The Great Food Truck Race features seven gourmet food trucks competing for a $50,000 grand prize. The competition originates in San Diego and moves across the country, culminating on the hungry streets of New York City. The mission of this culinary road trip is to convince Americans to step outside their culinary comfort zones and try something new — from a truck. From out-of-the-box sandwiches, burgers, and crepes to unique takes on Vietnamese, French, and Cajun cuisines, the trucks compete in weekly challenges to see who can sell the most food and race to the next episode while the losing team drives home.

To even the playing field, the teams begin with empty trucks and an equal amount of seed money. They have three days to prepare, promote and sell their food by any means necessary. After a weekend of triumphs, teamwork, and tests of character, the totals are tallied and the trucks find out who continues the great race and who goes home. New twists and turns arise as the race continues through Santa Fe, N.M.; Ft. Worth, Texas; New Orleans; Jonesborough, Tenn., and concludes as the final two trucks race to the finish line with through the hungry streets of New York City’s five boroughs.

Among the food trucks competing is the Nom Nom Truck from Los Angeles.

Nom Nom Truck brings fusion and traditional Vietnamese sandwiches and tacos to the masses, using fun recipes and fresh ingredients. This all-female-owned mobile food truck serves Vietnamese-inspired dishes and sandwiches to the greater Los Angeles area. After meeting at UCLA, Misa Chien and Jennifer Green jumped at the idea to take Vietnamese cuisine mainstream, and David Kien, impressed by the truck’s concept, quickly joined as manager. Smart, savvy and dedicated, they know they will be tough to beat. The name “Nom Nom” comes from the sound emitted when a dish is “oh so tasty” and all anyone can say as they eat their food is “nom nom nom.” The Nom Nom team’s goal is to serve Vietnamese fare to the masses — and with The Great Food Truck Race they get their chance.

Let’s see if the Nom Nom Truck can win the competition like Aarti Sequeira won The Next Food Network Star Season 6. Tune in to the Food Network on Sundays at 9pm/8c and Wednesdays at 8pm/7c.

The Great Food Truck Race with Nom Nom Truck

Aarti Sequeira, the winner of The Next Food Network Star Season 6, has her new show Aarti Party premiering on Food Network today. On the show, she surprises viewers with unexpected flavors and techniques to expand their palates and culinary repertoire by imparting her knowledge of Indian cuisine and putting an approachable spin on all-American classics. Whether she’s sprucing up everyday pulled pork sandwiches and perfectly roasted chicken or taking classic bread pudding and basic red lentils to new heights, Aarti cleverly combines the familiar with the exotic to create mouthwatering meals. No matter the occasion, Aarti Party promises great food and endless fun for home cooks everywhere.

Aarti Party premieres Sunday, August 22, 2010 at Noon/11c.

Aarti Party Pilot episode clip for Indian Pizza

Aarti Party on Food Network promo

Here’s a recipe for roast chicken that will be on the show:

‘I Ain’t Chicken Chicken’
(Crispy Roasted Chicken Breasts with Orange and Cardamom)
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound small red new potatoes
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 sprigs fresh thyme, stripped
4 airline chicken breasts, on the bone, skin intact
¼ cup butter, softened but not melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
zest of 1 large orange
2 teaspoons grated ginger

Directions:
1) Turn oven to 500 degrees F. Grab two sheet trays and line one with a cooling rack and the other with parchment. In a large bowl, toss potatoes with a little olive oil, thyme and salt and pepper. Place on sheet tray lined with parchment.

2) In a small bowl, combine butter, ground cardamom, orange zest, ginger, salt and pepper. Stir together with a spoon until well mixed.

3) Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Poke a small opening in that clear membrane between the skin and the flesh of the chicken breast. Glide your index finger through the opening, loosening the skin from the flesh, without removing it completely. You’re creating a big pocket in which the butter will sit! Repeat with the other chicken breasts.

4) Place a spoonful of the butter mixture through the opening you made in the skin of the chicken breast. Once it’s in there, smooth out the butter by gliding your finger over the skin, until it’s evenly distributed. Repeat with the other breasts. Place chicken breasts on sheet tray lined with cooling rack. Wash your hands thoroughly.

5) If you wish, drizzle skin with a little oil, for extra crispy skin. Season with salt. Throw the whole shebang into the oven, and roast for about 30 minutes, turning pans once halfway through the cooking time and stirring the potatoes. Relax, sip a glass of wine and bask in the crackling sounds of butter and comforting smell of roasted chicken!

6) Chicken is ready when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, but not touching the bone, should register about 160°F when it’s cooked. Pull them out at this point, tent with foil and allow to rest about 5 minutes.

7) Serve with potatoes.