California-based food truck “Seabirds” is slated to compete on the second season of the Food Network reality TV show The Great Food Truck Race. The show, hosted by celebrity chef Tyler Florence, films the cross country journey of 8 food trucks as they attempt to sell the most food in different cities across the United States. The truck that sells the most food in each city advances, with the final winner of the competition taking home a $100,000 prize. Seabirds, which claims the title of “O.C.'s Original Veggie Truck,” boasts an entirely vegan menu highlighted by unique dishes like the “Jerk Jackfruit Taco” (jerk-seasoned jackfruit topped with onion, cilantro, and green salsa) and the homemade nut and seed based “Seabirds Burger.” According to the Seabirds' website, their mission is “to promote a sustainable and cruelty-free lifestyle while bringing convenience to high quality, healthful food.” Seabirds' owner Stephanie Morgan sources most of the produce for the truck's seasonal menu from local California farms. She has also made both Raw and Gluten-Free options available. Food Network's decision to have a vegan food truck compete in The Great Food Truck Race reflects the growing prominence of plant-based diets in mainstream food media. Vegan chef Chloe Coscarelli recently took home the top prize of $10,000 on another of the Food Network's more popular shows, Cupcake Wars where renowned bakers are judged in three elimination rounds on their ability to bake the tastiest cup sized cake. Coscarelli faced three contestants who utilized traditional, animal-based cupcake baking methods. None were able to match the winning taste, texture and design qualities of her plant-based version. And in April of this year, the Cooking Channel aired an hour-long special called The Veg Edge, which chronicled the tales and restaurants of vegan and vegetarians throughout the United States. Vegan food has even made its way onto the viral scene of Youtube, with videos like “Vegan Black Metal Chef Episode 1 Pad Thai” garnering over one million views in less than a month. The verdict is still out on how the food of Seabirds will stand up to the seven other food truck offerings, but the inclusion of the vegan truck speaks to the growing standing of plant-based diets in food-centered media. The Great Food Truck Race Premiers on Sunday, August 14th at 10pm/9c on the Food Network. BM
