The New York Islanders are rolling into the 2026-27 season with a menu item that’s already grabbing attention for all the right reasons - or at least the most surprising ones.
At UBS Arena, Executive Chef Ted Donnelly has cooked up a Nerds Gummy Cluster Brie Grilled Cheese, a sweet-and-savory creation built on toasted sourdough, creamy brie and Nerds Gummy Clusters. Fans will find it at the Section 220 Market, and the numbers behind it are as deliberate as the idea itself: six to seven gummy clusters in each sandwich, along with exactly three ounces of brie. The clusters melt into what Donnelly describes as a warm jam, with the portions dialed in so the flavor lands with a kick without tipping too far into sugary or tart territory.
Donnelly said the spark came from social media, where he was scrolling through Instagram Reels and Tik Tok and came across a cheesemonger pairing brie with Nerds Clusters.
"I just thought to myself, we can make a grilled cheese out of that," Donnelly said. "Within two days later, I got some sliced brioche bread from the store, and some Nerds Clusters; we had some brie already. I had my Concession Chef cook a few up with varying levels of brie and clusters, and here we are."
He’s been with Delaware North at UBS Arena since the building opened in 2021, leading menu development across clubs, suites, catering and concessions. Before that, he spent four years with Delaware North at MetLife Stadium, where he handled culinary operations for Super Bowl XLVIII and also worked an NHL All-Star Weekend.
Donnelly’s background runs deep beyond the arena circuit. He studied culinary arts and systems at Pennsylvania College of Technology and attended Penn State University. He’s also an American Culinary Federation Certified Sous Chef and previously served as an Executive Sous Chef at Plainfield Country Club in New Jersey, where he helped oversee culinary operations during the 2011 Barclays PGA tournament.
For Donnelly, though, this latest item is about more than novelty. He said the idea reflects the energy around the team and the people working behind the scenes.
"I think with a fresher and younger Islanders team, I think that's the general push with the Islanders - focus on having fun. They're winning.
They're having fun," he said. "We want to tap into that and build on the excitement ...
It's a lot of fun. What I get to do, I have a great team under me that has mostly been there with me since we first opened the arena."
He also pointed to his simple philosophy: "hey, don't knock until you try it," and said he wants as many people as possible to give the sandwich a shot.
The grilled cheese isn’t the only item turning heads. UBS Arena’s 2026-27 menu also includes an Uncrustable Pulled Pork Tostada and a Burrata Boat.
The first is a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich topped with pulled pork, chopped peanuts, grape jelly barbecue sauce and scallions. The second features golden tater tots topped with cherry tomatoes, creamy burrata, balsamic glaze and fresh basil.
UBS Arena General Manager Michael Sciortino said the menu is part of the team’s effort to stand out.
"I think it's very important for us to be fresh and different, and make sure that people are thinking about us and talking about us," Sciortino also said in an exclusive. "We want to make sure we're still best in class in really everything we do.
So, if we can offer some interesting food items and cool new drinks that get people excited, then we get them in the building, and then they're in and thinking about us. It's obviously a win ...
I knew people were going to like it."
Sciortino said the Islanders want to be a unique franchise, and the new food lineup is another way to show that. Donnelly, meanwhile, said his focus stays on the fans in the building and making sure the food and drinks match the atmosphere.
With the new menu rolling out, the message from UBS Arena is clear: the Islanders want the experience to be fun, memorable and a little bit unexpected. And if the viral grilled cheese is any indication, they’ve already found one way to get people talking.
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