RRS has added more variety for Arkansas fans. Totals now include the following...
Chartwell's Hog Heaven
*Two kinds of chicken pasta
*Philly cheesesteaks
*Bratwurst and sausages,
*Barbecue pulled pork and beef brisket
*Reubens, subs, and salads
Other food places in the All-American Alley
*AQ Chicken and BBQ
*Papa John's Pizza
*Starbucks Coffee
*Shake's Frozen Custard
Plus the regualr hot dog, popcorn, nacho and pretzel stands as of old.
Can't complain about Broyles and his culinary tastes.
WPS
Stadium Menu Easily Passes Taste Test
Thursday, August 22, 2002
Click for larger view.
Column By Bob Stephens
The Morning News/RazorbackCentral
FAYETTEVILLE -- If the football team is as good as the food being served in Razorback Stadium this season, then Arkansas fans are in for a treat.
The Hogs' home ballpark has never featured the variety -- or quality -- of culinary delights that will grace the menu for five Fayetteville games this fall.
It's another step in the modernization of Razorback Stadium that began with the addition of 20,000 seats last season.
"Our food service last year didn't measure up to the quality of the stadium," said Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles.
"Secondly, we didn't have enough variety.
"Thirdly, we didn't have enough upscale food."
Well, Broyles' latest decision passed the taste test Wednesday.
The 77-year-old emperor of Arkansas' football empire wore an apron and greeted visitors in the enclosed club level -- that's the third floor via the elevator -- on the east side of Razorback Stadium.
"We want to get the word out to all our fans that we spent the off-season upgrading our food service here in Razorback Stadium," Broyles said. "Our food accommodations just weren't ready last year."
Broyles inked a contract with Chartwells to feed the 11,200 fans in the club and skybox seats. He employed Sodexho to oversee concessions for the other 58,000 fans in the food court.
Not only is the food better, but there's more places to get it.
"There's 18 new points of service," Broyles said.
And now, fans won't even have to leave their seats to get refreshments. "Hawkers," or vendors, will tour the stands and bring food to the masses, as they do at pro games.
"We'll have 70 hawkers and 30 to 40 just selling Papa John's (pizza)," said Tim Lewis, a general manager for Sodexho who now lives in Fayetteville.
Lewis has previously managed concessions for Six Flags and Churchill Downs. His prize item now is the "Hog Dog," a cheeseburger in the shape of a hot dog.
A Starbucks coffee stand has been added to the food court in the south end zone of Razorback Stadium, and AQ Chicken has taken over the barbecue sales.
Broyles said "65 percent of fans will buy regular concessions" but there's "25 to 30 percent that want to come early and eat a good meal."
In fact, Broyles hopes fans will come early and stay late.
He's arranged for Arkansas' marching band to play for 30 minutes after the game and said food will be available following the final play.
Chartwells has actually been serving the UA since 1998 but -- under the direction of Bill Zemke -- has expanded its duties to include the skybox and club seating areas for game days in Razorback Stadium.
Is Chartwells qualified? Well, the Levy Restaurants division of Chartwells has an impressive resume. They serve other venues such as Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City Chiefs), Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles Dodgers), Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers), STAPLES Center (Los Angeles Lakers), Trans World Dome (St. Louis Rams) and Toronto Sky Dome (Toronto Blue Jays).
If that's not good enough, call one of the Razorbacks and ask if Wednesday night's steak dinner -- provided by Chartwells -- met their standards.
After sampling all five of the food stations set up Wednesday afternoon, the answer seems obvious to me.
There were two kinds of chicken pasta, a Philly cheesesteak, bratwurst and sausage, barbecue pulled pork and beef brisket, plus the best Reuben to hit town since the youngest of the running Reina brothers.
And the desserts were worthy of fine dining.
Bon appetit.
|
