The Great Food Truck Race, Season 17: Meet the Teams

Host Tyler Florence will oversee these teams of first-time food truckers as they hit the road across America's Gulf Coast.

Carolina Freeman moved from Argentina to Wichita in 2015 when she married her husband Chad. During the pandemic, she had the idea to make traditional empanadas to sell in their local community – and the business took off. Carolina met fellow Argentinian Paola Mentis at a food market and they became fast friends, bonding over their passion for their culture and cuisine. They are thrilled to take their empanadas on the road and expand their business.

Kevin Hsieh grew up watching his father and grandmother in the kitchen making baos, and he is passionate about putting Taiwanese food on the map. After high school, Kevin started a career in corporate finance and his childhood best friend Zakary Keres joined the U.S. Air Force – and now, they have reunited to pursue their culinary dreams. Joined by their good friend Cody Hoover, this trio can’t wait to bring their creative take on Taiwanese street food to the masses.

Andrew Bernadine’s childhood was filled with delicious meals cooked by his Honduran grandmother, who was a private chef, and his mother. He carries on their tradition with his “New South” take on dishes that fuse Caribbean dishes with Southern staples. Andrew met Terry Jones and Jasmine Smith in the Atlanta restaurant industry, where they worked at some of the area’s best restaurants. This team proves you can take beloved family recipes and make them high-end crowd-pleasers.

Fueled by her love for Mexican culture and a passion for soul-stirring flavors, Karina Wollangk embarked on a culinary adventure through Mexico in search of the perfect taco recipe. Armed with family recipes and the wisdom of locals, she launched Down to Get Tacos at the height of the pandemic. She took the business from a pop-up tent to a bustling catering company, and now she is joined by her daughter Kiana and brother Oz Gudino to take their tacos on the road.

Ferhat Yalcin is originally from Istanbul, Turkey and grew up close to the water where seafood is plentiful. In his tight-knit family, food was always at the center. He opened Fishnet with his wife Keyia in 2011, sourcing the freshest fish and seafood for their Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Today the business has a solid following in Baltimore, but they also experienced some bumps along the road - so now they are concentrating on the future. Joined by their talented lead cook Uswa McDowell, this trio knows they have what it takes succeed.

In 2020, Rob Mallari-D’Auria left his life as a lawyer in the Philippines to move to New York City and marry his husband. He started Kalye as a place to experience Filipino cuisine and culture. Now, he needs his friends Barry Jacinto and Mark Besanna to help take Kalye on the road. Proud members of the LGBTQ+ community, this team is excited to take their mission beyond the Big Apple and bring Filipino specialties to customers from around the country.

Ken James has had a love for cooking and giving back to the community for as long as he can remember. He and his fiancée Ziomara Taveras bring eclectic soul food to the competition, utilizing a variety of meats, seafood and seasonal high-end ingredients. They have a blended family of eight with a determination to build a legacy for their kids. Joined by Ken’s cousin Samuel Jenkins, this family-run business is ready to draw crowds on the road.

Serrano Barnes moved from New Orleans to Los Angeles in 2014 and when he couldn’t find a decent po’boy sandwich, he decided to start making them himself. He later started his Cajun food business with his girlfriend Randy Butler – and they are determined to expand beyond LA. Along with Randy’s mother Barenese, this team is bringing the best Cajun flavors to the race.