I must admit I drooled a little when I saw the results of the 2015 Grilled Cheese Academy Recipe Showdown hosted by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and Wisconsin Cheese.
And I immediately put the recipe for the winning sandwich on my list of things to make for my next football extravaganza.
The winning sandwich is called "The Sports Bar." And it was created by Stefanie Abi-Rached and Chris Schaldenbrand of Santa Ana, Calif.
The Sports Bar is an amazing looking marriage between two sports bar favorites:
- shredded chicken smothered in a zesty BBQ sauce
- creamy gorgonzola fondue with gooey mozzarella
Matchstick carrots and celery add a crunchy texture, and crispy slices of mustard-coated bread add a final show-stopping element.
"The bar had gourmet hot wings to die for, and so after discussing a million ideas, protein options, cheeses and sauces, we decided nothing would be more true to ourselves than paying homage to football season and our favorite bar’s chicken wings," said Abi-Rached and Schaldenbrand.
A record-breaking 1,732 entries were submitted for the contest, which invited contestants from around the country to create the tastiest, most unique grilled Wisconsin Cheese sandwich. Entries were judged based on taste, creativity and sandwich photography, three top prizes were awarded, with the winning sandwich taking home a grand prize of $15,000.
Get the Recipe
Full recipes for all winning sandwiches are available for download in the Grilled Cheese Academy’s 2015 Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown Book of Champions.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
