England defeated France, 6-4, in Atlanta yesterday afternoon to claim Third Place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Parisians finished fourth after a tournament run that was considerably more impressive than the phrase “finished fourth” makes it sound. But that leaves only the REAL END to the athletic spectacles of the last three months.
OK—you know me and my place in all this. I was scrambling yesterday to figure out what to do about the big, enormous playoff match for third and fourth places in the World Cup.

We know, we know: it doesn’t make much sense to those of us accustomed to more orderly American sports, but we appreciate the good fun that goes with it. I had intended to send The Boys out to the Patio to grill, but we did burgers the day before, and the smoky skies were only going to clear with rain. So I had to adjust.

The angle on the pork products from the Shenandoah will come back if anything ever settles down. In the meantime, I turned to my menu matrix to see how I might break up the protein groups for the afternoon dining event. The match on Saturday started at five, so I could focus on at least that much—with the main event still to come Sunday at three in mid-afternoon, dinner to be served at the half.

On the matrix are beef, pork, chicken and fish. That is a little stark as a transition to “fine dining,” but here goes.

We had ground beef Friday with cowboy beans, corn fritters and Greek salad. I have an order of Ossabaw pork ribs coming from Autumn Olive Farms for the championship grill, which left the Third Place crowd unfed.

Unless we did chicken!

I get our stock from the good folks at the D.C. Poultry Market. They are down on Colvin Street in Alexandria, so I have The Tweens make a biweekly stop when they are down there for drinks—before the market closes at six.

Their supply of fresh halal chickens, ducks, geese and several kinds of organic eggs keeps things entertaining and the freezer full for pop-up opportunities during this Endless Celebration Summer.

Which brings me around to the lo mein recipe, which I needed to pull together in short order while attempting to keep the mess down.

I can do this with two large paella skillets on the Russell Stovetop downstairs, then ship the finished product upstairs in a couple of tubs for the buffet in The Galley. I have Holly running the in-between part, plus two interns whom I am teaching to chop, dice, mince and drink a nice vintage of dry white wine.

The key is mass-producing a quality dish in the two big skillets. Chicken Lo Mein is a classic Chinese takeout dish combining tender noodles, juicy chicken and colorful vegetables, all tossed in a savory, slightly sweet, soy-based sauce.

It is perfect for busy Third and Fourth Place playoff matches: understated, but completely satisfying for the watch sections and hangers-on in the Conference Room.

I like this dish because it is quick to make and bursting with flavor. Its versatility lets me customize it with favorite vegetables or proteins, which makes it a staple for situations like this—when the calendar has been thrown for a loop and I don’t want to be.

It also helps clean out everything in the ready locker that might enhance the aroma and taste.

Whether you are a fan of Asian cuisine or simply looking for a wholesome, satisfying meal to accompany an historic sporting rivalry, Chicken Lo Mein is sure to delight the watch team.

Ingredients
Quantities are based on a single-section watch bill. Double or triple the amounts for two or more sections.

For the sauce:

3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

For the lo mein x2 or x3:

8 ounces lo mein noodles—or spaghetti
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound chicken breast, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup julienned carrots
1 cup sliced bell peppers, any color
2 cups baby spinach or bok chow
½ cup bean sprouts, optional
2 green onions, sliced for garnish

Instructions
1. Prepare the sauce.
In a bowl sized for the batch, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sugar and cornstarch slurry. Set aside.

2. Cook the noodles.
Boil the noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

3. Cook the chicken.
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the sliced chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about four or five minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

4. Stir-fry the vegetables.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same skillet. Stir-fry the garlic, ginger and onion for about a minute, until fragrant. Add the carrots and bell peppers and cook for three or four minutes, until slightly tender.

Stir in the spinach or bok choy and the bean sprouts, if using, and cook for another two minutes.

5. Combine everything If you need more color spice or seasoning send the Interns down to the Whole Foods at the corner for more.

Return the chicken to the skillet and add the noodles. Pour the sauce over the top and toss until the noodles, chicken and vegetables are evenly coated.
Cook for another two or three minutes, until heated through. Scoop into covered tubs for transit upstairs to The Galley.

6. Build the buffet—or call for reinforcements.
Direct the Zoomers to prepare traditional sides of beef and broccoli, steamed dumplings, spring rolls, Hong Kong noodles, cashew chicken, crispy tofu, air-fryer bok choy, Chinese curry sauce, Moo Shu Pork, garlic green beans, sweet-and-sour chicken, Szechuan eggplant, fried rice and crispy wontons.

At this point, they may want to order out.

7. Serve.
Garnish the tubs with sliced green onions and serve hot.

Enjoy your homemade, restaurant-augmented World Cup Chicken Lo Mein!

Now we clean up the skillets and prepare for the main event: Messi and his Archies against España for the championship—and the final installment of our accidental World Cup cookbook!

Copyright © 2026 Vic Socotra

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