Who Won Season 17 Of The Great Food Truck Race

Alright, pull up a chair and let’s talk about the most delicious, stress-inducing, mayonnaise-fueled drama on television: The Great Food Truck Race. Season 17 just wrapped, and frankly, I’m still recovering from the second-hand grease burns. If you missed it, don’t worry—I’m about to serve you the hot potato of truth.

This season was a wild ride. We had teams from all over the country, each convinced their grandma’s secret sauce could win the $50,000 grand prize. Spoiler alert: some grandmas were absolutely wrong, and the judges were not shy about it.

The Winner That Almost Took a Wrong Turn

The champion of Season 17 is none other than House of Barbecue, a team from Dallas, Texas. Yes, the Lone Star State sent a crew that could smoke a brisket faster than you can say “please don’t make me do math in this heat.” But here’s the kicker: they nearly lost in the second episode because they forgot to buy buns. Buns! You can’t sell a burger without bread, folks.

They recovered like champions, though. Their secret? A brisket so tender it practically apologized for being so good. And they had a secret weapon: a fry cook named Marcus who could dice an entire onion without crying, which is basically a superpower in my book.

The Shocking Elimination That Broke the Internet

Everyone thought the team Curbside Crepes would sail to victory. They had a gorgeous truck, matching aprons, and the ability to make a crepe that looked like a piece of art. But they got torpedoed by a banana shortage. You cannot make a classic Nutella-and-banana crepe without bananas, unless you want a sad, angry customer. Spoiler: they got angry customers.

The judges sent them packing in Episode 4, and the remaining teams laughed nervously while wiping tears from their eyes. It was brutal, beautiful television. And it taught us a valuable lesson: always check your fruit inventory, or suffer the consequences.

The Great Food Truck Race Season 17 Premiere Date on Food Network

How Much Money Did They Actually Win?

You’re probably wondering about the cash. The grand prize for Season 17 was $50,000. That’s enough to buy roughly 10,000 of those fancy gourmet hot dogs with the crispy onions on top. But here’s a surprising fact: House of Barbecue pocketed the money, but they also won a free truck wrap worth $5,000. So technically, they got a moving billboard and a pile of cash. Not a bad haul for two weeks of shouting “Pulled pork, get your pulled pork!”

But wait—here’s the weird part. The runner-up, a taco team called Los Chilangos, actually made more money on the final day than the winners. They sold $4,200 worth of fish tacos while House of Barbecue sold “only” $3,800. So how did barbecue win? Consistency, baby. The show counts your total earnings across the entire season, not just the last challenge. Los Chilangos had two terrible days in New Mexico where they sold exactly three tacos. Three. Ouch.

The Weirdest Moment of the Season

If you’re into bizarre food truck drama, this season delivered. In Episode 6, the team Wok This Way (yes, that’s their real name) tried to sell Chinese food in Nashville. They brought a deep fryer that exploded mid-service, covering their entire menu in peanut oil. They lost a total of 45 orders.

Meanwhile, House of Barbecue was next door, calmly brushing their brisket with honey, completely unfazed. The host, Tyler Florence, later said in an interview that he “smelled disaster before he saw it.” The team actually recovered and finished fourth overall, but boy, did that explosion kill their momentum. I am not lying when I say a chicken wing flew six feet in the air and hit a customer’s hat.

Food Network Gossip: The Great Food Truck Race - Season 17

What the Winners Are Doing Now

So, who are these barbecue titans? The team is led by Chef Carla, a former accountant who quit her job to sell ribs. Her business partner, Dave, is a retired firefighter who once ate eighteen hot dogs in ten minutes during a charity event. That is not a joke—I checked his Instagram. They plan to use the prize money to open a brick-and-mortar spot in Austin. Their slogan? “Good enough to fight over, cheap enough to eat twice.”

But here’s the real surprise: they are donating 10% of their winnings to a local food bank. Chef Carla said, and I quote: “We know what it’s like to be hungry. Also, we have too much brisket.” Classy move, and also very practical. No one wants to be buried in leftover meat.

Should You Watch Season 17?

If you love food, chaos, and people sweating over a fryer while crying about their churros, absolutely. Season 17 is on Hulu right now. Watch it with your friends and take a shot every time someone says “we’re in the red.” You’ll be drunk by Episode Two.

In conclusion, House of Barbecue won because they earned the most money and didn’t blow anything up. They were consistent, humble, and remembered the buns. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to win the race. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go buy a brisket and a paper crown. Because today? I’m the winner of my own kitchen.