The Ice Might Be Cold, But The Food Will Be Hot at The 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ARAMARK, the concessions and merchandise partner for the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic®, has the winning game plan to fulfill fans' hunger for Philadelphia's best ballpark eats with warm, comforting foods and officially licensed merchandise.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110907/PH63208LOGO )

To help fans brave the cold at Citizens Bank Park™ on January 2nd, ARAMARK has added specialty hot menu items, like homemade gourmet soups and paninis to the game day menu at seven locations. These "Hot Spots" will offer:

• Two soup options-- tomato bisque or chicken, cannellini bean and Tuscan kale soup
• Hot Paninis-- maple roasted turkey panini or whole grain mustard marinated petit filet and Vermont cheddar grilled cheese panini

Because an outdoor hockey game wouldn't be complete without hot chocolate, ARAMARK chefs have created a Flyers-inspired hot chocolate that's topped with whipped cream, orange sprinkles and drizzled with chocolate syrup. Fans can also dig in to hot apple pie, s'mores, coffee and tea, which will be available at select hot chocolate stands.

Guests dining in the Hall of Fame Club or Citizens Bank Park™ Suites will be treated to Broad Street Bullies breakfast sandwiches made with cage free eggs and served on Liscio's rolls. In addition, ARAMARK senior executive chef, Glenn Richmond, has created a menu featuring comfort foods like slow roasted pork sandwiches, skirt steak sandwiches, lobster salad BLTs and Victory Lager braised beef brisket, among other menu items. For dessert, fans can choose between homemade butterscotch bread pudding with a bourbon creme anglaise, homemade cupcakes, cookies stuffed with chocolate ganache, hazelnut or spiced butter cream, or gourmet hot chocolate made with steamed whole milk, Belgian chocolate and mini marshmallows.

"When we designed the NHL Winter Classic menu, we wanted to showcase Citizens Bank Park's most popular items and adapt others to be relevant for a hockey crowd," said Chef Richmond. "The result is a fan-friendly mixture of Philadelphia classics and new items that are sure to become fan favorites."

Fan Favorites and Local Specialties
Ashburn Alley, Citizen Bank Park's outfield food mecca, lined with local food purveyors like Tony Luke's Steaks, Chickie's & Pete's, Bull's BBQ, Seasons Pizza and Campo's, will serve Philly favorites like cheese steaks, Crab Fries, and the famous Schmitter® sandwich. Some stands in the Alley, like Planet Hoagie, will also offer special cold weather fare, including warm chicken cutlet sandwiches, grilled chicken Italiano sandwiches and turkey sandwiches, as well as chili. Additionally, the ballpark will offer two beer gardens featuring local microbrews and premium beer on the 200 and 300 levels.

"ARAMARK is excited for the opportunity to showcase Citizens Bank Park's award winning menu, featuring Philadelphia favorites and some new items for the NHL Winter Classic," said Chrissy Flannigan, ARAMARK's general manager at Citizens Bank Park™. "The Flyers and Rangers are both storied franchises, with extremely passionate fans, so we're looking to exceed their expectations with a great Philadelphia experience on January 2nd."

Spectator Plaza
Fans without a coveted ticket to the game are invited to partake in the pregame "feast"ivities outside the ballpark, by stopping by the designated food and beverage area in the "Spectator Plaza" on Citizens Bank Way. Here, fans will be treated to barbecue fare from Bassett's Original Memphis BBQ from Moorestown, NJ, gourmet tacos from celebrity Chef Jose Garces' taco truck, Guapos Tacos, and wood fired brick oven pizza from Nomad Pizza Company's pizza truck.

Retail Merchandise
If Philadelphia-style comfort foods are not enough to warm up chilled fans, they can stop by one of several retail locations offering exclusive 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® merchandise, including jerseys, sweatshirts, blankets, fleece, jackets, knit caps, hats and other novelties. To accommodate the increased demand for officially licensed merchandise, ARAMARK will operate a large tent on the "Spectator Plaza" on Citizens Bank Way with retail merchandise and has added temporary merchandise stands inside the ballpark.

Alex's Lemonade Stand
Citizens Bank Park™ will raise money to fight childhood cancer during the NHL Winter Classic by hosting two Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation stands (in sections 121 and 210). One hundred percent of the stands' proceeds will benefit this organization that aims to raise money for, and awareness of, childhood cancer causes and encourages others, especially children, to get involved.

ARAMARK provides food and beverage and retail merchandise services at Citizens Bank Park™, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Wells Fargo Center Center, home of the Philadelphia Flyers.  ARAMARK's other NHL partners include the Anaheim Ducks (Honda Center), Colorado Avalanche (Pepsi Center), Ottawa Senators (Scotiabank Place), Phoenix Coyotes (Jobing.com Arena), Pittsburgh Penguins (CONSOL Energy Center), San Jose Sharks (HP Pavilion), Vancouver Canucks (Rogers Arena), and Washington Capitals (Verizon Center).

The 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® is the third time ARAMARK will provide the food and beverage services for the NHL's annual outdoor game. Previous NHL Winter Classic games ARAMARK served include the 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park™ in Boston and the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

About ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment
ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment, a division of ARAMARK, delivers a wide range of innovative solutions to more than 170 premier sports facilities, convention centers and entertainment venues throughout North America.  Working closely with its partners, ARAMARK creates authentic and memorable guest experiences by designing industry-leading hospitality, dining and catering, retail merchandise, and facility service programs. Learn more at www.aramarksports.com.

About ARAMARK
ARAMARK is a leader in professional services, providing award-winning food services, facilities management, and uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums and arenas, and businesses around the world. The company is recognized as one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" by the Ethisphere Institute, as the industry leader in FORTUNE magazine's "World's Most Admired Companies," and as one of America's Largest Private Companies by both FORTUNE and Forbes magazines. ARAMARK seeks to responsibly address issues that matter to its clients, customers, employees and communities by focusing on employee advocacy, environmental stewardship, health and wellness, and community involvement. Headquartered in Philadelphia, ARAMARK has approximately 255,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries. Learn more at www.twitter.com/aramarknews.

NHL, the NHL Shield and the word mark NHL Winter Classic are registered trademarks and the NHL Winter Classic logo is a trademark of the National Hockey League.  NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams.  All Rights Reserved.

Philadelphia Phillies, Fenway Park and Citizens Bank Park names and logos used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties and The Phillies.  

Erin Noss
215-409-7403
[email protected]

SOURCE ARAMARK