Delicious food part of the experience at the Miami Open

THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016
PAGE 14B
Delicious food part of the experience at the Miami Open
By: ROD COFFEE
Special to the Islander News
At the Miami Open, the international
flavor of the event goes far beyond the
players on the tennis courts – it includes
the multinational makeup of the fan base
and an eclectic array of food choices that
make Crandon Park a culinary smorgasbord of cuisines prepared to enhance your
overall sports experience.
From providing grab-and-go snacks to
fine dining, Great Performances has been
on top of their game as the official caterer
of the event since 2003, providing an invaluable service to hundreds of thousands
of people who want and need to eat well
while being entertained.
Kicking off a tasting event in the Collectors Club tent near Stadium Court,
Miami Open Tournament Director Adam
Barrett explained how important it is to
provide a world-class dining experience to
fans at the event.
“One of the experiences to bring our
guests is food,” Barrett said amid a backdrop of delicious samples.
“And we do it whether it’s in a restaurant format, whether we’re standing here
in the Collectors Club or in another one of
our large restaurants called Taste or our
food court,” he said. “Our food court is
what supplies food for our guests who
come here, and most of the people who
come here will touch and taste the food,
and the question is, ‘What to they eat and
touch and what do they eat and taste?’”
Barrett said the size and scope of the
Miami Open makes it imperative to provide an array of choices. The fact that
many people come for several of the 14
days on the tennis competition schedule
and stay at Crandon Park for sometimes
eight or nine hours at a time makes food
an important part of the event.
Great Performances President Dean
Martinez said his company’s catering goal
has always been to evolve and improve
with the event. They are constantly evaluating their past and looking to the future
by creating and studying surveys they dispense in an effort to provide fans with the
choices they desire.
The sports food experience has come a
long way from the hotdog-and-a-beer days
at the ballpark.
Great Performances Executive Chef Tim
Sullivan oversees the delectable task of
making sure fans of the Miami Open are
happy with their culinary experience. He
likes the competition involved with providing choices for people in a world filled
with choices.
“It think it’s a huge part; there’s a lot of
sports and entertainment out there, so we
have to look at, ‘How do we separate ourselves? How do we add to the experience?’
“I think food should complement and
enhance the experience – not just, ‘I’m
hungry and I need something to eat’ – at a
sporting event.”
The delicious menu of choices at the
tennis venue is broken down into several
convenient categories: Plaza Stands,
Restaurants, Food Trucks and Stadium
Concessions.
With nearly 30 different options to
choose from, finding a favorite food is an
activity in and of itself.
While searching for a seat during an afternoon lunch break from tennis, Melisa
Goldsmith and her sister decided to pick
up a couple of fresh salads. While doing
so, they talked about the array of choices
at their fingertips.
“I think you know there’s always going
to be a lot of options and there’s always
great quality here,” Goldsmith said. “It’s
a little on the pricey side too, but I think
it’s kind of expected when you come to the
Miami Open.
“But I think the setup is beautiful, and
there’s always a lot to choose from.”
Visiting Crandon Park from Copenhagen, Denmark, Les Frederiksen was
pleased with her Miami Open dining experience. “I think it’s really good; there
are lots of choices and the lines are not too
long,” Frederiksen said, smiling at the
ease of it all.
Her daughter, Malou Howland, said she,
her husband and their two boys enjoy trying different foods while visiting.
“This is our third day in a row, and I had
pizza one day and we had the crepes one
day; and my husband just got a sandwich,”
she said.
“And the boys just like to get hotdogs
everyday.”
Sitting in a shady spot in the picnic area,
Tennessee native Bill Dearman said his
dining choice was easy. “The first sign I
saw was American burger, but it looks like
we have a lot of things to choose from,”
he said.
Rocio Gonzalez of Mexico City joined
two friends for a cold beer, and appreciated the chance to quench her thirst with a
refreshing adult beverage on a humid afternoon.
“It helps to refresh yourself, but it’s not
like you’re going to drink all the time,”
Gonzalez said. “It’s a good mix between
enjoying the courts and enjoying the good
times at places like this.”
Victoria Lewis came in from New York
City and chose an ice coffee to satisfy her
thirst for flavorful caffeine.
