STANFORD, Calif. — Welcome to Taco Tuesday. If LeBron thinks he and his family are doing it right on nights like these, he’s got nothing on Stanford’s football team.



When the Cardinal walk off the practice field on this August night and walk over to dinner, they’re greeted by chicken al pastor rotating on a vertical spit. The chicken is already lightly roasted in a convection oven before being loaded onto the trompo. Thick pineapple is stacked on top so that the sugary juices run down the marinated mountain of chicken and caramelize. Then the hot, spinning meat tower is finished with a slather of annatto oil for extra color and spice.



Stanford players fill up their tacos with the shaved-off chicken or beef, and this is not your standard ground beef. This is ribeye that’s been minced and cooked in cumin, chili powder and paprika. Prefer a taco bowl? The kitchen staff has fried up large, crispy tortilla bowls on site. Don’t want...