‘Top Chef’ and ‘Chopped’ stars to tailgate at this Bay Area Super Bowl LX bash
On Super Bowl Sunday, a huge tailgate party featuring celebrity chefs will take place just a 15-minute walk away from Levi’s Stadium.
That’s right: You have 15 minutes to walk off all the calories delivered in tasty-treat form by the likes of Aarón Sanchez (“Chopped”), Kelsey Murphy (“MasterChef”) and Shota Nakajima (“Top Chef”).
It’s called the Players Tailgate, and its organizers at the Indianapolis-based Bullseye Event Group – an NFL-franchise partner that specializes in VIP tailgates — are billing it as the “culinary Super Bowl before the Super Bowl.”
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 8 at a yet-to-be-determined address within walking distance of the stadium. Admission costs $1,065 for adults and $550 for ages 15 and under, with options to book a 6- or 12-person cabana for a group. Super Bowl tickets are not required for entry, and parking is not included in admission.
Previous Players Tailgates have attracted not just chefs but sports celebs. Players who attended 2025’s party in New Orleans included Deebo Samuel, Tyreek Hill and Kendre Miller. The emcee for this year’s tailgate in Santa Clara is Nate Burleson, co-host of “CBS Mornings,” and tunes will come from DJ Irie, who happens to perform quite a bit with Jamie Foxx.
Here is a list from Players Tailgate of the food-industry stars participating in the 2026 bash. For more info and tickets, visit bullseyeeventgroup.com.
Tristen Epps, recent champion of “Top Chef” and James Beard semifinalist
Chris Cosentino, award-winning chef, author, and champion of whole-animal cooking
Aarón Sanchez, award-winning executive chef and part-owner of Johnny Sánchez, judge on Food Network’s “Chopped”
Aaron May, renowned chef and restaurateur recognized for bold flavors and crowd-pleasing dishes
Marc Murphy, widely respected chef, restaurateur, and television personality
Kelsey Murphy, celebrated chef and winner of “MasterChef”
Shota Nakajima, three-time James Beard nominee and owner of Empathie
Josh Capon, experienced chef and co-founder of VCR Group
Adam Sobel, culinary innovator and owner of the hospitality company, AETHER GROUP
Catherine McCord, founder of Weelicious and co-founder of One Potato
Leah Cohen, acclaimed chef and owner of Pig & Khao and Piggyback NYC
Damaris Phillips, chef, television personality, and expert in Southern-inspired cuisine