New Menus To Debut For Pelicans Fans At The New Orleans Arena

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Centerplate, the hospitality partner to top sporting venues across North America, including the New Orleans Arena, home to the National Basketball Association's New Orleans Pelicans, announced a series of new menu concepts and upgrades in time for the start of the 2013-2014 regular season.

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As part of a months-long, multi-million dollar renovation to the Arena, Centerplate re-designed menus and updated the look of dining areas, from quick-serve stands to the premium clubs. Upgrades included new equipment, digital menu boards, and graphic design to enhance the offerings and dining environment for guests.

"Throughout the off-season, there have been a lot of positive changes at the New Orleans Arena that will greatly improve the fan's game experience. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Centerplate and long-time partner John Besh as new menus are launched at the Arena," said Pelicans Owner/Chairman of the Board Tom Benson. "Fans are going to enjoy all of the new options that are available to them at Pelicans home games. All of the new elements at the arena, especially the new concessions are going to enhance the game experience for all of our fans."

Prioritizing a one-of-a-kind guest experience, the Centerplate team focused on ways to infuse the strong sense of neighborhood pride and welcome.

"We are extremely excited to welcome guests to the new New Orleans fan experience," said Centerplate General Manager at the New Orleans Arena, Kernell Jupiter. "We spent a lot of time developing a hospitality program that celebrates our team and our community—that pride comes through in our new menus, designs and approach to delivering an extraordinary guest experience."

As part of that initiative, Centerplate engaged celebrated New Orleans chef, Pelicans fan, and restaurateur John Besh to consult on sourcing local products to ensure an authentic New Orleans culinary experience for fans at the Arena. 

Besh, a Saints and Pelicans fan, said of the partnership, "It was both exciting and meaningful for me to help Centerplate bring these authentic, delicious Louisiana foods to fans and guests of the city. It's fantastic to have a major company like Centerplate helping to preserve our local culture and foodways."

Working from those insights, Centerplate Executive Chef Lenny Martinsen created new menus showcasing local products and authentic local recipes. Highlights on the concourse for General Admission ticket holders include:

• Corks and Coffee will feature a local charcuterie board and new homestyle desserts, including: Banana Cake with caramel and white chocolate shavings; Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Tart served with caramel and a quenelle of bourbon cream; and Creole Cream Cheese Tart; served with macerated strawberries and a shard of pistachio Florentine.
• Dixie Barbeque features a unique smoked pork belly sandwich in ginger teriyaki barbecue sauce, topped with Asian-inspired slaw.
• The comfort food favorite, Geaux Mac, showcases four unique macaroni dishes: Three Cheese Mac with mozzarella, white cheddar and parmesan; Chicken and Artichoke Mac with slow-roasted chicken, artichokes and spinach in a rich cheese sauce; Beefy Mac and Cheese in  a savory tomato sauce with ground beef and mozzarella; and Seafood Mac and Cheese loaded with shrimp, crawfish, scallops and crabmeat in a tangy cheese sauce.
• NOLA Libre offers made-to-order tacos and burritos with fans' choice of chicken, steak or house-smoked pork topped with fresh herbs and our own pico de gallo.
• New Specialty Waffle Fries will be a favorite at Backcourt Grill location. The selection includes Bruschetta Fries topped with fresh tomatoes, and basil with parmesan cheese; Roast Beef and Gravy Fries in our own roast beef debris smothered in rich brown gravy; Garlic Fries tossed with whole roasted garlic cloves and chopped garlic and sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley and parmesan; and Nacho Fries drizzled with our special white queso sauce and topped with red jalapeños, green onions, and cheddar cheese.

New decor and menus in suites and the two Capitol One Clubs will greet premium seat holders; and a new Chairman's Club exclusively for courtside seat holders offers a VIP lounge experience, just steps away from the action on the arena's floor.

The company also introduced a new training and guest care program, adding ambassadors to engage with guests, assist with service solutions, and support a new service reward program to celebrate exceptional service.

ABOUT CENTERPLATE       
Centerplate crafts and delivers "Craveable Experiences. Raveable Results." for more than 115 million guests each year in over 300 prominent entertainment, sports and convention venues across North America and the United Kingdom. Centerplate has provided event hospitality to 30 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 13 Super Bowls, 21 World Series, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the largest plated dinner in history. Recently, the company was named the fastest growing restaurant/hospitality group in the United States by Nation's Restaurant News, and has recently expanded operations in the United Kingdom. Visit the company online at www.centerplate.com or connect with us on twitter @centerplate or facebook.com/centerplate.

SOURCE Centerplate