If you're a fan of "The Amazing Race," but wish it had more food on it, tune in to "The Great Food Truck Race," (The Food Network, 10 tonight).
OK, we talking people in trucks, so you won't get to see exotic locales; instead the vistas are of the good old USA. There is, however, an international flair to some of the food.
The premise is this: seven food trucks, serving varied cuisines, must head to undisclosed locations, figure out the best places to park, and sell their food. The truck that makes the least amount of money each week gets eliminated. The teams can't use social media to spread the word (as most food trucks do), but they can use their cell phones to work connections. The winner gets $50,000. Chef Tyler Florence hosts.
Food trucks are a hot trend in gastronomy land (we even have them here!); they aren't the roach wagons of the past. Los Angeles is the leader in the trucks and so of the seven teams, four are from the L.A. area, two others are from other parts of California, and the last truck is from Austin. Despite that, the tastes range from Vietnamese sandwiches and tacos, to wings and banana pudding.
The concept is straightforward, yet there's plenty of opportunity for drama, whether it's between harried team members, or because of trouble with supplies or the truck (one team runs out of propane in the first episode) or due to figuring out how to get folks to try unfamiliar food served from a truck. The players must use marketing skills, street smarts and culinary skills all at once.
It's a fun show. I like the mix of travel and business; it's like a cool short course in restaurant management. (I guess that makes it a little like "The Apprentice," too.)
I've already picked my winner, but I look forward to seeing what adventures the road brings these teams.
Assistant Features Editor Adrienne Johnson Martin would like to have her life turned into an animated cartoon. 
