On Super Bowl Sunday, doors opened at 1:00 p.m. at the Bullseye Event Group’s exclusive Players Tailgate before the big game. The event hosts over 50 active NFL players, past NFL players, celebrities, chefs, and musicians for an incredible pre-game experience. Located conveniently five blocks from Bourbon Street and five blocks from Caesars Superdome, the Tailgate is a prime location for a star-studded pre-game party.
This year the tailgate was hosted by Sage Steele, a broadcaster and show host. Steele has covered hundreds of sports events through her career including previous Superbowls. The tailgate also featured a live performance by DJ Irie, open bars, and all-you-can-eat gourmet dishes. DJ Irie is considered the first professional sports franchise DJ in the United States as well as the official DJ of brands in the world, such as Carnival Cruise Lines, the Miami Heat, and Target. Back in 2018 DJ Irie was given the title “The Official DJ” of the Players Tailgate and has held it until today, eight years later.
Celebrity host chefs included the praised Marcus Samuelsson, Marc Murphy, and Aaron May. Marcus Samuelsson is an Ethiopian-Swedish chef, restaurateur, and author with many cooking awards under his belt. Chef Marcus had the honor of becoming the youngest chef to receive a three-star review from The New York Times alongside his multiple James Beard Awards. He is also a TV personality, appearing on shows like Top Chef Masters and Chopped.
Chef, restaurateur, and television personality Marc Murphy has made a name for himself inside and outside of the kitchen with his exquisite dishes and his philanthropic work. Born in Italy, Chef Marc focuses his talents on French and Italian cuisine. He has been featured many times on Food Network shows like Chopped, Iron Chef America, and Beat Bobby Flay. We absolutely loved his “Ditch” Dog with Brave Sauce. The bite size hot dog was covered in gooey mac and cheese and became our winning food for the day.
A returning member of five years at The Players Tailgate, Chef Aaron, shows off his culinary skills as a Paris trained chef. Chef Aaron has been featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and TLC’s Best Food Ever. He’s currently the executive chef and culinary director at Bullseye Event Group, where he cooks up greatness at sports and music events around the globe.
Fifteen other award-winning chefs were included in the event, supplying endless plates of savory bites. Each chef brought tastes from their favorite specialty cuisines to the Players Tailgate where eighteen delicious food options were up for grabs for everyone in attendance. We really enjoyed the 10/10 Burger. All of its ingredients went together perfectly and the 10/10 sauce topped it all off making for a fantastic burger.
The 2025 menu included:
Marcus Samuelsson: M’s Miso Chicken & Caviar
Marc Murphy: “Ditch” Dog with Brave Sauce Co.
Ilan Hall: New School Chopped Cheese Pani Puri, Japanese Curry Special Sauce
Eric Greenspan: New School American Grilled Cheese on Japanese Milk Bread
Ken Oringer: BBQ Oysters with La Belle Farms Foie Gras and Kabayaki
Damaris Phillips & Aarti Sequeira: South Meets South Muffuletta
Alon Shaya: Lamb Ragu with Hummus and Pita
Josh Capon: New England Lobster Roll, Main Lobster, Buttered Bun, Tarragon & Lemon
Esther Choi: Bulgogi Steamed Buns with Cucumber Kimchi
Burt Bakman & Yeastie Boys: Yeastie Boys Bagel with Smoked Pastrami and Cajun 1000 Island Dressing
Catherine McCord: Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Leah Cohen: Chicken Satay Roti with Peanut Sauce and Pickles
10/10 Burger: The 10/10 Burger with Smashed Patty, Toasted Potato Bun, Pickles, Grilled Onions, American Cheese and 10/10 Sauce
Kelsey Murphy: Ortega Al Pastor Taco
Leonard Botello & Heavy Handed: Bacon-wrapped Truth Pepper Jack Link with Grilled Onions and Serrano
Stan Hays & Operation BBQ Relief: KC Style Pork Ribs with Cheese Corn
Gerald Sombright: “Toasted” Ravioli, Parmesan, Provolone, Smoke, Truffle
Oyster XO: Fresh Shucked Oysters with Traditional Accoutrement
Words by Emily Cigan @emily.cigan and Amy Harris @thetraveladdictig