Let’s be honest: the Super Bowl is great, but the real MVP is the food. Whether you’re in it for the touchdowns or just the tasty bites, game day calls for a spread that satisfies from kickoff to the final whistle. To help you serve up a feast as thrilling as the action on the field, we recruited two top Toronto chefs to share dishes inspired by this year’s competing teams. Game on.
Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Kriss
Michelin-starred chef Patrick Kriss may be best known for fine dining, but come Super Bowl Sunday, he’s all about bold, comforting flavours. For the past four years, his fast-casual spot, Aloette Go, has been serving up Super Bowl bundles that offer chef-driven takes on the unfussy eats that game day demands.
“I’ve always been a big fan of the game and our Super Bowl menu reflects the kind of food we want to eat while watching it,” says Kriss.
Patrick Kriss’s Super Bowl menu
The main dish
For the main event, Kriss gives Aloette Go’s spicy chicken sandwich a Kansas City-inspired twist. The dish sees crispy buttermilk-fried chicken tucked into a soft brioche bun and stacked with shredded lettuce plus a slathering of condiments.
“I focused on colour as a key theme,” says Kriss. Taking cues from the Kansas City Chiefs’ logo, the sandwich’s layer of Swiss cheese nods to the white arrowhead while paprika seasoning and hot sauce bring in the bright red backdrop.
To make it at home, Kriss recommends sourcing high-quality chicken thighs from a local butcher and prepping components like the sauces and seasoning the night before. “Letting the flavours meld overnight makes a big difference,” he says. Best of all, it means you can be on the couch instead of stuck in the kitchen when kickoff rolls around.
The sides
“You can’t go wrong with fries or tots, plus a creamy side for dipping,” says Kriss. “It offers a crispy contrast to the juicy, spicy chicken, while a creamy dip adds richness to balance the heat.” Kick things up a notch by piling the fries high with all your favourite loaded toppings.
To introduce a fresh element to the table, he suggests a wedge salad finished with a zippy blue cheese dressing, crumbled bacon and toasted nuts. “Its mix of creamy, crunchy and nutty elements counterbalances the savoury flavours of the sandwich,” he says.
Every winning game plan includes a sweet play. Kriss recommends taking a cue from Aloette Go’s brown butter s’mores cookie, packed with marshmallows and a mix of dark and white chocolate chips.
“S’mores cookies bring warmth and just the right amount of indulgence without feeling too heavy,” he says. “That gooey marshmallow, rich chocolate and a buttery cookie base is the perfect balance of sweetness and nostalgia.”
The drinks
Kriss suggests keeping it simple when it comes to drinks. “You can never go wrong with a classic Coke or Sprite,” he says. “If you’re looking for something for the grown-ups, a crisp lager or a clean Pilsner pairs well with the spice.”
Recipe: Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Yield: 8 sandwiches
Chef Tip: For the best results, brine the chicken for up to 24 hours. In a pinch, 2 hours will do. To save time on game day, prepare the sauces, breading, seasoning and garnishes the day before.
Ingredients
For Assembling the Sandwiches
● 8 brioche buns (or your favourite hamburger bun)
● Thinly sliced iceberg lettuce (as much as you’d like)
● 8 slices Swiss cheese
● 16 slices dill pickle
● 4 litres vegetable oil (for frying)
Seasoning Mix
● 50 g paprika
● 20 g salt
● 10 g black pepper (about 30 cracks)
● 10 g onion powder
● 10 g garlic powder
Mayo Sauce
● 500 g mayonnaise
● 30 g ketchup
● 5 g Tabasco
● 20 g Seasoning Mix
● 10 g water (to help mix)
Hot Sauce
● 200 g sambal
● 50 g ketchup
● 80 g vegetable oil
● 15 g garlic paste
● 100 g white wine vinegar
● 5 g salt
● 30 g Tabasco
Breading
● 1 kg all-purpose flour
● 40 g Seasoning Mix
Brine
● 8 large boneless chicken thighs (roughly 1 kg)
● 1 L buttermilk
● 40 g Seasoning Mix
Method
1. To make mayo sauce, using a mixer or whisk, mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Store in the fridge.
2. To make seasoning mix, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well-blended.
3. To make hot sauce, using a mixer or whisk, mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Store at room temperature until ready to use.
4. To make breading, whisk together the ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer to a baking dish and store at room temperature until ready to dredge the chicken.
5. To make brine, whisk together the buttermilk and seasoning mix. Add the chicken thighs, ensuring they are fully coated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to fry.
6. One hour before frying, heat the oil to 350°F (175° C) in a large pot or deep fryer.
7. Remove the chicken from the brine and coat thoroughly in the breading mixture. Do not press the flour into the chicken — just ensure it’s evenly coated, with no wet spots visible.
8. Place the breaded chicken on a baking tray and let it rest for up to 10 minutes before frying.
9. Carefully lower the chicken into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the fryer; cook in batches of four pieces at a time, if necessary. Fry for 6—7 minutes, or until crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75° C).
10. Transfer to a wire rack for 30 seconds to allow excess oil to drain.
11. Working with one piece at a time, place the fried chicken thighs in a bowl and toss with hot sauce. Immediately top with a slice of Swiss cheese so it begins to melt.