“It’s not bad, but like everything else,
it’s over-priced,” she said.
Richard Lee and his daughter enjoyed a
bite to eat near the food trucks and
summed up the Miami Open dining
experience in clear, simple terms.
“I love the variety that they have; the
upscale foods to the fast foods is really
good,” Lee said.
In addition to providing food for guests
at the Miami Open, Great Performances
provides jobs for some 420 South Florida
residents during the two-week extravaganza, and was the nation’s first caterer to
own and operate an organic farm.
Miami Open Dining Choices Include:
Plaza Stands
All-American Classic: American favorites, burgers, fries, sandwiches
Ben & Jerry’s Sweet Shop: Ice cream,
smoothies, shakes and cupcakes
Crepe Express: Mexican Crepe with all
See FOOD p.15B
THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016
PAGE 15B
FOOD
cont. from pg. 14B
the extras
Grey Goose Lounge: Specialty cocktails
The Knife: Argentinian steakhouse offering “parrilla” steak, empanadas, grilled
sausage and more
Latin Cafe 2000 and Bacardi Bar:
Cuban and Latin American fare complete
with specialty cocktails, beer, wine and
soft drinks
The Market Place: Fresh salads made
with local Florida produce
Moet & Chandon Champagne & Sushi
Lounge: Champagne, wine, sushi and
sweets
Off the Hook: Fresh quick seafood
dishes, from lobster rolls and Mahi Mahi
to salads, sandwiches and French fries
Puntino Pizzeria: From the Village of
Key Biscayne, serving authentic Neapolitan pizza, meatball sandwiches, salads and
other Italian dishes
Salsa Fiesta: made-to-order burritos,
tacos and other urban Mexican-style food
Starbucks: Coffee drinks, smoothies,
sandwiches and salads
Stella Artois Court Lounge: Outdoor
Biergarten-style space serving cold beers
and cider and lite snacks
Sushi Maki: Fresh sushi, seaweed salad,
sashimi platter and noodles are just part of
the menu
Restaurants
Taste of Miami Open: New dining space
highlighting variety stations from
celebrity chefs, all-inclusive pay-in-advance experience that includes a buffet
showcase, pasta station, soups, sandwiches, deserts and cocktail service for an
additional charge.
Collectors Club: Fine dining with table
service by Fortune International featuring
sea to table Catch of the Day, churrasco
steak, light appetizers, sushi, sandwiches
and more. Available to Collectors Club
members only.
Patrons Lounge: A mix-and-mingle environment with complimentary soda,
water, coffee and snacks and wraps including a beer, wine and cocktail happy
hour available for private patron sponsors
only.
Food Trucks
Health Nut on Wheels: Nutritious dishes
with a mix of proteins, greens and starches
based on lean specialties like venison,
bison, salmon and turkey as well as veggie
patties for non-carnivores.
Killer Melts: Miami mobile truck serving grilled cheese sandwiches, bacon blue
melt, BBQ pork, and their signature
“Killer Melt” served on toasted country
bread.
Moty’s Grill: Fresh Mediterranean fare,
pita sandwiches, steak, kafta, schnitzel,
feisty falafel, shawarma and more.
Mulberry 1965 Pizza in Fuga: Handmade rustic Neapolitan-inspired pizza
from a wood-fired oven.
Stadium Concessions
Bacardi Bars: Refreshing beverages like
mojitos, Cuba Libres, Ace Collins and
mint juleps
Brooklyn Bangers: Brooklyn sausages
in rolls with intriguing toppings, cheddar
bratwurst, Sasian sausage and more.
Food Carts: Quick snacks including
arepas, tequenos, gyros and fresh lemonade.
HipPOPS: Gourmet deserts, handcrafted
gelato, sorbet pops and self-serve gelato
or fruit sorbet with Belgian chocolate dips.
Stadium Suites: Delicious food, beverages and attentive service in air-conditioned suites with private covered seating
with a bird’s eye view of Stadium Court.
Available to sponsors only for parties of
24 or larger.
Culinary options abound at Miami Open, from pizza to sushi to hamburgers
Photos courtesy Rod Coffee