Delaware North Companies has entered into a partnership with the Food Network to develop new menu, restaurant and retail concepts for its locations across North America. These include sports stadiums, entertainment complexes, parks, resorts and airports, among them the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey, TD Garden in Boston, Los Angeles International Airport, Kennedy Space Center, Yosemite National Park and The Queen Mary.
In the first phase of the multiyear agreement, Food Network will be creating signature dishes for suite menus at Major League Baseball parks for DNC’s Sportservice division. Sportservice operates concessions and premium dining at more than 50 sports and entertainment venues in North America.
Sportservice's chefs will be introducing the Food Network-branded menu items at several ballparks in the coming weeks after Opening Day, including at the Cleveland Indians' Progressive Field, the Milwaukee Brewers' Miller Park, the St. Louis Cardinals' Busch Stadium, the Cincinnati Reds' Great American Ballpark and Rangers Ballpark at Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers.
"At Food Network, we are all about feeding people's passions in fun and interesting places," says Sergei Kuharsky, general manager, new business enterprises at Scripps Networks, a division of Scripps Networks Interactive, owner of Food Network. "This partnership with Delaware North Companies allows us to spread our table wider, and deepen Food Network's relationship with viewers who have always wanted to taste what they see us serve up on TV, online and in the magazine."
DNC will build and operate the concepts, while Food Network will provide training, brand standards and marketing support. All food, beverage and retail concepts developed as a result of the partnership will carry the Food Network brand.
"We are thrilled to be working with Food Network, the brand that connects millions of people to the excitement and joy of preparing, learning about and enjoying food," says Dennis Szefel, DNC's chief administrative officer. "Food Network has the depth of culinary expertise to help us develop new and unique food and beverage concepts and experiences for the millions who dine at the special places where Delaware North operates."
DNC's Travel Hospitality Services division is already working with Food Network "Iron Chef" Masaharu Morimoto to create Skewers, an Asian dining concept for airport travelers. The division operates dozens of national and regional brand restaurants and shops at more than 20 major U.S. airports.