T.G.I. Friday's calls in the S.W.A.T. team to create its new dish

To balance out his stressful career, Rick Massa apparently learned a thing or two about comfort food. The retired S.W.A.T. team officer from the Los Angeles Police Department won T.G.I. Friday's "Ultimate Recipe Showdown" with his mack-daddy Gourmet Mac n' Five Cheese concoction (shown here, apparently with some chicken thrown in). Beginning today, patrons can stuff their arteries full of the dish at all 600 Friday's locations in the U.S. The recipe sat supreme after a six-week series on the Food Network. For his troubles, Massa gets $25,000 and, according to the press release, "national acclaim." The dish "screams flavor and says Friday's all the way through," says Scott Randolph, director of culinary R&D at the chain. For those interested in making Massa's dish at home, the secret ingredient appears to be the toasted breadcrumbs on top. Take that, director of culinary R&D.

—Posted by Kenneth Hein


Go to BrandFreak.com