By Mark Darrough - January 25, 2020
WILMINGTON — Celebrity television chef Tyler Florence challenged six local food trucks to a cooking competition as part of a fundraiser for the Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington (GLOW).
T’Geaux Boys owner Michelle Rock, more commonly known as ‘Momma Rock,’ was standing near the line of trucks parked outside the Country Club of Landfall early Friday morning before the contest. She didn’t hesitate when asked for her prediction.
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“It’s some stiff competition here,” Rock said. “I’m looking at that big man right back there, my money’s on him. That’s Keith Rhodes; he’s a culinary expert. He can throw it together.”
Sure enough, Rhodes — the owner of Catch restaurant who has earned his own local celebrity status as a James Beard finalist and contestant on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” — walked away with the victory a few hours later. Each truck was given 45 minutes to make whatever plates they wanted with two proteins revealed by Florence: local oysters, already shucked, and pork tenderloin.
“Whoever wins, it’s a great benefit,” Rhodes said in response. “The fact that we’re not really tied into doing one particular thing, we can do whatever we normally do — I’m expecting awesome food from everybody.”
Before the Food Truck Throw Down began, Florence spoke to the crowd about his time teaching GLOW students some culinary basics the previous day. GLOW is an all-girls public charter school focused on educating girls from low-income families.
“It’s one thing to learn reading, writing and arithmetic, and STEM, but it’s another thing to learn how to feed yourself for the rest of your life,” Florence said.
He discussed his childhood spent in a lower-middle class home in upstate South Carolina, and how washing dishes at a fancy restaurant opened his eyes to the culinary arts. Now, he’s host of “The Great American Food Truck Race,” one of Food Network’s most-watched programs (the show starts its thirteenth season in a few weeks).
When former Food Network President and GLOW founder Judy Girard asked him to come, he was quick to oblige.
“I think she got halfway through that before I said yes,” Florence said. “Because when Judy sends out the bat signal you don’t ask questions, you just go.”
Former Food Network President and GLOW founder Judy Girard asked the network’s star personalities Tyler Florence to help host the fundraiser. (Port City Daily photo/Mark Darrough)
He then turned his attention to the contest between “Wilmington’s finest food trucks.” With roughly 40,000 food trucks operating in the U.S., according to Florence, the popularity of his show gives a chance for startups to make the next step.
“Out of the twelve seasons we’ve been on the air, we’ve had nine winners go on to open brick-and-mortar restaurants that are successful,” he said.
The competing food trucks were T’Geaux Boys, WilmyWoodie, CheeseSmith, Catch the Food Truck, Goin’ Ham (the burger-centric truck from Poor Piggy’s BBQ), and Bill’s Front Porch.
View photos of the food contest and fundraiser here: