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'Great Food Truck Race': Grill 'Em All takes it all
The Grill 'Em All Truck brought the metal and the mettle to the finale of "The Great Food Truck" race on Sunday night (Sept. 19).The three guys -- Matt, Ryan and Joel -- went head-to-head with the Nom Nom Truck in New York City and were tasked with selling $500 worth of food in four boroughs -- the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island -- before moving on to sell $1,000 in Manhattan. Once done with all five boroughs, they had to race to the top of the Flat Iron Building where Tyler Florence would give them a check for $50,000.
Outside Yankees stadium, Nom Nom encountered a tough crowd who had already eaten during the game, which effectively put them at least one borough (and even a day) Grill 'Em All who also attemped to target the Yankees crowed but also had the wisdom to park by a bar full of hungry, liquored up patrons.
It didn't look like Nom Nom had a chance until the Truck Stop challenge, when Florence told them the twist: Each team had to produce their rival's food, and Chef Nate Appleman would determine the winner, who'd receive $500. Although Grill 'Em All's traditional banh mi was deemed aiight, Appleman voted in favor of Nom Nom's Asian-inspired burger, which Jenn created using sake-soaked caramelized onions and sriracha-infused mayo. This win effectively gave them a fast-forward pass too Manhattan, bypassing the dreaded Staten Island. (Even Florence took a few bites and gave the burger a thumbs up.)
Both trucks received heavy foot traffic in Manhattan, but in the end, Grill 'Em All beat Nom Nom to the top of the Flat Iron ... and to the $50 K.
Although Zap2it admits to gunning for Nom Nom (as were the majority of Zap2it readers who voted in our poll), we're not going to begrudge Grill 'Em All a hard-fought final leg. Besides, their Behemoth burger and double dipped frites sound delicious.The Zap2it readers haven't been very nice to each other though. Your comments have ranged from disappointment, outrage, condescension and just plain hate.
Wow, readers, perhaps you should take a page from the two two trucks. Both hailing from Los Angeles, they haven't carried their rivalry past the show. In fact, they've teamed up for Burgers and Banh Mi night and even celebrated the finale together in Hollywood.
A sampling of their tweets from Sunday:Grill 'Em All: "Thanks to everyone that watched the race! We still can't believe we won! We love ALL the trucks & people involved! Looking at U @nomnomtruck"
Nom Nom: "Thank you so much everyone for sending us so many good vibes. We <3 you all! Banh mi to yo face! Congrats @grillemalltruck!"
Aww, can't you taste the love? We're going to hunt down a truck today.
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Photo credits: Nom Nom
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I love it that there's no bad blood between Nom Nom and Grill 'Em All. So happy Grill 'Em All won. I'm sure both trucks have delicious food.
They didn't deserve to win. Never eating a burger again because of them. They look so dirty and scrubby.. why would anyone want to buy from them? And they're stuff cost 15$ a burger, which gave them the advantage.. Every other challenge was about the MOST amount of money, this time it was about who got to the 500$ the quickest, which gave THEM the advantage.
Spencer gave Grill em All their restaurant hook up which saved them valuable shopping time. Together with their $15 burger, and Nom Nom unable to use their normal partnering strategy, it gave G-em-A just enough advantage in the relay final.
Thanks for nothing. You don't cover this show except for the finale and then spoil it by putting the winner in the heading. The rule of thumb should be that a winner is NEVER listed until after the jump.
I was getting so sick of Nom Nom winning everything - FINALLY a little excitement for the finish.
At the end of the day, it's Nom Nom who is the real winner because they'll be the ones courted by advertisers and marketers. Congrats ladies.
They didn't deserve to win. Never eating a burger again because of them. They look so dirty and scrubby.. why would anyone want to buy from them? And they're stuff cost 15$ a burger, which gave them the advantage.. Every other challenge was about the MOST amount of money, this time it was about who got to the 500$ the quickest, which gave THEM the advantage.
dd | September 20, 2010 1:24 PM
Give it a rest! These trucks put their hearts and soul into their food. How dare you put them down just because they look "scrubby". Have you ever actually walked into a kitchen in any American restaurant? Half the cooks in their have facial hair and tattoos. It is a part of the American chef culture. You're an absolute moron and ignorant fool if you are going to judge them by their appearance.
This is a competition. Of course the trucks are going to jack up their prices and keep their food costs down. Did you catch the part where another truck let people name their price and ended up paying $20 for a sandwich? Or the fact that Spencer was getting frog legs and other high end products for $45?!?
Just because you're unhappy with the outcome doesn't make it ok to bash the truck who won. Grow up.
I'm curious and something to think about. What are your thoughts on this people?
When Grill'Em guys packed up and set for the tower, they drove off and didn't see the Nom Nom truck. Some are saying NomNom took a wrong 1way street route and cost them time to turn around. Leaving the boys with the win. Interesting....
NOM NOM!!! they should have one because their name is awesome and they are better at marketing and selling.
I think it's a bit ridiculous that the the determination of the winner fell not on who made the best food or who sold the most food, but on who sold a minimal amount and on who won a driving race through Manhattan. Somehow that's not all that relevant to the show. It wasn't timing or the ability to make a little money then leave that determined who had the best sales, it was a realm of other factors that Grill "Em All never understood. So now we have yet another reality show that ends with the victory of lame-brained mediocrity. Why is it that people who barely skate by all the way to the finale, win so often at the end of these types of shows?