Top Area Chefs, Brew Masters and Mixologists Delivered Their A-Game of Winning Recipes

The RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Annual Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase Presented by Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC) and CP Group
Brimmed with “Creative Tasty Takes” on Tailgate

Boca Raton, FL – Dressed in their alma mater or favorite college team’s colors,
300+ culinary cheering squad of residents, civic and business leaders enjoyed bold creative takes on tailgate classics served up by popular chefs, brew masters and mixologists. The friendly competition at the Annual RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase Presented by Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC) and CP Group kicked off a robust wave of Palm Beach County pride for the eighth annual college bowl championship game set for Saturday, December 18 at FAU Stadium while raising enough funds to fulfill 500 wishes for Spirit of Giving’s Annual Holiday Gift Drive.

The palate-pleasing event held at BRiC featured several returning contenders and several first-timers. Samplings ranged from appetizers and entrees to beverages and desserts. Validating that football, beer and cocktails remains a natural team-up, a roster of craft breweries and refreshing mixology blends were sampled as well.

Chef, brew masters and mixologists each presented their signature dishes and libations to a panel of expert foodie media and bloggers while guests casted their votes for the “People’s Choice” winner.
At the judges table were:

Michael Mayo: Chief Judge, veteran journalist and former Sun Sentinel dining critic and food writer on “The Eat Beat” who co-founded and still administers the 60,000-member “Let’s Eat, South Florida” Facebook group.
Jan Norris: Veteran journalist, former food editor for The Palm Beach Post, contributing columnist for The Coastal Star, and freelance writer for several Florida food and travel publications.
Deby Goldfarb: Founder/Editor Stepping Out Florida website, Restaurant writer for Simply the Best magazine, Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Chair 2021-2022.
Cary Roman: CEO, LivingFLA.com and Founder, TheGourmetClub Florida Events
Christie Galeano-DeMott: Food Editor, Boca Raton Magazine and Delray Magazine
Ashlee Dietrich representing bowl title sponsor RoofClaim.com

And the 2021Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase winners are…

While the real winners are always the children benefitting from Spirit of Giving’s Annual Holiday Gift Drive, the victors who spent the last few weeks creating their winning cookery and beverage blends included:

Grand Champion: FAU Dining Services
Best Beverage: Barrel of Monks
People’s Choice: Copperfish Kitchen

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Most Spirited Player: St. Andrews Country Club, Chef Antonio Campolio
Most Creative Cuisine: The Boca Raton, Executive Chef Andrew Roenbeck, Ancho Citrus Shredded Beef, Sweet Plantain Cake, Cotija, Avocado, Crisp Yucca paired with Roasted Cauliflower Tinga, Cotija, Avocado Pico, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.
Best Chicken Dish: St. Andrews Country Club, Chef Antonio Campolio,
Buffalo Chicken Salad in Toasted Pretzel Bun
Most Decadent Dish: Boca Lago Golf & Country Club, Executive Chef Richard Kurian,
Duck & Sausage Chili
Best Seafood Dish: Copperfish Kitchen, Executive Chef Richard Goodman,
Copperfish Kitchen’s Signature Crab Cakes
Best BBQ: Ceasar’s Famous Ribs, Chef Bill Ceasar, Pulled Pork and Jerk Ribs

Best Burger: M.E.A.T. Eatery & Taproom, Chef George Patti, Chorizo Sliders
Best in Bowl: Bolay Bold Fresh Kitchen, Teriyaki Chicken with Kale Yeah Salad with
Jasmine Rice topped with Chimichurri Tomato
Top Tacos: Duffy’s Sports Grill, New Menu Tacos: Grilled Mahi Mahi Taco and Garlic Sauteed Shrimp Taco served up with its Fanken-tini
Best Comfort Food: FAU Dining Services, Chef Cristiane Brito, Chili-stuffed Cornbread
Best in Pastry: La Boulangerie Boul’Mich, Mini Croissants Selection: Nutella, Dulce de Leche, Guava and Cheese, Plain with Sweet Glaze.
The Ultimate Dippers: The Melting Pot, Cheese Fondue and Hand-dipped Strawberries.

