Baseball season is officially upon us. Aside from baseball that means concessions. Vendors. Food. Mmm, food.
Over at Yankee Stadium in New York, they’re serving a whole lot more than just hot dogs this year!
Yankee Stadium Executive Chef Speaks Out
Yankee Stadium has a new Executive Chef for the 2024 season. His name is Robert Flowers.
Flowers and his team have designed a unique menu for Yankees fans to enjoy while they watch their favorite team play baseball.
“You need the basics, of course, when you come to a ballgame. We’re always going to be selling hotdogs and chicken tenders and fries,” Chef Flowers told Audacy as he previewed the stadium’s concessions. “When you come to the ballpark it’s no longer just about the people on the field, it’s also about the people in the concession stands making great food.”
“We want to upscale it a little bit to bring us to 2024,” Flowers later added to MLB.com. “The selections you get to choose from are not just the hot dogs.”
The menu items are making their debut today during the Yankees’ home opener against the Blue Jays. The game starts at 1:05 PM. New and returning vendors at the iconic stadium include Chef Christian Petroni, Bobby Flay’s “Bobby’s Burgers,” Lobel’s, Fuku and even Mister Softee.
Chef Petroni
Chef Petroni is a Bronx native. He regularly appears on The Food Network. And this year, he’s bringing his delicious meatballs and cheesy garlic bread to Yankee Stadium straightaway.
“I grew up down the street from Yankees stadium and to be back in the Bronx, and out of all places Yankees stadium, it blows my mind,” Petroni explained. “When I got invited back I said, ‘Yo, I’d love to fry my mom’s meatballs in extra virgin olive oil, the way that I used to like them,’ and that’s how I prepare them here.”
Petroni uses a recipe inspired by his mother. It involves frying the meatballs in extra virgin olive oil and creating cheesy garlic bread that is “nona-level.”
“I get to put out cheesy garlic bread with bread that’s from the Bronx, garlic butter that we’re making ourselves at the stadium, real parmigiana, and Sicilian oregano,” Petroni states.
Related: Yankees GM Brian Cashman Answers Critics: “I Think We’re Pretty F***ing Good”
Other Dining Options
99 Burger is enjoying its second season at Yankee Stadium. Accordingly, it features a burger named after Yankees player and team captain Aaron Judge that has to be seen to be believed.
The burger is described as “two 4-ounce American Wagyu beef patties with American cheese, caramelized onions, secret sauce, a brioche bun and dill pickles.” It is available in Section 107 at the stadium.
Executive Chef Flowers’ personal favorite dining item at Yankee Stadium is the Porchetta Sandwich, which is served at the City Winery in Section 105. This sandwich features porchetta, broccoli rabe, provolone, Calabrian aioli, arugula and a brioche bun.
“It’s over the top — perfect,” Flowers gushes.
Vegetarian Option
As for vegetarians, there’s The Sweet Spot Bowl. This item “contains sweet plantains, rice and black beans, pickled onions, cilantro sauce and Melinda’s Hot Sauce.”
In the end, Chef Flowers believes that there is undeniably something for everyone to enjoy when it comes to dining at Yankee Stadium.
“You are coming for the experience. That’s the thing,” Flowers said. “When you bring your family to the ballpark — the lasting memories that you have when you come here — we want [you] to capitalize on it with the food.”
If you find yourself in the New York area in the next few months, be sure to head to Yankee Stadium to enjoy a game and check out some of these dining options. You won’t be disappointed!
