'Crowds are fantastic': Celebrity chef films an episode of Food Network show in Fort Myers

Foodies were out in full force Wednesday as Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race” pulled into downtown Fort Myers.

“I’m super excited to be here,” celebrity chef and the show’s host Tyler Florence said in between greeting fans and posing for photos. “The crowds are fantastic.”

Those crowds showed up early for the initial filming in Centennial Park where Florence welcomed season 17’s final two food trucks.

“We filmed on the river first,” said Florence, who arrived late Tuesday night and was heading to Miami after Wednesday’s competition. “The crowd was so much fun. We really got a chance to showcase those folks that came out.”

The party then headed to First Street where the trucks set up in front of the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center for the upcoming season’s last day of competition.

After hyping up the crowd to shout “waffles” in perfect unison, Wally’s Waffles opened for sales at 11:15 a.m.

Joan Kidney, who left below-zero temperatures and 2 feet of Iowa snow behind to spend two months in the Florida sun, was one of the first in line.

“Friends told us this was happening today,” she said. “I’m a fan of the show. We came right from the first spot and got in line.”

She went with the shareable Streets of Belgium waffle ($25) — a Belgian waffle infused with pearl sugar and topped with house-made vanilla cream, fresh-cut bananas and strawberries, and a chocolate drizzle.

“I have a sweet tooth,” she said. “It was good.”

Chicken & waffle ($25), consisting of the same Belgian waffle with fried chicken tenders, house-made comeback sauce and a maple drizzle, was another option. Extra chicken with fixings ($5) and cinnamon sugar and caramel ($5) could be added on.

The other food truck, Bao Bei, opened about 30 minutes later after another loud cheer by the crowd.

Customers waited patiently for the orange chicken bowl ($25), a Bao Bei orange original on a bed of fried noodles & cabbage slaw. The $30 combo included the orange chicken bowl with Florida Dream tea (orange black tea) and candied oranges.

“The Great Food Truck Race” is a reality competition that pits food trucks against each other with $50,000 in prize money on the line. Trucks visit new cities, face challenges, and vie for sales. The truck with the lowest profit at each stop is toast at the end of each episode.

This was the last stop of the season.

“The teams have been great, the food, the competition is great,” Florence said. “Personally, what I love about this season is the challenges. Our team has been so creative with coming up with original stunts.”

The Fort Myers stop is week eight of the season.

“Our main vision was to loop around the Gulf,” Florence said. “We began in Houston, then Louisiana, Mississippi. Geographically this worked out perfectly. It’s on the way to Miami where we will announce the winner at the South Beach Food & Wine Festival.”

Since he was going to be here less than 24 hours, Florence said he didn’t have any food excursions planned.

When he filmed a season-10 episode here in 2019, Florence visited Bennett’s Fresh Roast, Dixie Fish Co. and Rosy Tomorrows Heritage Farms.

“I ate at the hotel after I got in late last night,” he said, referring to the Luminary in downtown Fort Myers. “I had a steak at the bar. It was great.”

Season 17 will air on the Food Network beginning in June, Florence said. That means the Fort Myers episode should premiere sometime in July.

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And will there be a season 18?

“I love hanging out with my production team,” he said. “We’ve had 10 years of road trips, shooting TV shows, eating. Yes, there will be another season. This is the gift that keeps on giving.”

Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Tyler Florence comes to Fort Myers to film a Food Network show episode