Serving Locally Grown Food and Beverages Arrives in Style at The Plaza Grand Ballroom

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (July 10, 2008) - CPS Events at The Plaza, manager and operator of The Plaza Grand Ballroom, the exquisitely restored and glamorous site of countless memorable New York affairs and events, will host a 100 Mile Menu dinner on Tuesday evening, July 22, 2008. Serving a menu comprised solely of ingredients sourced within a 100-mile radius of New York City, CPS Events will indulge 100 invited guests with a "Country Chic" buffet dinner featuring locally grown food and wines. The festive evening celebrates CPS Events' commitment to presenting superb cuisine while supporting sustainable agriculture and local growers. The Plaza Grand Ballroom is the first major entertaining and event venue in the country to incorporate the 100 Mile Menu concept into its menus.

CPS Events introduced this new standard in catering at the Grand Ballroom when it reopened in January 2008 with menus featuring ingredients that appear on the ballroom's tables within 36 hours of being harvested. Liz Neumark, Founder and CEO of renowned Great Performances event and catering firm and partner in CPS Events at The Plaza with Delaware North Companies, is renowned for embracing sustainable agriculture and is the first caterer in the country to own and operate an organic farm used as a year-round resource for locally grown produce. Incorporating the "field to fork" concept behind the 100 Mile Menu in her catering and event business, Ms. Neumark now incorporates it into The Plaza Grand Ballroom menus, from wedding receptions and black-tie events, to business banquets and charity affairs.

According to Ms. Neumark, "We only use the freshest and most flavorful ingredients in our menus with locally grown ingredients included in all our recipes. Guests enjoy a superb culinary experience and the added benefits of supporting local agriculture, the environment and the economy." Co-host for the evening, Steven Rice, General Manager of CPS Events at The Plaza adds, "People are extremely sophisticated today and recognize that eating fresh food not only guarantees superb flavors but is very eco-friendly. Our guests are pleasantly surprised and pleased to discover our menus and service are dedicated to sustainable food practices and the support of local agricultural communities."

Internationally acclaimed event designer, David Beahm of David Beahm Designs, is creating a dramatic, 100-seat, circular communal table for the evening, the focal point of which is a 12-ft. tree rising from the table's center. Both table and tree symbolize the close association of nature to table and the importance of local community to the 100 Mile Menu event.

HWPR
CPS Events at The Plaza
100 Mile Meal Dinner -- P. 2

Menu for CPS Events at The Plaza 100 Mile Menu Buffet Dinner:

Beverages

• Katchkie Farm Un-Bloody Mary
• Smashed Peach and Bourbon Julep

Dinner Buffet Selections

• The True Farmer's Chopped Salad - Fresh and ready to be picked vegetables chopped and combined with Katchkie Farm Hand-Sheered Greens and 100 Mile Red Wine Vinaigrette
• Tomatoes, simply cut, seasoned and drizzled with a Clean Basil Oil, served with Grilled Pizza Bianca
• Chilled Green Garlic Soup
• Local Oysters "Casino" Style
• Kinderhook Raised Pork Sausage and Sweet Peppers
• Dines Farm Local Rib Roast with Natural Jus, Caramelized Turnips, Sautéed Bordeaux Spinach and Roasted Local Potatoes
• Hawthorne Valley Sautéed Rainbow Trout, Roxbury Farm Smoked Sweet Corn Brûlee, Fresh Pea Tendrils and Warm Tomato Vinaigrette
• Laid Back Farm Rosemary Studded Leg of Lamb with an Arugula and Garlic Scape Coulis
• Assorted Sautéed Baby Squash with Blossoms and Fresh Herb Oil

Dessert Selections:

• Peach and Thyme Cake with Caramel Chantilly Cream
• Assorted Local Fruit Ice Pops
• Funnel Cake with Blueberry Panna Cotta and Maple Ice Cream