Food Network's 'NFL Tailgate Takedown' pits Packers vs. Bills in a tasty battle for 'Yum-bardi Trophy'
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It’s not exactly the postseason action most fans had in mind, but there is one more Green Bay Packers matchup still to come.
Food Network is pitting the Packers against the Buffalo Bills in a battle of the belly for an episode of “NFL Tailgate Takedown” airing at 8 p.m. Feb. 1.
In the new six-episode series, two pairs of tailgaters, each representing their team on game day, go grill to grill on location at an NFL stadium tailgate to see who can whip up the best eats. The winning duo gets escorted to their VIP seats on the 50-yard line of that day’s game and takes home the “Yum-bardi Trophy.”
Chris Schemm of Lawrence, known as @titletowngriller to the 14,000-plus followers of his Instagram feed, and Tyler Foti, who is @smokin_ty on Instagram, do the honors for the Packers. Both are Big Green Egg influencers who are among the 37 members of the kamado grill company's #BGETeamGreen. Schemm was featured in the Green Bay Press-Gazette in 2020.
Their episode was filmed outside Highmark Stadium near Buffalo before the “Sunday Night Football” game on Oct. 30.
Foods that show off each city's flavor are in the mix, so cheese curds and Buffalo wings would seem bound to get mentioned, but the idea is to get creative and “take tailgate food to the next level." During the Jan. 4 episode with Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants tailgaters, dishes included armadillo eggs (cream cheese- and cheddar cheese-stuffed jalapenos wrapped in pork sausage wrapped in bacon) and corn cobettes and riblets with ranch Cajun sauce.
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The one-hour show, hosted by Sunny Anderson and Vince Wilfork, breaks the competition down into three themed rounds, each with the clock running.
In the first round, it’s bite-sized snacks with a dip. The winner of that round gets to choose an ingredient significant to their city that both teams must use in the next round, which calls for a handheld tailgate treat between two things, like a bun or tortillas. The challenge of the final round is a platter of meat and two tailgate sides.
A rotating panel of judges declare a winner after each round. "Top Chef" Season 16 champ Kelsey Barnard Clark and Ali Khan of "Spring Baking Championship" and "Cheap Eats" fame make the calls for the Green Bay episode.
“NFL Tailgate Takedown” airs at 8 p.m. Wednesdays on Food Network and streams on discovery+. Upcoming episodes:
Indianapolis Colts vs. Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High, Wednesday
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Jan. 18
Chicago Bears vs. New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium, Jan. 25
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Houston Texans at NRG Stadium, Feb. 8
Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 or kmeinert@greenbay.gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @KendraMeinert.
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This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: It's Packers vs. Bills on Food Network's new 'NFL Tailgate Takedown'
