Eat out to help fight hunger this month with FINNEGANS & Minnesota FoodShare

Chef Chris Oxley of McKinney Roe created this pork chop dish as part of the 2nd Annual FINNEGANS Chef Food Fight // Photo courtesy of FINNEGANS

FINNEGANS Brewing and Minnesota FoodShare have teamed up with eight Twin Cities restaurants to raise money and increase awareness about hunger in Minnesota through a friendly cooking competition—the 2nd Annual FINNEGANS Chef Food Fight.

In conjunction with Minnesota FoodShare’s March Hunger Awareness Campaign, chefs at the restaurants were given the challenge of developing a menu item that incorporates FINNEGANS beer (Irish Amber, Dead Irish Poet Stout, or Hoppy Shepherd) and selling it on their menus during March. A portion of the sales of each dish will be donated to Minnesota FoodShare’s campaign.

No #dinner plans? Check out our #ChefFoodfight at https://t.co/GCBqHfnFI8 & support @MNFoodShare as you dine out! Don’t forget to vote! pic.twitter.com/pFzNxgrPPz

— FINNEGANS (@FINNEGANS) March 2, 2017

But the challenge doesn’t stop there. Customers can vote for their favorite dish and the chefs behind the top five vote-getters will be invited to showcase their dish at the first Chef Food Fight Live at the Food Building on March 30. The event, which will benefit the FINNEGANS Community Fund, will gather 100+ local foodies and barstool philanthropists who will help crown the 2017 Chef Food Fight Champion. General admission tickets to the event are $50 and include samples of the five winning dishes, a pint of FINNEGANS beer, appetizers from Food Building residents Red Table Meats, Baker’s Field Flour, and The Draft Horse, and a donation to Minnesota FoodShare. VIP tickets are $100 and include all of the above, plus unlimited FINNEGANS beer and access to a VIP lounge.

The competing chefs and their dishes that incorporate FINNEGANS beer are:

Chef Sarah Master of Red Stag Supperclub – Irish Amber Steamed Mussels – FINNEGANS Irish Amber braised mussels, creme fraiche, tarragon, chili flake, grilled baguette.

Irish Amber Steamed Mussels at Red Stag Supperclub // Photo courtesy of FINNEGANS

Chef Vincent Francoual of Cooper Pub – Two Duck-In FINNEGANS – Two duck dishes with the breast roasted shine with honey-Dead Irish Poet glaze and the legs braised in Irish Amber. One served with bread beer and cheese gratin made with Baker Field’s Brioche, Hoppy Shepherd, and Lone Grazer North Eazy’s edge cheese, the other with bread beer cheese gratin made with Hoppy Shepherd and goodies from The Food Building.

Two Duck-In FINNEGANS at Cooper Pub // Photo courtesy of FINNEGANS

Chef Jose Sanchez of Morrissey’s Irish Pub – Dead Irish Poet Pot Roast Sandwich – Dead Irish Poet-braised pot roast sliced on a garlic toasted ciabatta roll. Served with homemade red onion jam, creamy Havarti cheese and a side of savory au jus. Served with your choice of sides.

Dead Irish Poet Pot Roast Sandwich at Morrissey’s Irish Pub // Photo courtesy of FINNEGANS

Chef Chris Oxley of McKinney Roe – FINNEGANS Duroc Pork Chops — Two Duroc pork chops, Dead Irish Poet simple syrup, and roast cauliflower puree, with grilled Yukon gold potatoes.

FINNEGANS Duroc Pork Chops at McKinney Roe // Photo courtesy of FINNEGANS

Chef Bobby Juhnke of The Nook – The Dirty Mike – The Nook’s signature chuck blend topped with grilled onions infused with Dead Irish Poet, Irish cheddar cheese, Blarney sauce (horseradish mayo), and grilled tomatoes served on a potato bread bun.

The Dirty Mike at The Nook // Photo courtesy of FINNEGANS

Chef John Lambe of The Draft Horse – MN Pot Pie – Minnesota braised lamb pot pie with Dead Irish Poet, rutabagas, seasonal vegetables, gravy.

MN Pot Pie at The Draft Horse // Photo courtesy of FINNEGANS

Chef Jeremy Lafond of Mission American Kitchen & Bar – FINNEGANS 3 Way – Pan seared halibut served with FINNEGANS braised Halibut Cheeks, topped with a FINNEGANS apple glaze, and served with FINNEGANS beer battered vegetables.

FINNEGANS 3 Way at Mission // Photo courtesy of FINNEGANS

Chef Chris Nelson of Crave – Corned Beer Sandwich – Corned beef and sauerkraut with melted Swiss topped with Dead Irish Poet Mustard on toasted Rye.

Corned Beer Sandwich at Crave // Photo courtesy of FINNEGANS

Learn more about the 2nd Annual FINNEGANS Chef Food Fight here.