Some dishes are time-tested hits that will never go out of style. Take a trip down memory lane as some of the best chefs and eaters on the scene toast the classics. Warm up with Brooke Williamson's favorite French onion soup in Los Angeles, and in New York City, dive into a bowl of ramen with Jet Tila and join Antonia Lofaso to raise a celebratory glass to the best spicy chicken sandwich the Big Apple has to offer.
Size does matter on these colossal portions that are sure to break the plate. Geoffrey Zakarian visits the heart of New York City for chocolate bread pudding too gigantic to comprehend. Simon Majumdar conquers a behemoth burger in sunny Southern California while Beau MacMillan visits Charleston, S.C., for a life-changing fried chicken platter.
Eddie Jackson saves on silverware when he enjoys a handheld version of his favorite meals. From breakfast on a stick to a dessert pizza, Eddie walks through an entire day of full meals reimagined as handheld fare.
The remaining five trucks head further east as they arrive in Forth Worth, Texas. The teams hit the streets in a whole new city and have to start over from scratch. Where will they set up? Will they change their menu? How do they get the word out. Things are running relatively smoothly until they are all give a giant side of beef that they have to carve and incorporate into their trucks. This elimination is the most intense yet.
Chef Michael Symon starts at the ultimate custom burger bar in Providence, Rhode Island, where he chooses from over 400,000 topping combinations to create his own meaty masterpiece. Next, he hits a modern Filipino diner that's braising and frying succulent pork belly to make the juiciest pork buns in Columbus, Ohio. Finally in Buffalo, Michael enjoys a roasted onion stuffed with smoked pork and brisket -- a true northern take on classic southern 'que.
With a name like Fire Breathing Dragon -- you KNOW there's gonna be heat. Chefs Roger Mooking and Aaron Sanchez face off to see who can handle the hottest sushi roll on the Vegas strip, and somebody's gonna really lose his shirt. Plus, a Mexican chicken dish called "Cry Today, Cry Tomorrow" and jalapeno-drenched Potato Twisters.
Sohui Kim is the proud chef and co-owner of The Good Fork in the artsy neighborhood of Red Hook, N.Y. Her menu is filled with delicious eclectic fare, but it's her dumpling appetizer that has really captured raves from customers and food critics alike. Sohui learned the tradition of Asian Dumplings from her grandmother and her Aunts, and says that it's the most versatile easy dish that anyone can make. So, she is ready to share her secrets with the Food Network for what she thinks is a show all about appetizers. She has no idea that the show is just the start of a Throwdown! Watch the surprise unfold and the competition heat up in this dynamic Dumpling challenge!
The six remaining bakers are creating new takes on traditional holiday baking. Inspired by an internet baking meme, for the pre-heat they'll use yellow cake mix to make anything but cake. Then in the main heat, bakers must "holiday up!" a non-holiday dessert.
In St. Louis, Brad Miller visits the Seoul Taco truck, where Chef David Choi is serving up a unique spin on Mexican food by infusing it with the flavors of Korea. Brad samples a Gogi Bowl and the popular Korean barbecue burrito filled with marinated beef and spicy kimchi fried rice. Next, Brad travels to Portland, Ore., to meet Chef Victor Darchini at his Caspian Kabob food truck. Victor shows Brad how to make authentic Persian food, including his popular lamb and beef kabob. Brad sticks around Portland and stops at the Wild North food truck, where Chef Brandon Hughes uses his wood-fired oven to deliver the inventive Shrimp Boil Bread Bowl. For dessert, Brad satisfies his sweet tooth with the decadent Campfire S'Mores Cookies featuring toasted bourbon-vanilla marshmallows.