Chefs on the Road Brings NFL Stadium Food Crossover to Ireland

There are plenty of crossovers when it comes to sports. Leagues often collaborate with the worlds of music, entertainment and social media. But there aren’t nearly enough crossovers between sports and food.

Aramark Sports and Entertainment’s “Chefs on the Road” activation is looking to change that, beginning with the NFL’s first game in Ireland this weekend. When the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings kick off this Sunday at Croke Park in Dublin, local fans will have the chance to experience new foods, while U.S. fans who travel to the game can find a slice of home.

“Part of our role on the design and development team is to amplify news and see what opportunistic storytelling we can do as we get ready for the NFL season or any other sports season,” said Rachel Herpich, vice president of growth marketing at ASE. “Our partners at the Steelers and the Vikings are going to be playing at Croke Park, which is also an Aramark venue. It was just this perfect moment where we’re the hospitality partners at all three venues. So what can we do that can connect these fans across the Atlantic and gain some excitement and buzz around the game and around the menu items?”

Before the Irish fans get a chance to experience American food options on September 28, the fan bases for the Steelers and Vikings were able to try an Irish dish during Week 2 of the NFL season at Acrisure Stadium and US Bank Stadium, respectively.

“We brought the Irish chefs onsite, they prepped the items and served them in the most authentic way,” Herpich said. “And I think that’s really what makes the program special. It’s not just we thought of an Irish-inspired item to sell, but that the Dublin chefs were onsite at both venues that day. Not only in the back prepping, but also serving to the fans and getting to engage and talk to them a little bit about the item.”

Chefs Ruairi Boyce and Cian Irvine from Ireland were flown to the Minnesota and Pittsburgh stadiums, where they curated an Irish Spice Box — a Croke Park original featuring chips/fries, battered chicken chunks, sautéed peppers and onions, and spices.

“I spoke to both of the Irish chefs that were in Minnesota and Pittsburgh and from their perspective, everything was very successful,” said Rich Grab, director of culinary innovation at ASE. “They had a great time and loved working with our teams in the U.S. They said from their end that the fan engagement was really great. Our American chef in Pittsburgh also shared the same feedback.”

A Taste of the States

With the first part of the Chefs on the Road initiative completed, the ASE team has turned its focus to Croke Park and the Irish fans who will fill the stadium this weekend for their first taste of NFL action.

Two main dishes will be served, with one representing each American city participating in the game.

The Pittsburgh Pierogi Sandwich will feature oversized cheddar and potato pierogi buns, barbecue chipped ham, Swiss cheese and garlic pickles. The Minnesota Juicy Lucy — a Minnesota–invented cheeseburger with the cheese stuffed inside the meat patty, rather than placed on the top — will be paired with a cheesy tater tot hotdish casserole.

“With the Steelers, we really wanted to dive into the Polish heritage when creating a sandwich,” Grab said. “Pierogis and some sort of pork product, like a kielbasa, would be traditional. Making a little bit of a spin on that with the barbecue chipped ham and then Swiss cheese and pickles. But then putting a little twist on it, instead of using a roll we made the pierogi the roll.”

“Likewise, in Minneapolis, the Juicy Lucy started there. It’s a huge hit at US Bank Stadium. Casseroles are a big thing that comes out of the Midwest and we love tater tots in sports.”

Taste of the States will debut as a pop–up concession experience at Croke Park during the NFL Dublin Game. Select concession stands will be transformed into American food destinations, featuring stadium fare from Pittsburgh and Minneapolis including hot dogs, chicken tenders and fries.

“This isn’t meant to represent the best food of the United States and what’s trending in the cities across the country,” Herpich said. “It’s really meant to encapsulate what are the best fan favorites that traditionally on game day people are gravitating towards. So collecting those items and serving them at one location I think will be very exciting for people at the game.”

“We also have a concept that we’re excited to launch over there called Tenders Love and Chicken,” Grab added. “It’s our proprietary chicken tenders and French fry concept. Crispy tenders with some Yukon potato fries tossed in a ranch spice. And then we do a sauce bar with about nine different sauces where guests can mix and match their own experience.”

This current activation was a perfect storm for Aramark, as the company has the hospitality contracts for all three venues. So might we see more crossovers like this, whether for future international NFL games or even other sports?

“I think we would love to scale if the opportunity arises,” Herpich said. “. We’ll await the NFL schedule to see where the international games land. But absolutely this is something that all of our partners are excited to see how it’s received in Dublin. But it’s been fun and exciting to really connect the fans in a way that I feel is a little unexpected and a bit of a surprise and delight for them. So that’s really what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Grab, who will be onsite in Dublin this weekend, says that the presence of chefs at any event usually draws some extra interest from patrons and NFL games are no different.

“It’s a very special day. It’s not often that NFL games are played in Dublin, so we do expect a lot of hype around this,” Grab said. “Sports fans share a common bond of how we like to eat good food and have good beverages.”