Aldi and DoorDash Teamed Up To Boost Americans’ Grilling Skills

It’s a truth universally acknowledged among grill enthusiasts that the best cut of meat in the world is virtually worthless if improperly prepared. By the same token, an inexpensive steak or chop can taste like a million bucks if treated with care. Aldi understands this, and the budget grocery chain wants to save customers from their own worst instincts this summer by offering the chance to win face time with a private grillmaster. 

DoorDash shoppers who purchase fresh meat and seafood from Aldi will be eligible for the promotion, which lasts from June 18 to July 2. Those customers will be entered for a chance to win a $250 credit toward a session with a local private grillmaster so that, in the words of the press release, one can “ensure their quality meat and seafood get the VIP treatment.” In addition to the grilling session, the $250 value includes Aldi meat and seafood, grilling utensils, and seasoning.

“By giving our shoppers access to expert grillmasters, we’re highlighting our offerings to show that our premium assortment – from USDA Choice Steak to Cedar Plank Salmon – delivers on quality,” said Scott Patton, VP of national buying at Aldi, in a press release. 

Novice home cooks might not realize that, depending on where they live, there’s a wealth of resources that provide grilling instruction. In Chicago, for example, The Chopping Block has hands-on classes that teach participants how to prepare everything from Korean BBQ to street tacos to beef tenderloin. Some private chefs will even come to a client’s own backyard so that the skills can be applied to the exact grill where the home cooking will take place. 

According to a press release, the idea to pair shoppers with grillmasters arose from the fact that too many Americans regularly overcook their meat. As Food & Wine has previously discussed, some of this might have to do with improper resting of meat, both before and after cooking it. By allowing it to slowly come up to room temperature, and by letting it sit for a few minutes after it’s been taken off the heat, the muscle fibers will avoid tensing up due to extreme temperature swings, thereby ensuring tender rather than tough meat. Some Americans might also be too attached to the idea of achieving those picturesque grill marks on a steak or chicken breast, which actually indicate that the meat probably wasn’t flipped enough over the heat to achieve maximum flavor. 

But don’t listen to us. Listen to the grillmaster you (might) win from Aldi. 

Those who wish to take advantage of the Aldi deal must have the DoorDash app and a DoorDash account. Search for “Aldi” in the app, then click the Grillmaster promo that appears onscreen. From there, you simply select the meat and/or seafood products you wish to purchase and enter the promo code GRILLMASTER, which will automatically enter you for a chance to win the $250 credit. Using the promo code also knocks $5 off the total cost of what’s in your cart.

Aldi notes in a press release that “hundreds of shoppers” will be randomly selected as winners. Those lucky few will be notified on July 10 via email, so if you enter, be sure to keep checking that spam filter. (Hey, grilled spam would be a great dish for summer cookouts, too…)