Food truck trend drives this TV race

Food trucks are one of the biggest trends in the dining world, and the Food Network is tapping into that phenomenon with "The Great Food Truck Race" debuting Sunday at 10 p.m.

Chef Tyler Florence, 39, is taking the hosting reins of the show, which follows six trucks as they compete for sales across the country, with the ultimate showdown in New York City. We spoke with Florence, who moved to California from New York in 2007, about the show.

What was the biggest challenge of doing the show?

Some of the biggest challenges were the environment itself. The trucks broke down; the teams broke down. We battled extreme weather: snowstorms, sandstorms, rainstorms.

What is the key to doing well on "Race"?

The show is really about business.

It's about food, but all the food's great, or they wouldn't have been on the show. It's really about who's better at getting themselves out there.

Have you ever worked at a food truck?

I've never worked at a food truck, but we're building a food truck to go with my new restaurant in Napa - a restaurant called Rotisserie and Wine.

What is the weirdest thing you've seen sold from a food truck?

All these interesting new hybrids are coming out. I don't know if it's weird, as far as it's delicious. These guys are really putting together interesting ideas like Korean tacos.

What city has the best food trucks?

That remains to be seen. I think Portland [Ore.] is really serious about it. L.A. has a ton. New York has a ton. San Francisco, where I am, has a lot. Who's got the best? I don't know. I think it'd be a lot of fun to find out.

What are you reading?

This amazing book - I think it's the world's first celebrity chef. It's "The Opera of Bartolomeo Scappi." He was the chef for the Pope in 1570. He used to cook things like dormice. Very, very interesting book.

Have you ever used one of those recipes?

What, for dormice? No, but living in New York, I wish I had something for the rats. I'd cook them in a heartbeat.