Meet the most incredible tailgate chefs in Philadelphia

Fall Sundays are made for the quintessential Philadelphia sports experience — tailgate eating.

In the parking lot outside the Linc, where the Eagles play, fans pile in hours before kickoff dressed in custom Kelly green and black gear — everything from all-green sweatpant Philly tuxedos to Santa Claus-style overalls sporting giant throwback Eagles logo gold chains, painted faces, even green mohawks. Folks lounge on folding chairs nursing beverages, kids throw a football between corn hole tosses, and people cheer for the “jello man” slinging shots from his tricycle.

Despite the wild mix of people in one space, tailgating is a multi-generational tradition that breeds a tight-knit, loyal community. Friends and family gather around pickup trucks, RVs, and even Airstream trailers to eat everything from wings, mac ‘n cheese, and burgers to brisket and whole-roasted pigs. And everyone’s invited to the party, even first-time tailgaters. Just remember these tips: Wear Philly team colors, introduce yourself to other tailgaters, ask if you can join them, and don’t come empty-handed (pretzels, tomato pie, and ready-to-drink canned cocktails are popular choices).

So who’s devoted enough to wake up at the crack of dawn to barbecue for a crowd? Behind these parking lot parties are homegrown cooks who’ve been feeding fanatics every home game for years, even decades. While they may not be restaurant chefs, they certainly have earned professional cred with their menu preparation, technique, and execution.

We talked to tailgate cooks at WrestleMania 40 and at the Eagles’ victorious game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 3 to learn more about their fan-favorite dishes and what it takes to feed hungry crowds.

Delaware’s Ron Templeman is a veteran tailgater who’s cooked alongside chefs at Philadelphians’ favorite restaurants: Liberty Kitchen, Mike’s BBQ, and Bar Jawn to name a few. The 54-year-old Jabra sales leader is known as “Uncle Ron” around these parts, having spent 13 years competing and winning with his father’s barbecue team Pigheaded BBQ across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. He’s brought that competition experience to home game menus where flavor and simplicity — a flat-top grill and a few insulated coolers — are key.

“Tailgates are an expression of how we grew up [in South Philly] and of all the things I’ve learned [at BBQ competitions]: presenting to judges, having wild and well-executed dishes that blow people’s minds. You just bring that to a parking lot,” says Templeman.

His dishes also showcase regional purveyors and collaborators. Bacon mac ‘n cheese “BBQ fatties”, “Philly Special” steak sandwiches, salt-and-pepper Italian spareribs finished with Mike’s Hot Honey, Pat LaFrieda tomahawk steaks hand-etched with the Eagles logo (LaFrieda was Templeman’s college buddy), U.S. raised wagyu chuck and brisket burgers in collaboration with Farina di Vita topped with Fishtown Pickles, pimento cheese using New School American Cheese, and Jawndiments cherry pepper mayo on Huda milk buns, beef-pork blend smoked sausages with sharp provolone and long hot puree from Hoodoo Brown BBQ.

“Tailgating is more rewarding than people give it credit for. Everyone likes a show. So we give them a show with food,” says Templeman.

Two decades in, this “meat teacher” and barbecue-seasoning business owner from Medford Lakes is a tailgate pro. Matthew Groark, 46, has worked in restaurants since he was a teenager and has been a season ticket holder for the Eagles and Phillies since 2003, where he immediately took charge of family tailgates. Since then, his obsession for cooking over open fire has grown, with his menus catching attention online (he has 5-million-plus followers across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube), and competing against other professional chefs on Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef.

“I like doing stuff that most people don’t expect or ever have the chance to eat,” says Groark. At 2024’s Eagles home opener, he served a 13-pound A5 Japanese wagyu strip loin with caviar. Other social media menu hits include bacon-wrapped gator, pickled watermelon glazed ribs, and dry-rub elk ribs. “We try to hit people with the ‘wow factor’ [with] rare cuts of meat, huge roasts, and restaurant-style bites.”

His lot C6 tailgate partner Sean Holden serves up classic breakfast sandwiches on Sarcone’s Bakery rolls and smoked cheesesteaks with meat provided by Cosmi’s Deli. Friends and family join the assembly line and bring home-cooked trays of meatballs, sausage and peppers, and pasta. Tailgating here includes multiple television-filled tents, griddles, open fire pits, Eagles merch raffles, Garage Beer, and surprise visits from Jason Kelce.

South Jersey’s Steve Jones learned to cook with help from video tutorials, social media, Meathead, The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling cookbook, and local mentors like Matt Groark. His annual “Porktoberfest” backyard barbecue was a testing ground for temperature control and two-zone cooking. But he wanted to push himself beyond typical pulled pork and ribs. He was inspired by his past travels and “international potluck” dishes from foreign exchange students his family hosted to incorporate innovative flavors.

Dishes range from Texas-style brisket, pulled pork carnitas, chili-rubbed ribs with garlic, cumin, ancho, and guajillo chilis, Oktoberfest-themed “German BBQ Bites” (aka currywurst), and Cubano sandwiches with smoked and pulled mojo pork, smoked ham, and Cooper Sharp cheese inspired by the movie Chef.

So it’s no surprise his first public tailgate party as Tepig BBQ at WrestleMania 40 was a hit. But the all-weekend event required grilling and smoking prep, organizing Tupperware, packing up his Ooni pizza oven, Weber Charcoal grill rotisserie, tables, garbage bags, and brainstorming food puns and wrestler-related eats. Almost 50 fans enjoyed a feast including Brazilian wagyu picanha, porchetta, lamb racks, “faux Daddy Wings” a la Dominics Tavern (his favorite wing joint in South Jersey), and ground kangaroo and pork meatball pizza topped with Cooper Sharp cheese, garlic, cherry peppers, and chimichurri sauce for Australian WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley.

“I think the process and excitement of preparing everything helped bypass the anxiety of cooking for many people I never met,” says Jones, 37. “When someone takes a bite of my food and I see a surprised eyebrow raise or an approving head nod, that is the high I chase.”

Austin Sotoloff left the corporate sales world behind to party with the people. What started as cooking burgers and hot dogs with friends and family at The Linc’s parking lots turned into pre-game DJ sets.

“As the Eagles proceeded to dominate their 2017-2018 season, the tailgates ramped up and [we] quickly became the tailgate in lot G2 that everyone couldn’t stop talking about,” Sotoloff recalls.

A light bulb went off for the 32-year-old Northern Liberties entrepreneur. His music drew larger crowds and the food kept running out, so he expanded beyond DJ Smooth in 2022 to Smooth Event Group and partnered with Xfinity Live! to cater their tailgate parties.

Though he misses cooking, now Smooth Event Group hosts ticketed tailgate parties for large crowds at the turf field (and inside) at the Wells Fargo entrance at Xfinity Live! Their 2023 Super Bowl watch party sold close to 2,000 tickets in less than four days. People love eating brisket and mac and cheese (food and beverage packages include other comfort foods like pulled pork, barbecued chicken, and baked beans) and keep the party going with limited-edition Smooth Tea and Smooth Water Kelly-green non-carbonated canned vodka.

If you think tailgate eating is just about cheesesteaks or pretzels, think again. Tailgate cooks are creating original takes on street foods with chef-quality ingredients. Philadelphia sports fans may get a bad rep, but tailgaters exemplify the best in us when good food is on the line: generosity, hospitality, and camaraderie.