Food Network-branded dishes coming to Sportservice division’s ballpark suite menus
NEW YORK and BUFFALO, N.Y. (March 31, 2010) – Delaware North Companies and Food Network, one of the most popular lifestyle networks on television, have entered into a partnership to develop new menu, restaurant and retail concepts for the global hospitality and food service provider’s locations across North America.
Delaware North operates at sports stadiums, entertainment complexes, parks, resorts and airports, including marquee locations such as the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey, Delaware North-owned TD Garden in Boston, Los Angeles International Airport, Kennedy Space Center, Yosemite National Park and The Queen Mary.
In the first phase of the multiyear agreement, Food Network is creating signature dishes for suite menus as Delaware North’s Sportservice division introduces the partnership to its Major League Baseball clients. Sportservice operates concessions and premium dining at more than 50 sports and entertainment venues in North America.
Sportservice’s chefs will be introducing the Food Network-branded menu items at several ballparks in the coming weeks after Opening Day, including at the Cleveland Indians’ Progressive Field, the Milwaukee Brewers’ Miller Park, the St. Louis Cardinals’ Busch Stadium, the Cincinnati Reds’ Great American Ballpark and Rangers Ballpark at Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers.
Food Network reaches nearly 100 million U.S. television households with popular lifestyle programs, including Iron Chef America, Chopped and Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, and superstar chefs Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, Alton Brown, Giada De Laurentiis and others. Its Web site, www.foodnetwork.com, attracts nearly 10 million unique visitors each month. Food Network Magazine, with a subscriber base of 1.25 million, is considered one of the most successful magazine launches of the 21st century.
“At Food Network, we are all about feeding people’s passions in fun and interesting places,” said Sergei Kuharsky, general manager, new business enterprises at Scripps Networks, a division of Scripps Networks Interactive (SNI:NYSE), owner of Food Network. “This partnership with Delaware North Companies allows us to spread our table wider, and deepen Food Network’s relationship with viewers who have always wanted to taste what they see us serve up on TV, online and in the magazine.”
Delaware North will build and operate the concepts, while Food Network will provide training, brand standards and marketing support. All food, beverage and retail concepts developed as a result of the partnership will carry the Food Network brand.
“We are thrilled to be working with Food Network, the brand that connects millions of people to the excitement and joy of preparing, learning about and enjoying food,” said Dennis Szefel, Delaware North’s chief administrative officer. “Food Network has the depth of culinary expertise to help us develop new and unique food and beverage concepts and experiences for the millions who dine at the special places where Delaware North operates.”
Delaware North’s Travel Hospitality Services division is already working with Food Network “Iron Chef” Masaharu Morimoto to create Skewers, a unique Asian dining concept for airport travelers. The division operates dozens of national and regional brand restaurants and shops at more than 20 major U.S. airports.