Hometown boy makes good – again!
For the second time, The Lime Truck has won “The Great Food Truck Race” on the Food Network.
University High graduate Daniel Shemtob (class of 2006) co-founded The Lime Truck when he was 21.
After shooting to foodie fame with his win on Season 2 of “The Great Food Truck Race” in 2011, Shemtob opened the popular Cal-Mex sit-down spot Born From The Lime Truck at Irvine Spectrum Center.
Shemtob celebrated this second win by parking The Lime Truck outside Regal Irvine Spectrum on July 17-18 and throwing a giant party. Anyone who showed up got free limeades and churros.
“We’ve been at the Spectrum since 2014,” says Shemtob, who grew up in Turtle Rock Village. “I have had such a good experience here. Every time I ask for help, they’re like, ‘Let’s help you.’ ”
The latest win was in some ways sweeter than the first, Shemtob says, because it was an all-star battle against past “Great Food Truck Race” winners.
“Everybody was a threat,” he says. “The talent was just crazy.”
Season 13 was shot over five weeks in October in the Bay Area. Seven champion trucks competed to prep and sell the most food at six stops from Napa to Chinatown.
The finale, which aired July 11, saw Shemtob and crew (Mark Esposito and Jesse Brockman) splitting the $50,000 grand prize. Shemtob is using his $17,000 to buy a new food truck.
“I’m praying it brings a lot of business,” Shemtob says. “This has been a tough year, so to get this little gift is such a blessing.”
Shemtob has added his Red Curry Shrimp Taco with apple and mint slaw, the star of the competition, to the menu. If that isn’t enticing enough, the original Carnitas Fries are also back on the menu. See you there.
