Sunday, August 24, 2014

ZestFest is a Great Place to Build Your Brand!


 
 
One of our ZestFest exhibitors is in the running for the new Food Network Challenge show.   Kramer's Gourmet.
 
 From their ZestFest Booth
 HOME BASE: HOUSTON
Lone Star Chuck Wagon
Lance has competed in BBQ competitions for years and has won against trained chefs. He's even developed his own line of BBQ sauces and rubs. With the support of his wife, Rachel (left), and their best friend, Andrea, he's ready to bring big Texas-style home cookin' to hungry people everywhere.





http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/the-great-food-truck-race/contestants/lone-star-chuck-wagon.html


The Road to The Great Food Truck Race

In our house, The Food Network is usually on all day long! I grew up watching the network, and I have learned a ton from it. From Bobby Flay, to Tyler Florence, it has been a wealth of knowledge. My favorite show growing up in Texas was “Tyler’s Ultimate.” Tyler would take relatively well known dishes, and teach us his “ultimate” version. Little did I know, a few years later, I would be showing Tyler “Lance’s Ultimate.”

Tyler Florence is the host on The Great Food Truck Race, and we were lucky enough to be chosen as a competitor for Season 5. On the show, eight teams are given their very own food truck to compete in a head-to-head, cross-country battle. Each week, we were pitted against each other in a sales battle in different cities across the country. Whichever team has the lowest sales at the end of the week, has to turn in their keys, and take “the long, lonely trip back home.”

The last team standing wins $50,000, and their very own food truck! I’ve watched every season of GFTR, and I was confident we had the skills to be a serious competitor. I chose my wife Rachel, and our great friend Andrea as my teammates. We have worked together in the same restaurant for over 4 years. With this experience, we all speak the same lingo, and know how to communicate well with each other. We are comfortable with high volume, and stressful situations.

I knew I put together the perfect team! But this show was much more difficult than ever imagined! With the long hot hours on the truck, and seemingly impossible situations we were put in, we had our hands full! I cannot wait for you all to share the crazy journey with us on The Food Network!

Check it out on Sunday nights, only on The Food Network! (Season premiere August 17th).

http://rubresponsibly.com/the-blog/

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

A Next Food Network Star at ZestFest 2015?

The "Next Food Network Star" competition on the Food Network recently wrapped up with Lenny, the Gourmet Cowboy getting a show.  As usual, there were several very good chefs in the mix and we may see if we can get one or two of them to pay a visit to ZestFest 2015.  Some good promotional opportunities might come out of this if we do it and it would be sure to add some extra fun to the show.

We would like to know your pick for who you would most like to have at ZestFest in January.  Click the link below and take the survey - please leave any comment you would like as well.  Thanks for your input.

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e9oij5yghyojqjqc/start

ZestFest's Greg Bagarozy with Sarah Penrod, who finished 4th