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Amateur Austin chefs hungry for victory make debut on Food Network
Before the premiere of Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race: Gold Coast on Thursday, March 19, get acquainted with the team representing Austin this season. Bachelor Kitchen, a trio of local amateur chefs, brings true Texan flavors to the table while also incorporating their Mediterranean roots.
Originally from Minnesota, brothers Stephanos and John Nicklow partnered with their best friend Billy Jenney to form Bachelor Kitchen. Also joining the action this season is honorary member, Pistachio, the team’s stuffed toy pig. (A toy, by the way, that Stephanos refers to as his “pig son.”)
When asked about Pistachio and his significance to the team, John summed up this plush friend’s presence.
“Pistachio was our mascot, friend, and confidant. He is someone you can confide in, someone you trust with your private thoughts, and who you're sure can keep a secret,” he explains. “Plus, he’s super cute, and we have a lot in common.”
Bachelor Kitchen says they're proud to represent the city of Austin and its burgeoning restaurant and food scene.
“It feels like home. I am the queen of keeping Austin Weird,” says Stephanos. “From being the captain in ATXGFL, Austin’s LGBTQA football league, to hosting box socials with over 100 of the greatest friends one could imagine to cooking for bachelor parties with my shirt off, this is just another way to make Austin proud.”
Also making Austin proud is the team's culinary prowess, which is exemplified in their most popular dishes: chipotle chicken tacos served with cilantro slaw and Mexican street corn. Stephanos says he also adds a little something extra to everything the team creates.
“My signature flavor is hot dude. It is evenly distributed throughout every dish I prepare,” he said.
Now in its 12th season, The Great Food Truck Race features six episodes in various locations across the Gold Coast of California. Bachelor Kitchen will take on seven teams of aspiring food truck owners during actioned-packed challenges. Each episode is hosted in a new city as teams try to outsell their competition for a chance to win $50,000.
Competing against six other skilled teams, as well as the hustle and bustle of being filmed for the show, prove to be obstacles each team must learn to deal with throughout their journey.
“Location and parking can make or break you in this competition,” Jenney says. “Also taking orders while trying to get babes' numbers simultaneously was certainly problematic.”
Along with the pressure to sell more than their competitors, the teams are tested by preparing signature salads in a moving tram car to spinning a “protein roulette” wheel on a casino floor in Las Vegas.
The race commences in Los Angeles where teams are challenged to sell luxe versions of traditional food truck fare. This dish, inspired by private plane hors d’oeuvres and Champagne-infused main dishes, will be the teams' first step towards the $50,000 prize.
To see Bachelor Kitchen in action, flip to the Food Network channel beginning Thursday, March 19, at 9 pm ET/PT.