12. Lay out the buns and spread mayo sauce generously on both the top and bottom buns.
13. Add thinly sliced iceberg lettuce to the bottom bun. Place the sauce-coated chicken thigh with melted Swiss on top.
14. Finish with two dill pickle slices, crossed over each other.
15. Cap it with the top bun and serve immediately.
Philadelphia Eagles: Coulson Armstrong
For Coulson Armstrong, culinary director of Our House H.C., the restaurant group behind Matty Matheson’s restaurants, the best part of Super Bowl Sunday isn’t just the football — it’s the energy of a full house, delicious food and a crowd that’s ready to celebrate. “People really go all in on it, which is so fun,” he says.
Rather than setting out everything before kickoff, he suggests coursing your dishes throughout the game with one for each quarter. “If you pace your meal out, you get a whole experience of being excited about the dish you’re eating and then also looking forward to the next one,” he says
Coulson Armstrong’s Super Bowl menu
The main dish
The centrepiece of Armstrong’s menu is a seven-layer dip reimagined with Philly cheesesteak flavours. This version channels the iconic sandwich with thinly sliced rib-eye steak, a queso blanco cheese blend and sautéed onions. “You bake the whole thing and it gets ooey-gooey and satisfying,” he says.
Toasted hoagie bun pieces replace tortilla chips, offering the perfect bite-sized way to dive into the cheesy dip. To add some variety, the platter also features celery sticks for a fresh crunch and soft pretzels for a salty nibble.
The sides
Armstrong draws inspiration from Philly’s large Italian community for the addition of a game-day staple: mozzarella sticks. While frozen ones work in a pinch, making them from scratch takes the flavour to the next level. It’s a dish he and his team have mastered at Rizzo’s House of Parm. “It’s about getting the right mozzarella with the right amount of fat content, which is about 30 per cent,” he says. The cheese gets coated in panko seasoned with oregano and paprika, then deep-fried until crisp and golden.
Armstrong also recommends serving baked or fried chicken wings for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. To bring some extra zing to the spread, he tosses them in a honey-garlic and lemon-pepper marinade, which adds brightness, sweetness and a touch of heat. “It’s super refreshing and you get a little kick of spice from the pepper,” he says.
To balance out all the savoury bites, Armstrong suggests adding cannolis to the mix as another homage to Philly’s Italian influence. “You just buy the shells, make your chocolate mousse and pipe it in,” he says. A finishing sprinkle of hazelnuts brings a subtle nuttiness that complements the sweet filling.
The drinks
A great game-day lineup isn’t complete without the right drinks. A Yuengling lager and a Jim Beam shot are Armstrong’s drinks of choice. “I’d go with Yuengling lager, which is the oldest brewery in America, and it’s produced near Philly,” he says. For a more local option, try Waterloo Brewing’s Brick Amber Lager paired with Canadian Club. “There’s nothing more football than a beer and a shot,” he says.
Recipe: Philly Cheesesteak 7-Layer Queso Dip
Chef Tip: Prepare the dip the day before and bake fresh on game day.
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients
Queso Blanco
● 1 pound American cheese (a mix of Monterey Jack and white cheddar), divided
● 1 cup (250 mL) whole milk (3%)
● 1 tbsp butter
● 1 tsp onion powder
● 2 tbsp green hot sauce
● 1 tsp kosher salt
● ½ lime
7-Layer Dip
● ½ cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
● 2 tbsp kosher salt
● 2 tbsp black pepper
● 3 tbsp butter
● 1½ yellow onions, medium diced
● 1 cup (250 mL) green peppers, medium diced
● 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
● 2 pounds rib-eye steak, sliced super thin and finely diced
● ½ cup pickled jalapenos, diced
● ½ lime
Dippers
● 3 hoagie buns
● 2 baked pretzels
● 3 cups celery sticks
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190° C).
2. To make queso blanco, in a saucepan, warm the milk and butter over medium heat until small bubbles form. Reserve ¼ cup grated American cheese, then whisk in remaining cheese, stirring until fully melted. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the onion powder, green hot sauce and salt. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice and set aside.
3. Dice all vegetables and thinly slice the rib-eye steak.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions for about 10 minutes until translucent.
5. Add butter and cook until the onions turn light brown.
6. Add the green peppers, mushrooms and steak, cooking until the steak is browned and the vegetables are tender.
7. Stir in the pickled jalapenos and finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
8. In an oven-safe casserole dish, layer half of the queso blanco, all of the seasoned steak, cooked vegetables, then pickled jalapenos. Top with remaining queso blanco. Sprinkle remaining grated American cheese over top.
9. Bake dip for 15 minutes.
10. Switch the oven to high broil and broil until the cheese is bubbling and caramelized, about 2—3 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven and let the dip rest for 12—15 minutes before serving.
12. While the dip is baking, toast the hoagie buns whole and warm the pretzels in the oven.
13. Tear the hoagie buns into bite-sized pieces for dipping.
14. Cut celery into sticks and serve chilled.
15. Serve dip warm with toasted hoagie pieces, pretzels and celery sticks.
