On college football rivalry day, November 29, 2014, I was fortunate to compete in the Game Day Chef Chevron Cook Off during the tailgating frenzy at the USC v. Notre Dame game.
I was amazed at how tailgating has become so elevated since my college days. The set ups were amazing, the food was awesome, and the spirit and energy were contagious. I was more psyched to be at a tailgating party then I was to be at the game.
I had entered the Game Day Chef Challenge with what we at Sandwich America believe is the perfect tailgate fare, the almighty sandwich.
A sandwich is portable, can combine an amazing balance of flavors and textures and leaves a free hand for cheering on the home team or holding a beverage.
This was a fun challenge – find ingredients at Chevron that you can incorporate into the perfect game day food.
I took the challenge seriously and roamed about my Chevron for a good hour looking for inspiration for this Game Day Chef Challenge.
The ingredients were divided into five categories:
- Beverage
- Candy
- Healthy Snack
- Sweet Snack
- Salty Snack
No doubt I would use all five categories to get my maximum 25 points for use of Chevron ingredients.
I settled on the idea of a Root Beer Bacon Jam that I could incorporate apricots and sesame candy into.
Salted cashews would be the perfect coating for my chicken and I would use the yogurt to make a delicious sauce.
The result was my Cashew Crusted Fried Chicken Sliders with Rootbeer, Bacon, Apricot Jam, Chipotle Yogurt Sauce and Fresh Basil on Toasted Brioche and a win at the Game Day Chef Challenge.
Stay tuned – the finals will be at the Rose Bowl on January 1st where this little chicken slider will compete for $25,000 in Chevron Gas Cards.