On October 18th, Roswell's culinary scene came together for a super fun Tailgate Throw-Down at Deep Roots. Local restaurants and chefs battled it out to showcase their tailgate-inspired creations. A panel of “expert" judges, the Roswell High School Football Senior parents, were tasked with the difficult job of determining the winners in each category.
The competition was fierce, with a variety of mouthwatering dishes vying for the top spots. After careful deliberation, the judges announced the following winners:
- Snack Attack: Peach of a Party took home the prize for their irresistible Beef Taco Casserole. It was considered the perfect dish for snacking on throughout the entire game! The judges could not stop devouring this dish!
- Finger Lickin' Good: Lazaro's Cuban Cuisine's Laz's Cocky Wings proved to be a crowd-pleasing sensation. It was an elevated take on the classic tailgate fare. And bonus, no utensils required…Perfect for tailgate convenience.
- Game Day Grub Grab-and-Go: Knuckies Hoagies' Italian Hoagie was deemed the perfect on-the-go tailgate option. The combination of flavors had the judges applauding!
- Tailgate MVP Sidekick: Madrid Spanish Taverna's Mexican Street Corn stole the show as the best side dish. This vibrant dish provided an explosion of sweet and savory flavors.
- Tailgate Transformation-Creative Twist: Outback Steakhouse's Toowomba Pasta impressed the judges with its innovative take on tailgate fare. The warm blend of creole flavors were absolutely untouchable!
- Game Day Tradition: Schmoo-Pies' Southern BBQ Quiche was a classic tailgate favorite. This savory dish is a BBQ lover’s dream and sure to impress your tailgating crew!
- Presentation Perfection: Vin25's Pork Cheek Tinga wowed the judges with its amazing presentation and culinary artistry. But not only was it visually stunning, it was incredibly delicious!
- Tailgate MVP (Most Valuable Player): From the Earth's Smoked Wagyu Brisket reigned supreme as the ultimate game-day dish. This dish took the classic tailgate staple of brisket to new heights, showcasing the power of exceptional ingredients and culinary artistry.
The Tailgate Throw-Down was a resounding success, showcasing the culinary talent and creativity of Roswell's local restaurants and chefs. Congratulations to all the participants and winners! The winner in each category was awarded a gift card from Deep Roots and the MVP was also presented with an amazing bottle of wine from the cellar of Deep Roots owners, Todd & Dana Gurela.
Here are descriptions from the chefs:
(Cat Plant) Peach of a Party - Beef Taco Casserole: Our Beef Taco Casserole is a fan favorite with lots of flavor without going overboard on heat, so even more mild palates can enjoy it. For our tailgate special, the Supreme version takes it up a notch with local treasure Sully’s Salsa, our house-made cilantro aioli Magic Sauce, and shredded lettuce to create the fun of a taco bar without all the work and mess of a taco bar. And it’s all gluten free!
(Lazaros Tenreiro) Lazaros Cuban Cuisine - Laz’s Cocky Wings: Grilled Garlic Pepper Wings with fresh Herbs with Spicy Herb Yogurt Sauce. My inspiration was this challenge because I LOVE creating Delicious REAL FOOD with Fresh simple ingredients.
(Shannon Harrison) Knuckies Hoagies - Italian Hoagie: pepperoni, salami, capicola, ham, onion, lettuce, tomato, provolone, cherry pepper relish, oregano, oil and vinegar. The Italian is packed full of flavor and one of our top selling hoagies. My mother used to make something similar and pack into a cooler when we took day trips to the lake.
(Xanic Dunning) Madrid Spanish Taverna - Mexican Street Corn: Growing up in Mexico City it was my favorite street food snack! It's great as a side or just on its own.
(Kelley Hydrick) Outback Steakhouse - Toowomba Pasta: Ingredients Shrimp, Fettuccine pasta, Green onions, Seasoned mushrooms, A creole homemade from scratch Alfredo sauce Topped with fresh shaved Parmesan cheese. This dish is named after Australia’s second largest inland city. It is BOLD and FUN with QUALITY ingredients that mean so much to me.
(Susie Mickler) Schmoo-Pies - Southern BBQ Quiche: This is our tastiest collaboration ever! Our Southern BBQ Quiche is filled with McDanielsQN2 pulled pork, sautéed in their exclusive bbq sauce, then topped with collard greens (and yes, we can skip those). Whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you won't go hungry with this hearty quiche.
(Sean Clark) Vin25 - Pork Cheek Tinga: Niman Ranch Pork Cheek Tinga: black bean mole, tomatillo and avocado crudo, yum yum sauce. Oh…yes, this is yum yum!!! Impress your fellow tailgaters and set the bar high with this elevated twist on game day fare!
(Tim Stevens and AJ Norcia) From the Earth - Smoked Wagyu Brisket: Purple Slaw, Pickles, Texas Toast, BBQ Sauce. This dish is a celebration of classic barbecue flavors, perfect for any game day gathering.