{"id":47749,"date":"2022-06-10T13:42:44","date_gmt":"2022-06-10T20:42:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beeralien.com\/?p=47749"},"modified":"2023-07-05T11:56:08","modified_gmt":"2023-07-05T18:56:08","slug":"ballast-point-annouces-new-culinary-director","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beeralien.com\/ballast-point-annouces-new-culinary-director\/","title":{"rendered":"BALLAST POINT ANNOUNCES NEW CULINARY DIRECTOR, CHEF TOMMY DIMELLA"},"content":{"rendered":"

In an effort to continuously reflect its \u201cDedicated to the Craft\u201d ethos, Ballast Point is pleased to announce the addition of Tommy Dimella as the brand\u2019s Culinary Director. Chef Tommy will oversee all Ballast Point kitchen operations, driving a new culinary point of view launching first in San Diego at its Miramar and Little Italy tasting rooms in June. The overall menu direction steers toward an eclectic mix of globally-inspired dishes and New American pub favorites that remain inventive yet approachable, with ingredients that work complementary to the flavor profiles of the brand\u2019s core beers. It\u2019s a menu geared for beer with\u00a0 flavors that complement the spectrum \u2014 from the sweet and smoky elements of the roasted malts in a rich, amber ale, to the fruit-forward notes and smooth, balanced bitterness of Ballast Point\u2019s gold-medal winning IPAs, dishes are crafted to be perfectly paired. Chef Tommy is creating a deeper emphasis on seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible and broadening the range of dishes, moving from lighter to comfort-style to satisfy a range of palates and pairing preferences. His new menus are currently available in Ballast Point\u2019s Little Italy and Miramar tasting rooms and will soon launch in Anaheim, Long Beach and in the new San Francisco tasting room, which is slated to officially open doors this summer.<\/p>\n

An East Coast native, Chef Tommy received his Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales and set out on a more than 30-year professional cooking journey working in kitchens across the globe, including Pamplemousse Grill <\/em>in Solana Beach under Chef Jeffrey Strauss. As craft beer is the cornerstone of the Ballast Point experience, Chef Tommy spent several months tasting through, cooking down and integrating beer profiles \u2014 earthy, malty, hoppy, sweet into his new dishes in order to align harmoniously with the brewery\u2019s portfolio. Weekly rotating specials will integrate new beer releases \u2014- providing fresh and ever-evolving pairing choices.<\/p>\n

The new menus are similar across the Miramar and Little Italy locations with slight variations and feature the addition of on-site smokers for proteins including the low n\u2019 slow <\/em>brisket and 12-hour smoked pork shoulder, as well as housemade scratch sauces, dressings, glazes and vinaigrettes often featuring beer as the defining flavor component.<\/p>\n

\"Ballast<\/a><\/p>\n

Menu highlights from the Small Bites <\/strong>portion of the menu include:<\/p>\n