Travel Hospitality Provider Bringing The Original Farmers Market, ¡Loteria! Grill and Other Brands to Create Local, Authentic L.A. Experience at Airport
LOS ANGELES (June 21, 2011) – The Los Angeles City Council today approved a plan by Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services and its partner M/D Food Group to bring one of the city’s most historic tourist and culinary attractions, The Original Farmers Market, to Terminal 5 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), along with other popular brands such as ¡Loteria! Grill and Monsieur Marcel.
“Our goal is to bring an authentic, local L.A. experience to LAX,” said Matt King, president of Travel Hospitality Services for Delaware North, one of the world’s leading airport food and retail providers. “Our proposed brands are fresh, exciting and will really give passengers a flavor of what L.A. is all about.”
“As we transform and renovate LAX, we want to create a ‘sense of place’ that reflects the locales and flavors of the Los Angeles region,” said Debbie Bowers, deputy executive director for commercial development. “The competition resulted in a slate of new food and beverage establishments representing some of L.A.’s most sought-after restaurants and celebrity chefs to help put the ‘L.A.’ back into ‘LAX.’”
The approved brand concepts center on replicating the imagery and excitement of The Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax, an iconic Los Angeles destination for 77 years and a top tourist attraction in the city. Incorporating the iconic Clock Tower in its design, the proposed “stroll through Farmers Market” concept at LAX will redefine the traditional notion of a food court, offering artisanal cuisine in an environment that conveys the cultural experience and sense of nostalgia of the original location.
The Original Farmers Market at LAX will offer fresh, high-quality foods, vegetables, fruit, snacks and beverages from some of its long-time tenants, including T & Y Bakery, Magee’s House of Nuts, Light My Fire and Three Dog Bakery.
Several popular eateries found at Farmers Market were also approved, including ¡Lotería! Grill, a Mexican food establishment created by Chef Jimmy Shaw that has been listed among the top Mexican restaurants in the Southern California Zagat Guide since 2004. Monsieur Marcel, a critically acclaimed traditional French bistro serving specialty bread, wine, cheese and snacks, was also included.
Rounding out the approved concepts will be two locations of L.A.-based The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®, which is the oldest and largest U.S.-based, privately held global specialty coffee and tea retailer. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® at the Farmers Market is among the chain’s most visited locations.
Last fall, Delaware North, as part of a joint venture with partner Marbella Food Services, was also selected by LAX to bring “Skewers,” a new Japanese Yakatori concept by famed Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, to Terminal 5, and a “Wolfgang Express” by popular chef Wolfgang Puck to Terminal 7. Currently, Delaware North operates the recently opened Pink’s Hot Dogs LAX and the Daily Grill Restaurant, both in the Tom Bradley International Terminal, as well as The Encounter Restaurant & Bar, located inside the landmark LAX Theme Building, and another Wolfgang Express.