And the 2021 RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl crafts and cocktails awards went to…

Most Creative Crafts: Barrel of Monks Brewing, Brewmaster Kevin Abbott, The Wizard White Ale,

Single in Havana Blonde Ale w/Guava, Witty in Pink Raspberry White Ale and Sweet & Salty Stout with Maple Syrup & Sea Salt.

Best Beer Blend: Due South Brewery, Brewmaster Doug Fairall, Mexican Standoff” The beer version of mule, with a little kick! It’s Due South’s strong porter with vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon, and habanero peppers added.
Top Tailgate Quencher: Deep Eddy Vodka: Electric Lemonade; made with Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka and Texas Tea; made with Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka and Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka.
Tastiest Tequila: CHIDO

“It’s fantastic to see the community come together and support all of the local businesses who participate in this event and raise funds for Spirit of Giving’s Annual Holiday Gift Drive. Every chef outdid themselves with their creative food and beverage items,” said Doug Mosley, executive director of the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl, one of the postseason college bowl games in the country and the only one hosted in Palm Beach County. “A big thank you to Boca Raton Innovation Campus, as well, for hosting us at its beautiful property.”

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According to Mosley, this year’s eighth annual bowl game will kick off in the Florida sunshine on Saturday, December 18 at 11 a.m. ET at FAU Stadium and will broadcast live nationally on ESPN television and radio, and locally on ESPN 106.3 FM. The bowl has conference tie-ins with teams from Group of 5 conferences – Sun Belt Conference, Mountain West, Conference USA, American Athletic Conference, Mid-American Athletic Conference – plus Independents Army and Liberty.

Featuring all the pomp and circumstance of traditional bowl events, the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl is a high-energy, entertaining experience for both college football fans and non-fans alike and allows the national spotlight to shine on Boca Raton and Palm Beach County. The event has become a celebrated annual holiday tradition in Boca Raton and Palm Beach County as it lives up to its other name, “Boca’s Biggest Annual Outdoor Party”. Bowl week activities will begin on Tuesday, December 14 with the arrival of the participating teams; days, times and sites for the team welcome parties, beach parties, luncheon, pep rallies and other bowl week activities will be released at a later date. For more information about the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl visit RoofClaimBocaRatonBowl.com or follow through social media on Facebook (Facebook.com/BocaBowl), Twitter (@BocaBowl), and Instagram (@BocaBowl).

More About the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl

The Roofclaim.com Boca Raton Bowl is one of 17 bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events, a division of ESPN. The RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl debuted in 2014 and has been well received in the community through its first seven years. It has twice held the distinction of matching up two conference champions – Marshall University vs. Northern Illinois University (2014), and UAB vs. Northern Illinois (2018). In all, six conference champions and another three conference division champions have played in the game. Among the bowl’s alumni who have moved on to the NFL are current New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (BYU, 2020), Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary (FAU, 2017) and Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott (Memphis, 2016). For more information about the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl visit RoofClaimBocaRatonBowl.com or follow through social media on Facebook (Facebook.com/BocaBowl), Twitter (@BocaBowl), and Instagram (@BocaBowl).

About ESPN Events

ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of 34 collegiate sporting events nationwide. The roster includes five early-season college football games, 17 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events and a college softball event, which accounts for approximately 400 hours of live programming, reaches nearly 64 million viewers and attracts over 800,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in more than 10 markets across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans. For more information, visit the official website, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube pages.

About BRiC
Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC) is the largest single facility office building in Florida at 1.7 million square feet. Designed by iconic Brutalist architect Marcel Breuer, the campus was originally built in 1969 for IBM and is home to the invention of the first personal computer. The campus was acquired by CP Group, formerly Crocker Partners, in 2018 with the vision of transforming BRiC into the technology and life sciences hub for the Southeastern United States with unparalleled amenities. An ideal landing spot for companies with large footprints, BRiC is currently home to 18 national headquarters and 19 regional offices including Boca Regional Hospital, Kroger, Modernizing Medicine, and Canon. Learn more at workatBRiC.com.