Championship Eats

Three restaurant industry folks—and one food editor—talk food and Commanders fandom.

“Daddy has rewatched the Lions game three times,” my mom texts me. She’s referring to the Saturday Jan. 18 divisional playoff game when the underdog “cardiac Commanders” bested the top-seeded Detroit Lions 45-31.

Once was enough adrenaline for me, but my 73-year-old father can’t seem to get enough. He’s been waiting for this.

Growing up, we never went to church on Sundays. We got in touch with a higher power through boat rides, football and heaping plates of nachos. There was no shortage of *spirited* shouting at the TV. Post-game malaise hit hard, though. “Just pitiful,” my father’s constant refrain.

But not this year. Not this team. Washington hasn’t made it to the NFC Championship in 33 years. And here we are, in a city and state replete with lifelong fans finally, finally getting their due.

“[Commander’s] Coach Dan Quinn’s leadership in particular has been inspiring as a person in leadership,” says Quirk Lobby Bar chef Felipe Bolivar. “Us chefs can learn a lot from this team’s success. Why not us?”

We chatted with diehard Washington football fans and Richmond restaurant industry superstars Bolivar, Brittanny Anderson and Lance Lemon about what they’d bring to their dream NFC Championship game tailgate.

Here’s what they had to say:

 

The Lobby Bar’s Chef Felipe Bolivar. Photo by Scott Elmquist

Felipe Bolivar 

Chef, Quirk Lobby Bar

“Watching our team through this phenomenal 2024 has left me in total disbelief … What a ride it has been! Super Bowl or not, in a single season, this team has won the faith and hearts of its fans, worth its weight in burgundy and gold.”

Recipe for Mary Beth’s buffalo chicken dip

Serves 10-15 people

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lbs chicken breast, poached and shredded (you can use one whole roasted chicken from the deli as a quick hack)
  • 1 lb cream cheese (Philadelphia, 2 packs)
  • 1 lb extra sharp white cheddar
  • 1 cup Gorgonzola
  • 1 cup Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
  • 1 cup Crystal’s Hot Sauce
  • ½ cup scallions

Cook

  1. Temper cream cheese at room temperature for about an hour.
  2. Preheat roughly eight cups of water to a high simmer. Meanwhile, cut chicken breast into 2-inch pieces, then slow poach in simmering water, turning down to medium low heat. Poach chicken breast until cooked through and able to shred.
  3. Using a coarse cheese grater, grate extra sharp white cheddar. Crumble Gorgonzola cheese.
  4. Separately, measure ranch dressing and hot sauce.
  5. Chop scallions for garnish.
  6. Once chicken is cooked ideally, strain chicken breast through a colander. Then shred all the chicken and set aside.
  7. In a pot, cook hot sauce and cream cheese over medium heat until both ingredients are fully homogeneous, then fold in the ranch dressing.
  8. Maintaining a low simmer, add grated white cheddar to the sauce, followed by Gorgonzola until fully melted and smooth.
  9. Add shredded chicken to the buffalo cheese sauce. Season with salt and pepper to desired taste.
Brittanny Anderson is bringing her Pink Room meatballs to a tailgate party.

Brittanny Anderson 

Chef/owner Brenner Pass, Metzger Bar & Butchery, Black Lodge, Pink Room 

“I’m a big Terry McLaurin fan and I read that his favorite food is spaghetti and meatballs so I’m gonna go with something he’d love—the pork meatballs arrabbiata that we serve at Pink Room! Scary Terry forever!”

The Pink Room arrabbiata (pork meatballs).

 

Lance Lemon

Owner, Penny’s Wine Shop

“Plavina is Croatia’s most underrated (Commanders) red grape. It’s oftentimes in the shadows of better known varietals (i.e. the Eagles). It’s fresh, vibrant, bright, solid and structured.”

Snag a bottle of Ivica Piližota Plavina at Penny’s.

 

Lance Lemon is bringing Croatian wine to a tailgate party .

 

Mary Scott Hardaway

Style Weekly food editor

I’m bringing my mom’s corn and black bean salsa with a bag (or two) of Capital Chips and a four-pack of Vasen’s West Coast IPA.

 

Commanders fandom is a family affair: Style Food Editor Mary Scott Hardaway and baby at Commanders/Falcons game.
A package of Washington Commanders NFL football special edition Tostitos tortilla chips

 

Tune into this year’s NFC Championship game between the Washington Commanders and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 26 starting at 3 p.m. Even if you aren’t a football fan, this is basically American history—two NFC East teams haven’t met for a championship game since 1986.

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