Hellebuyck, Mehta honored by Newark deli with namesake burger, dessert

NEWARK, N.J. – The New Jersey Devils are cooking, so naturally, "Hobby's Delicatessen and Restaurant" is right there with them. 

With the Devils off to a fast start, owners Michael and Marc Brummer of the famous deli steps away from the Prudential Center are continuing their tradition of creating menu items inspired by the team. Their latest offerings honor general manager Sunny Mehta and goalie Connor Hellebuyck, two central figures in New Jersey's early-season success.

The main course is Sunny's Cooking, a freshly ground, more than half-pound burger topped with American cheese, sauteed onions, Taylor Ham, a sunny-side-up egg and a touch of "Devils" hot sauce.

Why Taylor Ham?

"Obviously, he's a Jersey boy," Michael Brummer said of Mehta, who is from North Jersey. "And, when asked at his introductory press conference (April 21) how he referred to a particular Jersey staple, he replied, 'Taylor Ham.' And he was adamant about it."

No pork roll controversy here. The general manager has spoken.

The idea began simmering after Mehta made several significant moves to reshape the Devils, including the acquisition of Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 23. Fans began asking the Brummers whether Hobby's would create another Devils-themed sandwich.

Initially, the brothers considered a Hellebuyck-inspired specialty.

"He's a puck-stopper, and a burger looks like a puck," Marc said. "So, what can we do with that?"

They researched Hellebuyck's favorite foods and hobbies, but nothing quite worked. Pasta was difficult to build into a sandwich. Fishing, one of Hellebuyck’s favorite hobbies, presented another problem.

"He's a lake fisherman," Marc said. "We've got tuna, that's ocean. We've got salmon, that's river. Nothing in a lake. What the (heck) are we going to do?"

The breakthrough came when Michael suggested placing a sunny-side-up egg on the burger. Sunny, get it? 

"As soon as I said that, Marc was like, 'Wait a second. The Sunny's Cooking burger," Michael said. "Then we've got to put Taylor Ham on it. It just came together, honestly, in 30 seconds."

"The Sunny's Cooking name was the 'aha!' moment," Marc said.

The name also reflects the early returns on Mehta's work as general manager.

The Devils (13-6-0; 26 points) are second in the Metropolitan Division. Hellebuyck is 5-0-0 with a 1.96 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and one shutout since being acquired.

"It's early, but it looks like every move has proven itself," Marc said. "(Mehta’s) cooked like a three-star Michelin chef."

With the concept established, it was time to perfect the recipe. That meant preparing two versions of the burger, one with hot sauce and one without, and holding a three-person taste test inside Hobby's on Oct. 29.

The Brummers invited NHL.com to fill the final seat in their temporary research and development department.

Each sandwich was cut into sections and began with the version without sauce. It was rich, hearty and unmistakably New Jersey. The runny egg yolk blended with the cheese, burger and Taylor Ham, creating the kind of gloriously messy sandwich that demands extra napkins.

Then came the hot-sauce version.

The difference was immediate. The sauce added just enough heat and acidity to cut through the richness without overwhelming the other ingredients. It also supplied an appropriate Devils kick.

After careful consideration, and another bite to ensure the integrity of the experiment, the decision was unanimous: Hot sauce wins.

But Hobby's was not finished cooking.

Although the main course belongs to Mehta, Hellebuyck will get a piece of the celebration, too. The dessert option will be called The (Helle)Buyck Stops Here, a lava cake inspired by those the goalie purchased at the Olympic Village for the United States men's and women's ice hockey gold medal-winning teams at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

It's a fitting combination: Mehta helped build the meal, and the goalie he acquired helps finish it.

Hobby's has a long history of celebrating the Devils through food. Captain Nico Hischier visited the deli and created the sandwich named for him. Jack Hughes received one after his iconic golden goal for the United States at the Winter Olympics. Glenn "Chico" Resch, Martin Brodeur and Scott Niedermayer are among the many others who have been similarly honored.

For the Brummers, the sandwiches are about more than clever names.

"It's a way to honor the Devils," Marc said. "They've been great neighbors, and their moving here has made a real big difference in Newark. We also developed a fantastic relationship with our Devils customers, many of whom have become friends. This is just another way to connect with that group."

Mehta has his own history at Hobby's. Michael described him as a regular during his previous time with the Devils as director of hockey analytics from 2014-18, before he joined the Florida Panthers' front office. Mehta also returned for lunch the day after he was named general manager on April 16.

"Sunny was a frequent flyer here," Marc said.

Michael hopes Mehta will return to review his namesake menu item, perhaps even placing the egg on top himself.

Until then, the Hobby's research and development department has completed its work.

The burger looks, but doesn't eat, like a puck. The Taylor Ham satisfies the Jersey requirement. The egg provides the name. The hot sauce has officially passed testing. And if there's still room, Hellebuyck has dessert covered.

Sunny's cooking, and now Hobby's has a full meal to prove it.

Visit the Hobby's website for its menu and hours of operation at https://www.hobbysdeli.com.