Hot Dish to Serve Up Some Serious Eats at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

LANSDOWNE, Va., Feb. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --SSP America, the North American division of SSP, the leading operator of food and beverage brands in travel locations worldwide, is proud to announce the introduction of its restaurant, Hot Dish, to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.  Located in the Terminal 1-Lindbergh, pre-security, travelers will have the opportunity to dine with loved ones before departing on a flight or can grab a bite to eat for a welcome home celebration.

Serving 33 million passengers in 2011, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is ranked the 12th busiest airfield in the United States, supporting more than 150,000 jobs and $10.7 billion in business revenue.  

"Hot Dish is ideally located in the Terminal 1-Lindbergh Ticketing Lobby, where people who aren't traveling can still sit down for a bite to eat with travelers who are arriving, departing, or just catching a connecting flight at MSP," said Jeff Hamiel, executive director of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which owns and operates MSP.  "The menu reflects Minnesota and the Midwest, and is offered in an environment you won't find anywhere else in the Twin Cities."

Hot Dish is a hip, daring spin on the family favorite, a modern interpretation of time honored tradition.  Hot Dish boasts Fried Pickles and bacon wrapped tater tots tucked into bleu cheese bechamel sauce.  Those with a more ambitious appetite can indulge in exceptional fillings placed between two pieces of bread like Hot Dish's parmesan crusted Walleye BLT with arugula and a dollop of chipotle tartar for a little kick.

Equipped with Etch-A-Sketch toys and a special menu designed for traveling tots, Hot Dish is the perfect destination for hungry families.  Parents will be pleased to find house-made natural applesauce served with every Little Tots meal including the Junior with slow baked creamy macaroni and cheese, and the Spilled Cheese with golden grilled cheese served with spam nuggets.

Within the stylish environs, the restaurant connects the newest creations with the reinvention of home cooking.  Hot Dish is decidedly eclectic combining an artistic retro-chic appeal with an aesthetic that is witty and fun.  Larger than life art pieces adorn the wall and are complemented with artifacts and nostalgic homewares as they pull funky vibrant visions of the motifs from the past. 

Tom Waldron, Senior Director of Business Development of SSP America commented, "We are proud to showcase the local flavors of Minneapolis through our partnership with Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.  This is an exciting opportunity to deliver the very best to consumers who travel through MSP." 

Hot Dish is located pre-security in Terminal 1.

About SSP

SSP is the leading dedicated operator of food and beverage brands in travel locations, operating restaurants, bars, cafes, food courts, lounges and convenience stores in airports, train stations, motorway service stations, shopping malls, conference centers and other leisure locations. With a heritage stretching back over 60 years, today SSP has 30,000 employees, serving millions of customers every week. It has business at over 140 airports  over 250 rail stations, and operates more than 2,100 units in 30 countries around the world.

SSP operates an extensive portfolio of over 200 international, national, local and specialty brands. These include Upper Crust, Starbucks, Caffe Ritazza, M&S Simply Food, Bonne Journee, Caviar House & Prunier, and leading Japanese noodle brand Ajisen Ramen as well as stunning bespoke concepts such as the Montreux Jazz Cafe in Geneva and Sydney and the Bambini Wine Room in Sydney. Its brand portfolio is tailored for each specific location, depending on variables such as passenger profile, consumer need states, location type, size and design.

About SSP America (SSP Canada)

SSP America operates in more than 40 airports across North America bringing a variety of local, regional and national brands to the traveling consumer at a vast array of price ranges.  Third party brands in the company's broad portfolio include The Palm Restaurant, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Gordon Biersch, Panda Express, Tigin, Peet's Coffee & Tea, T.G.I. Friday's, Tim Hortons, The Great American Bagel and Buffalo Wild Wings.  SSP America's brand portfolio also includes strong, local award-winning icons such as Laurelwood Public House & Brewery, Harry & Izzy's, Nonna Bartolotta's, and Alterra Coffee.

SOURCE SSP America