Food Truck Rumble CLT: A Worthy Dog vs. Hillbilly Philly

Two of the Queen City's finest food trucks compete for the Golden Spork in the American Classics Challenge.

September 10, 2021

Jessica Baryla,

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Another week, another battle. Who will have the best bite in Food Truck Rumble CLT’s American Classic Challenge? A Worthy Dog enters the arena serving up loaded hot dogs and lots of love. Young guns, Hillbilly Philly, are adding a southern twist to a Philadelphia staple. Who’s dish will wow the judges enough to take the Golden Spork?

What they served:

A Worthy Dog: The Sonoran Dog — A hot dog topped with refried beans, guacamole, salsa, pico de gallo, and cilantro with a cilantro lime sauce.
Hillbilly Philly: Philly Cheesesteak — Made with white American cheese and their special “Hillbilly Sauce,’ which is similar to a cajun garlic remoulade, all on an Amoroso roll – straight out of Philly. On the side they are cajun fries and mac and cheese bites

Meet the Competitors:

A Worthy Dog:
Derrick and Sonjia Worthy started A Worthy Dog food truck in 2012 after retiring — Derrick had been working in the restaurant industry and Sonjia proudly served 24 years as a Marine. A hip replacement pushed Derrick to find something that would keep him off his feet all day. When Sonjia’s friend put her hotdog cart up for sale… the Worthys decided to buy it. At first, they had no intention of turning the hotdog cart into a full time gig – but business kept growing, pushing them to go bigger. Their favorite thing about being in the food truck industry? Being able to hit the streets and feed those who may be struggling during the trying times. And it’s a bonus to be able to spend time together as a couple. What sets their dogs apart? Their condiments – from fresh pineapple salsa to handmade guacamole, their signature dogs serve up unparalleled flavor.

Hillbilly Philly:
Hillybilly Philly owner, Rocco Wilcox, started his food truck adventure at the young age of 23. (He’s only 25 now) While in school for geology in Greensboro, he decided to stay in the area and open a food truck instead. He started working at a mobile concession stand for a local baseball team and being the creative-minded guy he is, approached the owner with a plan to operate the stand as a food truck in the off season. Sales skyrocketed that season and Rocco acquired the beat-up food trailer. His plan? Serve cheesesteaks. Being from West Virginia, he decided to go with name ‘Hillbilly Philly’ and incorporate the bangs and bruises of the food cart into the brand. When COVID hit, he parked his cart 7 days a week around town and quickly, business bloomed. He’s since bought “Silver Grill” restaurant in Denver, NC and has plans for 2 more trucks. The secret to his killer cheesesteaks? “Hillbilly Sauce” – a chameleon sauce that tastes great on everything.

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Meet the Judges:

Dion Beary – @Inside_485
Need to know where to grab grub around the Queen City? Writer and food blogger, Dion Beary, has you covered. He spotlights the area’s must-try restaurants at Inside485.com, as well as on Instagram and Twitter. And if you’re feelin’ a cleanse after all that good food, check out Clean Juice – he’s the Marketing Manager for their 100+ locations!

Wynee Bermudez – @WyneesWorld
Food & travel – combine the 2 and you’ve entered Wynee’s World. Wynee Bermudez is a Food and Travel blogger based out of Charlotte, NC. She takes us from Tokyo, Japan to Park City, Utah through her writing on WyneesWorld.com. Wynee believes food and travel go hand in hand and that food is the ‘gateway to learning about and experiencing new cultures.” Her hop is to be a resource for others on great spots to eat in C-L-T and beyond.

Chris Rodarte – @Rodartes.Corner
Chris Rodarte is a Charlotte based lifestyle content creator… and he loves to grub. Photographer and videographer by trade, his popular instagram feed is filled with the eye-catching snaps of the best bites around town and from his travels. He works with a variety of restaurants, brand and businesses to amp up their content and style.

*SPOILER ALERT* if you haven’t watched the episode LOOK AWAY! And the winner is…

Hillbilly Philly!

Watch: Hillbilly Philly stops by Rising to share the secrets behind their cheesesteak magic.