The Omaha Storm Chasers held a media day last week, which included a sampling of new culinary creations for the 2026 baseball season. I was lucky enough to get an invitation, something I wouldn’t willingly pass up. Jennifer and I had the privilege of trying a 2-foot wiener, a new mac-and-cheese and something called a Gator Tornador.
I’d never tried gator before, and a ballpark was the last place I thought I’d finally do so.
It’s no secret that ballparks have shifted toward upscale concession items. Starting in the early 2000s, stadiums began offering better food to loyal fans. My earliest experience with that was the garlic fries and fresh sushi at the Seattle Mariners’ ballpark. Back then it was Safeco Field, now T-Mobile Park. A whiff of those fries from a fellow fan sent me straight to the concession line, mouth watering. Every. Damn. Time.
Chef Jose “Joey” Alonso
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Leading the charge at Werner Park is executive chef Jose “Joey” Alonso. His chef coat says Joey, because he only answers to Jose if it’s his wife or he’s in trouble. Alonso’s path to Werner Park started at Le Cordon Bleu in Los Angeles, where he was part of the final graduating class.
From there, he joined the culinary team at Walt Disney World and later became a chef assistant at Universal Studios in Florida. The upheaval of the COVID era brought him to Omaha, where he worked at Omaha Cake Gallery and later as a food and beverage team lead at Super Target. He was in talks to move to Target’s test kitchen in Minnesota when he landed an interview with the Storm Chasers.
Storm Chasers menu sample table
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Alonso may be the executive chef, but he makes clear he relies on his team. He works closely with concessions manager Josh Miller, and they constantly bounce ideas off one another.
How did alligator make it to the stadium menu? Through PowerPoint.
General manager Tammie Sabata wasn’t fully in favor of exotic meats on the menu.
“She was 100% against bringing alligator out here, until we actually sat down and made a PowerPoint for her,” Alonso said. “We literally made a PowerPoint, and we had slides and everything to try to sell her on letting us do alligator out here in the ballpark.”
Let’s dig into the menu.
The Fried Crab Rangoons at Werner Park 1
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The fried crab rangoons are crispy wontons stuffed with a generous portion of crab mix. The crab is fresh, and its meat lends its natural, slightly sweet flavor. With the chili sauce, they hit a welcome balance of sweet, spicy and savory. The wontons are crispy and will no doubt remain that way from the counter to your seat.
Mini beef sliders
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The mini beef sliders are somewhat standard fare, but what makes them stand out is the soft, tender bun and the expertly seasoned beef patty. To my pleasant surprise, the patty was juicy and succulent. Alonso has apparently tossed tough steamed buns and rubber patties out of the dugout. These are worth a try, especially paired with the new signature Chaser Sauce, which is similar to a traditional fry sauce, but with a blend of spices that add an extra kick.
The Gator Tornador up close
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The Gator Tornador features fresh gator meat prepared to order. As served, it sits atop warm, soft pita bread and is topped with pineapple pico de gallo, red cabbage and sweet chili. If you haven’t had gator before, expect something fresh, slightly sweet and delicately flaky, a little like halibut. As prepared here, it’s tender, sweet, succulent and juicy. The pineapple pico is fantastic, bringing a tropical, sweet, vibrant acidity. Everything comes together for a delectable, mouthwatering bite.
The 2 Foot Team Wiener
Photo by Jennifer Corey
One of this year’s showstoppers is the 2-Foot Team Wiener. I assume wiener is meant to sound like ‘winner.’ Weighing in at four pounds, the long box it comes in makes a statement the second it arrives at your seat.
Of course, it’s meant to be shared, and they’ll cut it down to size depending on how many you’re splitting it with. It’s a polish sausage topped with smoked brisket, pulled pork, cheese, onions, jalapeño and garlic aioli served on a toasted bun. The meats all work together beautifully and make each ginormous bite completely worth it. The aioli knocks it to the upper deck with a creamy, tangy kick. You’ll enjoy eating this as much as you enjoy the looks of awe from others who thought about getting one but held back.
Hatch chili mac and cheese
Photo by Jennifer Corey
The grand slam of the tasting session was the Hatch chili mac and cheese served with smoked brisket. Topped with toasted breadcrumbs, this creamy comfort food is more than a side dish. The cheese sauce has a delicate smoky flavor and enough essence of the Hatch chili to give it a spicy kick. The breadcrumbs add a welcome texture to blend with the creamy sauce. Top it with some of that brisket? You’ve cleared the bases.
Menu card for the OVG Signature cocktails
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Also on display were new signature cocktails from OVG Hospitality: classic margarita, vodka cranberry and vodka lemonade. Each one is a faithful rendition of its classic counterpart, but our favorite was the vodka cranberry – tart, tangy, lightly sweet and devilishly boozy. All three clock in at 10% ABV, and they’re deceptively smooth and tantalizingly refreshing.
Gator isn’t a one-off stunt. It’s part of a broader plan to push ballpark food beyond the ordinary when it makes sense.
“That’s always been the hope was just try to push that envelope of just like, well, you know, it’s we’re at a ballpark, we’re serving alligator,” Alonso said. “And it’s just like, why not?”
Chef Jose “Joey” Alonso and President & General Manager Martie Cordaro
Photo by Jennifer Corey
Now that alligator’s on the menu, a Korean barbecue bison burger is on the horizon. Alonso and his team seem intent on seeing how far ballpark food can stretch without losing its crowd appeal. The intent is simple: keep Werner Park’s menu fun, flavorful and a little unexpected.
Like the crack of the bat sending a home run down the left field line, the food should be surprising—and delicious. As culinary innovation kicks off this baseball season, the Storm Chasers already have the bases loaded.
