A Twitter joke that made the rounds recently said that “selling coffee from a trailer is starting a new podcast,” when it does the trailers a disservice.
As any food show fan will know, food trucks aren’t the dreamy pastime you take as a hobby. They’re sophisticated, competitive, and of course, some of the most exciting foodie spots you can find. And if you fancy some low stakes drama (for you), we have the show for you.
The Battle of the Food Trucks is a new cooking show for RTÉ players that follows as six food truck chefs from across Ireland compete against each other to become Ireland’s best food truck, battling through various challenges and themes.
Selling coffee from a trailer is starting a new podcast
– Pete Farrell 🇧🇹 (@ PeteFarrell14) February 28, 2021
Written by James Patrice and with Eric Matthews, chef at Michelin-starred Chapter One and cookbook author Gina Daly of The Daly Dish as an expert jury, it will make your stomach growl and your heart beat faster.
“It’s a completely different cooking show, that’s for sure,” says Patrice of RTÉ Lifestyle. “They are judged not only on the amazing food they produce and how it tastes, but also how they present the food, how the food presents their food truck and showcase their brand because it is at the end of the day Business.
“Even if there are different food trucks, they all have the same challenge with the food, adapting to a challenge every week.”
Judge Eric Matthews and The Daly Dish
Even for a viewer, the workload is immense. “It’s pretty nerve-wracking. I have to say,” laughs Patrice. “It’s busy. You are under pressure and have a lot to do. And that before you approach the judges. So I don’t envy the cooks, I don’t envy the judges. I’m very happy in my position as host, walking around, flapping around and asking the questions the audience would like to know! “
Just because they’re food trucks doesn’t mean they’re just sandwiches and pastries. Like many food trucks across the country, these six participants will tackle everything from the simplest snack to complete and complex meals, all served with flair.
“It could be a really familiar meal that you’re comfortable with, or a pretty popular food truck dish that upgrades it, spices it up, and makes it your own,” says Patrice.
“And then there were a couple of recipes I hadn’t even heard of. I heard someone say pull oats that I didn’t even know you could. I can hardly pull a man, let alone an oat! “
For many of us, food trucks and coffee vans became our social hubs during the lockdown, as more and more people eat outside and on the go and get coffee and snacks on their long walks. He also had a few points of contact for Patrice in his Malahide neighborhood.
“I love puck burgers in Malahide, then there is Griolladh – ham and cheese sandwiches basically, but they have a special touch!”
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Once the reserve of busy US cities and London boroughs, food trucks have grown in popularity in Ireland, especially since the Covid-19 outbreak. “I don’t think we’d have a food truck battle without the pandemic,” says Patrice, adding that their popularity is only “fueled by eating outdoors.”
“They’re a real hangout for people. And they’re great for making friends safely and getting your nice and easy-to-eat dish to eat on the go.”
“I think it is high time we learned to put on our coats in Ireland, take the cold and sit outside and enjoy a good meal,” he added. “While we’re all waiting for vaccines and still waiting to feel safer, eating in the food truck is ideal for that.
“And I think they’ll keep going even if things go back to normal because I think people are going to find it very attractive and it’s something else.
The chefs involved in the show also have their own journeys, some come from the cooking profession and have years of restaurant experience with them, while others have turned their passion into reality by investing in the food truck. “They all have reasons to be where they are,” added Patrice.
Finding a good food truck is an ideal pastime for foodies, and Patrice is no different. Sometimes it’s a recommendation from a friend or a tag on Instagram. “Maybe it’s just about the look of the truck. They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but sometimes you judge a truck by its cover, ”he says.
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“You can’t beat a nice glamor food truck either, you know what I’m talking about? Maybe some nice lighting, a few flowers here and there and all these quirks and peculiarities. “
Branding is an important part of the food truck world as most of the advertising is done through word of mouth or social media. This plays a role in the show, as chefs are tasked with creating dishes that attract customers online.
“It’s about being smart and being effective in how you market yourself,” says Patrice. “So it’s about what a dish looks like, how it’s photographed and sometimes translated into social media. If it’s a video or a role, you only have three seconds to captivate the user’s imagination and get them to your truck. “
So if everyone and their mom are thinking about starting a food truck, then maybe we have too many options? Never, says Patrice. “I think the more food trucks, the better,” he says.
“We have a lot of beautiful, lush green spaces in Ireland, let’s fill them up!”
From Thursday June 22nd, watch the battle of the food trucks every week on RTÉ Player.
