Celebrity chef Mark Murphy has become a familiar face, appearing on Food Network hit shows Chopped, Guy's Grocery Games, Beat Bobby Flay and Worst Cooks in America.
But he is soon launching a new venture: a porchetta shop. And his Italian street food, which was showcased at a media event on Thursday, will be just one of the new offerings at Citi Field this season.
"The Mets are really giving back to the community. I think that's what a true New Yorker does. And I think that Steve Cohen and his family really have done that," Murphy said.
Dawn Kelly’s The Nourish Spot will also have a spot at the ballpark this year. Kelly said the opportunity came out of waiting in line to talk to Cohen, who was at an event at Citi Field she attended earlier this year.
"He actually listened to me," Kelly said. "He asked how he could help me. I asked him if my family-owned business could be at Citi Field, and he listened. We're here!"
The Nourish Spot is a juice, smoothie and salad bar located in Jamaica. Along with her daughter, Jade Duncan, Kelly has brought healthy options to a food desert in Queens for nearly a decade. Now, she will do the same at Citi Field.
"It means a lot. Family is everything, and for us to grow together as a unit, it's wonderful," Duncan said.
Tang Restaurant manager Elissa Cho said her experience with the Mets was different. She said representatives for the team arrived one day at the Flushing restaurant for an unannounced, surprise taste test. A few days later, she said the Mets reached out and asked if the establishment would like to have their food served at Citi Field this season.
"This is a very humbling experience. We have never had something happen like this before," Cho said. "Obviously, you can't pass up that type of opportunity."
Refugees will also have their food showcased at Citi Field this year thanks to Emma's Torch, a city nonprofit that provides culinary and job training.
All of the food at Emma's Torch is prepared by their students, which includes the wings, sliders and wraps that will debut at the stadium this year.
"It means so much to us. All of our students are new Americans, and to have the classic American pastime celebrating what our students bring to the table is just a true dream come true for us," said Kelly Brodie, founder and executive director of Emma’s Torch.
Fans will have the opportunity to try countless other new selections, including empanadas from Empanada Mama, tacos from Takumi Taco and even fried chicken sandwiches on glazed donuts from Jacob's Pickles, throughout the 2023 season.
Besides the new food, Citi Field will also feature a new-look scoreboard. Measuring around 17,400 square feet, it is the largest in Major League Baseball, and is three times larger than its predecessor. When combined with a second scoreboard in right field, the two take up over 21,000 square feet of space.
Among other new initiatives, the Mets announced Thursday that they are working on a ticket plan that will provide affordable tickets to college students, in an effort to "go after a group that has been priced out of Major League Baseball consistently," the team said.
The Mets also announced they are donating $100,000 to Sing for Hope, a city nonprofit that helps New York artists use their art to give back to the local community. The money will go towards teachers, music classes and artists and two special pianos.
The pianos, which were created by visual artist Carling Jackson, will be used at Citi Field and Maimonides Park, the home of the Brooklyn Cyclones, throughout the season before they are permanently moved to local schools and hospitals.
"The Mets are showing that their commitment to the community extends beyond the stadium. It really is about New York City," Sing for Hope co-founder and opera singer Camille Zamora said.