Food Network’s ‘The Great Food Truck Race’ Comes To Lake Charles, Louisiana
The Food Network came to Southwest Louisiana to film an episode of its popular reality show, 'The Great Food Truck Race,' featuring star chef and host Tyler Florence. This cooking competition, which started in 2010, comprised of six to nine teams to test their staying power in the challenging food truck industry.
Each team will be judged on its ability to produce great food, present menu items, be business savvy and sales savvy, and adapt to fast-paced cooking while on the road, managing the challenges of the fierce competitiveness of the food truck industry. Hundreds of people participated in the filming in Lake Charles and enjoyed all the delicious food.
Seven food truck teams pulled in at the boardwalk near Bor du Lac Park and got down to business. Fresh off the road from Galveston, TX, the teams worked to get their food truck creations out to hundreds of hungry Southwest Louisiana residents who came out to put their food to the ultimate test.
Southwest Louisiana is the food festival capital, and there are dozens of events every year devoted to or centered around food. So, undoubtedly, Lake Charles, LA, is an excellent place to film a food competition. The filming for Season 17, episodes 1 and 2, took place over two days on the boardwalk behind the Lake Charles Event Center on January 29th and 30th.
What's crazy is none of the participants had food trucks or experience with the food truck industry before the show! With ironclad trust in their culinary skills, the contestants set out for the food journey of a lifetime. The food truck contestants left standing in the completion and stopped in Lake Charles:
- Plates On Deck (Electric Soul Food) who used pasta extraordinaire from the Pasta Lab as their local supplier! The Pasta Lab is proud to be their supplier of the best, freshest pasta in the region!
- SoLA Po' Boys - Los Angelos, Cali
- Argentina's Empanadas - Witchita, KS
- Down To Get Tacos - Arizona
- Bao Bei - Minnesota
- Wally's Waffles - Chicago
The food truck contestants embarked on a cross-country road trip to Miami, Florida, competing for $50,000! It was everything but easy. Ultimately, the team that made the most money reigned supreme and clinched the cash prize.
Games on the Gulf: Pirates and Thieves episode 1 and Games on the Gulf: Tag Teams on Parade episode 2 premiered Sunday, July 14. If you missed them, you can see them on Food Network TV or stream them online at foodnetwook.com and other streaming platforms.
The seven trucks will be spread out along Bord du Lac Drive behind the Lake Charles Events Center, possibly extending into Veterans Memorial Park and downtown. The food truck teams will be selling their food on Monday, Jan. 29, from roughly 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Tuesday, Jan. 30, from roughly 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents are invited to visit the food trucks and be a part of the excitement.