The Great Food Truck Race Hits The Road With Fresh Cast Of Food Truck Hopefuls And Landmark-filled, Longest Route In Series History

NEW YORK, July 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Great Food Truck Race kicks off season four with a brand-new cast of food truck hopefuls, who hit the road for the longest route in series history (4,181 miles) and exciting culinary challenges that celebrate the country's national landmarks from the Hollywood sign to South Dakota's Crazy Horse Memorial to Chicago's iconic Buckingham Fountain to the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C. These competitors are not current food truck operators – they are eight teams of talented cooks with unique concepts and a dream to one day operate their own food truck business. Each three-person team is provided a vehicle for the race, but only the grand-prize winner gets to keep their food truck and a $50,000 cash prize to start their business.  Hosted by Tyler Florence, the seven-episode series premieres on Sunday, August 18^th at 9pm ET/PT on Food Network.

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"We love the world of food trucks because they've opened up a low cost entryway for aspiring culinary talent to succeed without a traditional restaurant," said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Food Network. "Our competitors have to demonstrate top-notch cooking abilities and an entrepreneur's creativity and business skills.  It all makes for a food-filled road trip that delivers a life-changing grand prize to the winner."

The season's teams are: Aloha Plate (Los Angeles, Maui and Oahu, Hawaii), Boardwalk Breakfast Empire (Sea Bright, N.J.), Bowled and Beautiful (Los Angeles), Frankfootas (New York), Murphy's Spud Truck (Los Angeles), Philly's Finest Sambonis (Philadelphia), The Slide Show (Los Angeles) and Tikka Tikka Taco (St. Louis).

In the season premiere, host Tyler Florence greets the eight teams in Los Angeles under the iconic Hollywood sign, and each team sees their custom-made truck for the first time. For their first challenge, he sends them to posh Beverly Hills for a contest in upscale sales:  each team can only sell one signature dish on their menu – but that dish must be sold for at least $20 each. Tyler and the teams then head 380 miles north to San Francisco, where the trucks must pick a different signature dish to sell exclusively.  The team that earns the least amount with their two signature dishes is sent home. The route then sends the trucks to Portland, Pocatello, Idaho; Rapid City, S.D.; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Chicago, featuring guest stars Mayor Rahm Emanuel and legendary football coach Mike Ditka; and Washington D.C., where the life-changing grand prize is awarded in the season finale.

For even more Food Trucks, viewers can visit FoodNetwork.com/FoodTrucks for photo galleries, blogs and video clips.

The Great Food Truck Race is produced by Relativity Television.

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SOURCE Food Network