The chefs who power the Eagles’ nutritional regimen

Posted 11/6/19

(From left) Eagles chef Tim Lopez, food service director Eric Montijo and exec chef James Sirles. by April Lisante For pretty much the entire Eagles season, I have been trying to figure out what …

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The chefs who power the Eagles’ nutritional regimen

Posted

(From left) Eagles chef Tim Lopez, food service director Eric Montijo and exec chef James Sirles.

by April Lisante

For pretty much the entire Eagles season, I have been trying to figure out what would be a fun food story to write.

I thought about tailgating tips, party spread ideas and even fun, green-themed cocktails.

But then I remembered that many years ago, one of my most memorable Eagles food stories came straight from Donovan McNabb’s mother. A mac and cheese maven, Wilma McNabb shared her recipe with me and talked about times when her little Donovan loved to scarf up the whole casserole dish.

That got me thinking: Why not go straight to the source for Eagles food inspiration? So I headed out to see the chefs who feed them week in and week out during the season.

It had been years since I had reported a story from the plush digs of their practice facility Novacare, which sits just a stone’s throw from Lincoln Financial Field off Pattison Avenue and Broad Street. I arrived in the cafeteria just after lunch one day this week. While Wentz ran plays in the field outside the windows, I sat down with the three chefs who comprise some of the “special teams” cafeteria operation that feeds all the players, coaches, employees and guests three meals a day, seven days a week.

Chef Tim Lopez is the brains behind the breakfasts, lunches and even a food Podcast he’s been doing since 2017, which features Eagles players who dish about their favorite meals all season long.

James Sirles is the executive chef who masterminds food orders, gourmet cooking, weekly patio barbecues for the players, and a meal special each week based on a player’s special request.

And Eric Montijo is the food service director who works to bring in locally sourced, organic foods, and keeps players on track with nutritional and dietary meals.

Together, the three work around the clock to keep up with some big appetites, cook up nonstop requests, and run a gourmet cafeteria.

“I‘ve been an Eagles fan my whole life,” said Sirles. “To be able to cook for them and see them every day is a dream come true. It’s a dream job.”

To keep the cafeteria running like clockwork, Sirles and Montijo are tasked with some heavy duty ordering from purveyors. Montijo deals with local farms for produce, and even a local butcher, Primal Supply Meats Butcher Shop, which is based in South Philly.

“Local sourcing is important, and we go more toward organic and local,” Montijo said.

Each day, the chefs tear through 350 eggs and 30 pounds of breakfast meat, 60 pounds of chicken, 50 pounds of beef, 80 pounds of fresh fruit and about 120 pounds of vegetables. Since training camp began this past summer, they’ve served up 6,200 pounds of salmon.

“Salmon is a big one,” said Montijo.

That’s because the players are on clean eating diets, or strategic nutritional plans. There is a clean eating station in the cafeteria, with the inspirational motto looming on an LCD screen “Train Dirty, Eat Clean.” Some of quarterback Carson Wentz’s favorite meals involve game meat like bison or wild boar, which get served up on Wednesdays on the practice field patio, barbecue style. Elk, ostrich and lamb are also on the game meats list.

“It’s leaner and high in protein,” explained Sirles.

But that doesn’t mean it’s all grilled chicken and veggies all the time.

The chefs take pride in a few of their more inventive cafeteria hacks each week, like the “Devour the Competition” themed meal. On a Monday or Tuesday prior to the next big game, Lopez chooses a meal indigenous to the opponent’s city, then researches exactly how to prepare it for a lunch special.

Last week, it was Chicago Dogs, a bizarre hotdog concoction served on a poppy seed bun, topped with sport peppers, emerald relish, onion, yellow mustard and celery seed.

“The meals change every week. We have a recipe book with 32 recipes based on who is playing,” said Lopez. “When we played Texas we did red chili, and we are going to do smoked brisket. It gets everyone in the mood to take on an opponent.”

And each week, chefs randomly pull a player’s name from a hat, then approach him to ask for a signature meal they can feature. Dubbed the “Player Spotlight,” chefs cook up the meal on Tuesdays. It typically ends up being a meal mom used to make, or a meal they loved in a restaurant.

Recently, wide receiver Alshon Jeffery requested the chefs try to recreate a lasagna he had at a neighbor’s house. Somehow chefs pulled it off. Defensive end Brandon Graham asked for grilled oysters topped with clarified butter and Pecorino Romano cheese. When they served the meal, chefs posted an LCD sign beside it that read: Why did you pick this meal?

“Because it is so damn good” was Graham’s response.

“It turns into a competition of whose meal was better,” said Sirles.

“Players ask us ‘When are you going to pick me?’ “Lopez added.

Cuban sandwich

Miami Dolphins week Cuban sandwich

Ingredients

Citrus garlic marinade for Pork

2 2/3 cups lime juice

1 1/3 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 heads garlic, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

2 onions, cut into rings

6 to 8 pounds boneless pork shoulder butt

Kosher Salt

Preparation

Combine all marinade ingredients and marinate pork shoulder overnight. Roast pork shoulder at 325 F until juices run clear and internal temperature is at a minimum of 155 F. Allow pork to rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Ingredients for Sandwich

1 loaf Cuban bread, sliced lengthwise

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons yellow mustard, or to taste

1 1/2 pounds boiled ham, sliced

1 1/2 pounds roasted pork, sliced

1 pound Swiss cheese, sliced

1 cup dill pickle chips, or to taste

Final Preparation

Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter on one half of the bread loaf and a thin layer of mustard on the other. Place 1 to 2 layers of ham, pork, cheese, and, finally, pickles on the buttered bread and top with the mustard-spread bread.

Smear the remaining butter all over the outside of the sandwich.

Heat the panini press to high and close the lid. Wait at least 15 minutes before lowering the heat to medium-high and continuing.

Before grilling the sandwich, press down on it with your hands to flatten it. Place the flattened sandwich on the press and Close the lid. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove the sandwich from the press and cut at an angle into small sandwich wedges.

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