Belmont Stakes, Centerplate Go Local And Farm-Fresh With New Racetrack Cuisine

BELMONT PARK, N.Y., June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Anticipating a crowd of over 100,000 fans at Belmont Park for the final leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, Centerplate is proud to announce a new farm-to-table, chef-inspired hospitality menu for the 2012 Belmont Stakes, grounded in treasured local flavors. Sourced from local and regional farms, the menu pays tribute to the rich traditions of both horseracing and farming in New York. In addition to Belmont Park's classic fan favorites, Centerplate's new menu will debut the brand-new signature cocktail for the Belmont Stakes, the "Belmont Jewel," a crowd-pleasing cocktail featuring small-batch bourbon blended with pomegranate and lemonade.

With anticipation building for I'll Have Another's historic run at the Triple Crown, Centerplate will employ approximately 1,000 staff to accommodate and delight the expected crowd. Centerplate's hospitality plan will require the services of over 30 chefs, 150 separate point of sale locations, and over 30 local suppliers. Centerplate's team will also draw on the company's deep experience executing world-class hospitality on massive scale at events like the Super Bowl, World Series and the Olympics.

"This will be a special year for the Belmont Stakes, and we want fans to enjoy a menu that's worthy of the occasion, and pays tribute to this incredible racing event, as well as the food and farmers of New York," says Drew Revella, Centerplate's Executive responsible for the park.

Showcased in Belmont Park's Garden Terrace, the hospitality program from Centerplate's Executive Chefs will highlight local farms with dishes like:

• Grilled artisan flatbreads served with fresh goat cheese from Coach Farms, Pine Plains,
• Fire roasted pork loin from Arcadian Pastures, Schoharie County, NY, with a farm-fresh Chimichurri sauce, made from locally sourced garlic, shallots, parsley, cilantro and olive oil
• Medley of seasonal, local vegetables: fingerling potatoes with fire roasted carrots, parsnips and beets from Satur Farms, Cutchogue, NY
• Living Herb and Lettuce Wall: Centerplate's culinary professionals clip fresh leaf greens from a wall of living lettuce and herbs supplied by Gurda Farms, Pine Island, NY. Salads will be mixed and tossed to order

Also returning to the premium Belmont Park dining experience are classic fan favorites such as:

• Hand drawn mozzarella balloons filled with tomato-basil foam Tuscan wild-mushroom, slow-simmered risotto, prepared table-side with a traditional Italian mix of sun-dried tomatoes, basil and roasted garlic
• House-made Salmon Pastrami with sweet tomato-fennel relish and steamed black barley
• Chocolate truffle lollipops

About Centerplate:
Centerplate crafts and delivers "Craveable Experiences. Raveable Results." in 250 prominent sports, entertainment and convention venues across North America. Centerplate has provided services to 13 Super Bowls, 20 World Series, the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, Art Basel Miami Beach, 15 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls and the largest plated dinner in history at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration. Visit the company online at www.centerplate.com.

SOURCE Centerplate