Editor’s note: This bonus content compliments this article first published in the summer edition of Beyond the Meeting Room, ALHI’s printed magazine, a luxury lifestyle publication focused on sharing compelling, inspirational and educational stories from beyond the four walls of a meeting room.

Game-day cuisine is getting an upgrade as chefs encourage revelers to raise the bar with creative touches. Here, four chefs from ALHI Member properties share recipes for unique dishes.

Carl's Fried Chicken and Waffles

Chef Carl Ashurst | Portola Hotel & Spa | Monterey, California

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon chicken seasoning
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon powdered onion
Salt
Pepper
½ cup corn starch
5 eggs
Whole chicken cut into pieces

Directions

  • In a large dish, combine 3 cups flour, 1 tbsp of chicken season, ½ teaspoon of powdered onion, salt, pepper, ½ cup of corn starch.
  • In another dish, whip 5 eggs and season with salt and pepper.
  • Marinate the chicken pieces in the egg mixture for 10 minutes, then transfer chicken into the dry-ingredients dish.
  • In a fryer, heat oil to 375° F.
  • Fry chicken pieces until golden brown.
  • Serve with your favorite waffles

Hot Chicken Sando

Chef Daniel Ontiveros | Flanker Kitchen
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino | Las Vegas, Nevada

Ingredients

For the chicken

4 ounces lightly pounded skinless chicken breast

For the whiskey buttermilk

1 quart buttermilk
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 ounces whiskey of your choice

For the breading

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Directions

  • Make whiskey buttermilk by combining buttermilk, kosher salt and whiskey in a bowl.
  • Lightly pound the chicken and marinate in the whiskey buttermilk for 2 hours.
  • In a mixing bowl combine breading ingredients: flour, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper.
  • Fill a medium-size pot about ¾ full with peanut oil and preheat to 325°-350° F.
  • Remove the chicken from the buttermilk.
  • Dredge chicken in seasoned flour and allow to sit for five minutes. This allows the dredge to dry up a bit, which creates a crisper final product.
  • Dredge the chicken one more time by dipping into buttermilk and then back into the seasoned flour.
  • Gently place the chicken into the fryer and cook to an internal temperature of 165° F.
  • Once the chicken is done, remove from the fryer and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes.
  • Assemble on bread or a bun with toppings such as slaw and bread and butter pickles

Short Rib Chili

Chef Ben Warden | Hotel Viata | Austin, Texas

Editor’s note: the next item has two recipes to go with this chili recipe

Ingredients

5 pounds boneless short ribs, cut into 3-inch pieces
2 medium yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons tomato paste
20 ounces stout beer
6 cups beef stock
2 ounces dark chocolate
½ cup masa harina

Directions

  • Season the short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large rondeau over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Sear the short ribs in batches until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
  • Turn the heat to medium then add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about an additional 15 to 20 seconds.
  • Stir in the paprika, cumin, oregano and cinnamon, then cook until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and the homemade chili paste mixture (see recipe). Return the short ribs to the pot and pour the beer and beef stock over the top.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil then turn down heat to low and cover, cooking until the short ribs are tender and easily pull apart, about 2½ to 3 hours. Stir in the chocolate until combined.
  • Ladle about 2 cups of the sauce into a small bowl and whisk in the masa harina.
  • Pour the mixture back into the pot and stir to combine and thicken the sauce. Use the back of the spoon to separate some of the pieces of the short rib - they should easily fall apart

Chili Paste

Ingredients

4 dried guajillo chiles
3 dried ancho chiles
5 dried arbol chiles

Directions

  • Remove all seeds and stems from the dried chiles.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat, then add the chiles and toast them, shaking the pan frequently until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes on each side. Be careful not to let them burn.
  • Place the chiles in a medium heatproof bowl and cover with 3 cups of boiling water and let sit until soft, about 20 minutes.
  • Remove the chiles from the water and add them to a blender, blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed

Twice-Stuffed Potato Skins

Chef Kyle Johnson | Strip Steak
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino | Las Vegas, Nevada

Editor’s note: the next item has three recipes to go with this recipe

Ingredients

4 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved
2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to season 
2 pounds butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 
½ cup half and half
¼ cup sour cream

Directions

  • Bake potatoes at 350° F.
  • Once cooked, cut potatoes in half and scoop out the insides, leaving a small amount of the flesh behind, essentially making the skins.
  • Save the pulped potato and add butter, sour cream and half-and-half to make a potato puree (keep warm).
  • Deep fry the skins until golden brown.
  • Place the potato puree inside the fried potato skins.
  • Add warm bacon marmalade (see recipe).
  • Top with three-cheese espuma (see recipe).
  • Garnish with chives or green onions

Warm Bacon Marmalade

Ingredients

1 kilogram bacon
800 grams light brown sugar
200 grams Colemans mustard powder
200 grams salt
120 grams black pepper
1 liter sherry vinegar
½ liter E&J brandy
170 grams bacon fat

Directions

  • Cook bacon until crispy, reserve bacon fat.
  • Place bacon in robot coupe and pulse into rough chop.
  • Place all ingredients, minus the chopped bacon and bacon fat, in a pot and reduce to nape.
  • Once you achieve correct consistency, add the bacon fat. Emulsify bacon fat with marmalade.
  • Add the chopped bacon and mix thoroughly.
  • Cool, label and date.

Three-Cheese Espuma

(Makes 3.5 Quarts)

Ingredients

1200 grams milk
1600 grams Grafton white cheddar
150 grams Velveeta
150 grams blue cheese
6 grams xanthan gum
6 grams kosher salt

Directions

  • Scald milk in heavy-bottom sauce pot. Once milk comes up, turn off burner.
  • Add all three cheeses and whisk until cheese is thoroughly melted.
  • Add xanthan gum and salt. Transfer small batches into a Vitamix and blend on high.
  • Place 1 quart of cheese sauce in iSi canister and charge twice with NO2. Keep canister warm during service