Roxy's Grilled Cheese Says Goodbye — The Great Food Truck Race

By: Sarah De Heer
roxys grilled cheese food truck

James DiSabatino, Mike DiSabatino, and Marc Melanson as seen on Food Network?s The Great Food Truck Race Season 2.

Photo by: Eric Haase ©2011, Television Food Network, G.P.

Eric Haase, 2011, Television Food Network, G.P.

The second season of The Great Food Truck Race hit the road with eight new food trucks and a grand prize of $100,000. Each truck will try to pull out all their tricks to stay in the game but, ultimately, one truck must go each week. Every Monday, FN Dish brings you exclusive exit interviews with the latest Food Truck contestants to get the boot.

This week, Roxy's Grilled Cheese had an advantage over the other food trucks, but just couldn't find themselves in the right place at the right time.

FN Dish: You had an amazing advantage this week, $1000 of seed money. So what was the ultimate downfall: menu items (foie gras) or location?

Roxy's: I was proud of our food in Atlanta. We paired foie gras with peaches and cheddar aged three years. It was some of the more experimental and controversial food we've ever done. Let's not kid ourselves: Our first-day locations were pathetic. Piedmont Park was a total bust and that bar -- horrible. I try to not remember that day, to be honest.

F N Dish: The team took the Speed Bump in stride. Do you think that had any effect on the elimination?

Roxy's: The Speed Bump was something my brother and I needed. It brought us a lot closer to each other. Usually, Marc takes the lead in the kitchen, Mike backs him up and works his butt off, and I take care of the business stuff. But this was the first time my brother and I had run the truck ourselves. I'm proud of how we did. I think our parents would be proud, too. I'm not sure if it had an effect on our elimination because that location was prime.

FN Dish: You just can't go wrong with grilled cheese. What was the best sandwich you created and in what city during the competition?

Roxy's: We had so many great opportunities to use different types of local ingredients all over the country. In Denver, we found a great local producer of duck prosciutto, so we paired it with Vermont chevre and quince paste. Foie gras, peaches, bacon and Vermont cheddar was another great combo in Atlanta. I think we achieved our goal of creating grilled cheese sandwiches that no one ever imagined, ones that made people do a double take.

FN Dish: Who are you rooting for in the finale: Hodge Podge or Lime Truck?

Roxy's: I think people would assume that we wouldn't be rooting for either, because we had a rough start with those teams -- we thought they were really arrogant. But being on the road for so long made us realize the good things about those teams, as well. We ended up being huge fans of the both of them and I'm happy to call both teams our friends. I think it's going to be a battle of two very different, very delicious styles of food. So I wish them both the best. As much as we like both teams, we'll probably never drop the "Slime" thing.

FN Dish: You left the competition grateful for the lessons you learned and the connections you made with the other trucks. What can your fans back in Boston expect from the truck now that you're back? Any new menu items?

Roxy's: We opened a month before we started the race and we had a lot to learn. We went in as food truck freshmen and came out of this race with a Ph.D., thanks to all of the trucks that we had the opportunity to be on the road with (yeah, you too, Slime Truck). Our fans in Boston should expect the same ridiculousness and abrasiveness they're used to when the three of us are working the truck, but with a much more refined and polished kitchen system. We're putting out better food, faster. But we're still three Boston boys, so you never know what kind of trouble we will be getting into next.

Next Up

The Great Food Truck Race Returns with Food Truck Pros vs Talented Rookies

The trucks get rolling around Los Angeles Sunday, June 18 at 8|7c.

15 Great Food Gifts for Purim

Send Mishloach Manot in time for the celebration.

Taco Bell Introduces a Grilled Cheese Dipping Taco

Inspired by birria, the new menu item features a new protein — slow-braised shredded beef — and two different dipping sauces.

Lunchables Launches a Line of Microwavable Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

The beloved brand is moving into the freezer aisle.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Dumplings Might Be the Most Mind-Blowing Dish on Your Holiday Table

Kraft and chef Shirley Chung are seamlessly bringing together three comfort foods into one bite.

Devilicious Says Goodbye — The Great Food Truck Race

This week, Devilicious Food Truck's marketing strategy seemed clever at first, enticing people over to eat their food, but it came back to haunt them in the end.

Seabirds Says Goodbye — The Great Food Truck Race

This week, Seabirds Food Truck couldn't keep up with the crowds and found it difficult to adjust to Tyler's costly speed-bump on The Great Food Truck Race.