Delaware North Sportservice Brings Local Flavors to Football Lineup

BUFFALO, N.Y., Sept. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Football fans this season will find plenty of tasty and innovative menu items, including many with local flavors, at stadium concessions operated by Delaware North Companies Sportservice.  

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Among the highlights are Food Network-created pub-style beef brisket sandwiches – a signature sandwich plus one celebrating local flavors – being served at five NFL stadiums. For example, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., home of the New York Jets and New York Giants, Sportservice is offering the brisket sandwiches, along with Food Network's Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese, at three portable concession locations.

Sportservice has added an upscale specialty burger bar at Soldier Field in Chicago, home of the Bears; stands serving fresh-baked pretzels and gourmet sausages at Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, home of the Rams; and a retro beer stand at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

At all of its NFL venues, Sportservice added new menu items, including a unique Food Network take on a bratwurst at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., and a Polish dog at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., home of the Buffalo Bills. These and other new menu items join many returning favorites, including a classic Reuben and a walleye basket in Cleveland, beef on "weck" in Buffalo and pulled pork sandwiches in St. Louis.

Sportservice's New Jersey-New York "Home Food Advantage" menu items are back for the second season at MetLife Stadium. They include slow-roasted Italian pork sandwiches, pepper and egg sandwiches, and Executive Chef Eric Borgia's family meatball recipe. Each game his culinary staff makes 5,000 of Nonna Fusco's meatballs, named for Borgia's grandmother.

"Fans don't have to worry about filling up while tailgating because we've got delicious food right in the stadium," Sportservice President Rick Abramson said. "Our chefs emphasize local foods and fresh ingredients and provide football fans with menus that go well beyond traditional stadium fare."

The new Burger End Zone at Soldier Field offers Bears fans a wide assortment of contemporary takes on  the ever-popular American tradition, including the chili, cheddar and pepper bacon burger; olive Giardiniera, provolone and fried pepperoni burger; a pulled pork, roasted pepper and Swiss burger; a bleu cheese portabella burger; and the build your own Chicago burger.

In Cleveland, Sportservice has added a "Your Dad's Beer" stand featuring classic beer brands such as Stroh's, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Schaeffer and Genesee. Also new to general concessions at Cleveland Browns Stadium is a 10-inch brat topped with peppers and onions.

Sportservice at Ralph Wilson Stadium is introducing the Polish dog and the nacho grande, which features tortilla chips topped with chili, cheese, salsa and jalapeno peppers. Back again is Western New York favorite Red Osier hot roast beef, served in au jus on a plain or "weck" roll.

The Food Network signature brisket sandwich features porter-braised beef brisket topped with cheddar cheese, whole grain mustard and fried onions on a pretzel roll. Regional versions of the sandwich are also available at specific stadiums: the New Jersey/New York sandwich is topped with pepperoncini and smoked mozzarella; the St Louis features provel cheese and Red Hot Riplets; the Cleveland sandwich is topped with potato pancake, caramelized onion, horseradish sour cream and stadium mustard; the Buffalo is slathered in Frank's hot sauce, blue cheese and sliced celery; and the Chicago sandwich is topped with Giardiniera, sharp provolone and celery-seed and sport pepper mayonnaise.

Carolina Panthers fans can enjoy Food Network and Sportservice's unique take on a bratwurst, which is topped with local favorites pimento cheese and green tomato relish on a pretzel roll.

About Delaware North Companies Sportservice

Delaware North Companies Sportservice is one of the nation's leading food, beverage and retail management companies, providing concessions, gourmet catering and fine dining operations at more than 50 professional sporting venues, entertainment complexes and convention centers across the United States and Canada. Sportservice has served an impressive collection of sporting events and clients, including the World Series, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball's All-Star Games, Stanley Cup Championships and the Olympic Games.

For more than 90 years, Sportservice has demonstrated that it knows what it takes to effectively develop, operate and manage multi-faceted kitchens, restaurants, suites, fine dining and retail facilities in order to meet the changing demands of today's fans. From introducing new healthy, organic food selections and creative cuisine for twists on the traditional fare, Sportservice continues to innovate and enhance the fan experience.

About Delaware North Companies

Delaware North Companies is one of the largest and most admired privately held hospitality companies in the world. Founded and owned by the Jacobs family for nearly 100 years, it is a global leader in hospitality and food service. Its family of companies includes Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Delaware North Companies International and Delaware North Companies Boston, owner of TD Garden. Delaware North Companies has revenue exceeding $2 billion annually and 55,000 associates serving half a billion customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.DelawareNorth.com.  

SOURCE Delaware North Companies Sportservice