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Delaware North Companies Hosting Global Culinary Trade Show, Dinner and Cook-Off in Buffalo

 Tuesday food-truck challenge and event at Statler City Wednesday on the docket

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Nov. 10, 2011)Delaware North Companies, a global leader in hospitality and food service, is welcoming some of the top names in the industry to its annual Food & Beverage Summit. The event will run from Nov. 14 to Nov. 17. For the third year in a row, it will be held in Buffalo N.Y., where the company was founded and remains headquartered.

 
One of the highlights of the Delaware North Food & Beverage Summit is a cooking competition among seven teams of Delaware North chefs from all corners of Delaware North’s business: sports, parks, hotels/resorts, gaming and airports.
 
More than 120 food and beverage companies that supply Delaware North are scheduled to visit the summit. This lineup includes: Anheuser-Busch, Butterball, Heinz, Kellogg’s, McCormick, Nestle, Ocean Spray and PepsiCo. There will also be businesses with local ties in attendance, such as General Mills, Tarantino Foods, Lactalis (parent company of Sorrento), Rich Products, Rosina Foods and Tyson.
 
On Nov. 15, representatives from these companies will showcase their latest products and technologies at the culinary trade show. The trade show will begin at 11 a.m. in the exhibit hall of the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. Delaware North chefs, executives and associates from all over the world will also be on hand to see the newest trends in food service.
 
Other informational sessions throughout the summit will cover such topics as leadership, innovation, menu creation, sustainability and maintenance.
 
A cocktail reception and dinner will be held Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. at the historic Statler City on Delaware Ave. The reception and dinner will be one of the first events to be held at Statler City since the renovations began.
 
Back again this year is the Delaware North Culinary Challenge. The theme this year is food trucks, one of the hottest trends in food service. While the company does not operate food trucks, the menu items may be served in Delaware North locations and can be used in new business development opportunities.
 
Seven teams have been created to compete in the culinary challenge that will take place Nov. 15 at 5:30 p.m. in the convention center.
 
Each team must create and prepare an original menu item, produce a theme, properly merchandise its food truck and menu item and give a two-minute presentation on the overall concept of its food truck. Teams will be judged by a panel and their performances will be rated out of an overall score of 200 points.
 
Team captains for the food-truck competition are:
  • Pascal Beaute, regional executive chef for Delaware North Companies Sportservice;
  • Kevin Doherty, executive chef for the Delaware North Companies-owned-and-operated TD Garden in Boston and regional executive chef for Sportservice;
  • Chris Matta, executive chef at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack in West Virginia and regional chef for Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment;
  • James Major, executive chef at the Cleveland Indians’ Progressive Field and regional executive chef for Sportservice;
  • Brian Sterner, executive chef at Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., a Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts location;
  • Mark Szubeczak, executive chef at the Detroit Tigers’ Comerica Park and regional executive chef for Sportservice; and
  • Percy Whatley, executive chef for The Ahwahnee at Yosemite National Park and regional chef for Parks & Resorts.
 
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES
 
What: Delaware North Culinary & Hospitality Council Food & Beverage Summit 2011.
 
When/Where: 

Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011 at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, 153 Franklin St.      
 Trade Show, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.at the Convention Center Exhibit Hall;

  Culinary Challenge,6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Convention Center Ballroom.

Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011 – Summit Reception and Dinner, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Statler City, 107 Delaware Ave.

 
Who: Delaware North Companies, a global leader in hospitality and food service headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y.