have made $3,173, which lands them firmly in first place.
Traffic Accident
Nonna's Kitchenette predicts that they will be eliminated, given a potentially costly incident in which they accidently hit a parked car with their truck. To their relief, Tyler announces that despite the $250 fine they're forced to pay, the team has made enough to avoid elimination.
Never Again
Seoul Sausage is one of the bottom-two teams for the first time. In the end, however, the guys bring in sales of just $2,297, their lowest earnings since week one of the race, but it is enough to keep them in the competition. "I promise this will never, ever happen again," Chris says after the episode. "I'm going to work harder. I'm going to put the best food out."
Goodbye to Grizzly Grub
Momma's Grizzly Grub turns in their keys to Tyler after keeping up in the race for five long weeks. Looking ahead, Angela says that this experience has inspired her to continue pursuing her passion for cooking. "Ending the race is not the end of my dreams," she reflects. "It's really just the start, and it's given me the foundation to go forward and be successful."
