USA. Global restaurateur HMSHost, a Dufry company (soon to become Avolta), has revealed NoDa Brewing Company and Charlotte-based HMSHost Chef Michael Suppa as the winners of its first-ever ‘Brew & Bite Battle’, hosted at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
The exciting culinary competition pitted four well-known local craft breweries against each other — NoDa Brewing Company, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Sycamore Brewing and Wicked Weed Brewing — in a battle to create the best snack-sized bite that perfectly paired with one of its signature beers.
Each brewery teamed up with an HMSHost chef and had just 30 minutes to create a beer-and-bite pairing to impress the judges: the retired Carolina Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson and Greg Wood and Chris Wilcox, hosts of Charlotte’s The Woody & Wilcox Show.
After an intense competition, judges selected the winning pairing — Hop Drop ’N Shrimp Roll paired with NoDa’s award-winning Hop Drop ’N Roll West Coast-style IPA — as the 2023 Brew & Bite Battle champion, earning the culinary combination a spot on the menu at 1897 Market, which HMSHost opened at Charlotte Douglas Airport in 2015.
The dish features IPA-poached local North Carolina shrimp, shaved cabbage, pickled pumpkin, sesame glass noodles, and Citra Hop Ponzu, which complements the craft brew.
Passengers passing through the airport during the event — which was hosted by ReachTV on-air host and correspondent Holly Firfer — had the opportunity to watch the action and sample craft beers from each of the participating breweries, courtesy of the new beer dispensers of airport partner and event sponsor Perlick.
HMSHost President & Chief Executive Officer HMSHost: “Our first-ever Brew & Bite Battle was a celebration of Charlotte’s local craft beer scene and the exceptional culinary talent at.
“Thanks to our strong partnership with Charlotte Douglas International Airport and these outstanding craft brewers, together we were able to host an event in the concourse that gave travellers a taste of the local community and made their journeys as rewarding as their destinations.”
NoDa Brewing Company Director of Strategic Development Jacob Virgil commented: “We are fortunate to be able to partner with a company who cares as much for their craft as we do ours. The quality of the programming and experiences HMSHost creates in CLT is second to none.
“We were honoured years ago when HMSHost contacted us about opening a taproom in the airport. Being awarded first place for Brew & Bite Battle is a fun way to celebrate our mutual success of the NoDa Brewing Company taproom in CLT.”
Charlotte Douglas International Airport Chief Executive Officer Haley Gentry said: “This was a fun and unique way to introduce our passengers to local products and various airport chefs. Airport food has come a long way from just grab-and-go snacks; it is now about showcasing the creativity and the quality of food that is offered.
“It speaks volumes for the programme our partner HMSHost has created for the millions of passengers that fly through CLT each year.”
