The Colorado Convention Center is stepping up its cuisine scene to incorporate Colorado-produced eats into its concession stands.
Centerplate, the Convention Center’s official caterer, has brought in Colorado suppliers such as Polidori Sausage, Continental Sausage, produce from Blue Bear Farm (Centerplate’s 5,000-square-foot urban garden), along with grass-fed beef burgers from TAG chef/owner Troy Guard, to up its good-grub game to appeal to conventioneers who bring in millions of dollars annually to support our economy.
“We started this project in February by talking to talents in the country using local products and bringing authentic Colorado (cuisine) to the Convention Center,” said Laurence Rua, Centerplate’s regional vice president, during a press lunch Thursday.
All 14 of the Convention Center concessions are now sending a clear Colorado cuisine message to its visitors.
“We’re designing food not just to eat, we’re designing food to community the message to say welcome to Colorado, which is our theme of the redesign of the food program,” said John Sergi, Centerplate’s chief design officer.
QR codes on concession stand signage connect with the www.visitdenver.com website to take viewers to see other eateries around town where out-of-towners can dine.
Other chef consultants who were brought into the program’s redesign were Roberto Santibanez, a New York restaurateur and author of Truly Mexican, who created tortas and tacos using local ingredients, and Italian expert Bill Pustari from New Haven, Conn., who created pizzas using seasonal vegetables and locally sourced meats.
The public is invited to try-out the new food program whenever the Convention Center is open.
Spoiler alert
If you haven’t watched your recorded version of Wednesday’s “Top Chef” series on Bravo, don’t read this.
Denver’s Tyler Wiard, exec chef of Elway’s steakhouse, was told to “pack his knives and go” after he was paired up with CJ, one of the show’s past chef-testants after the reluctant duo bummed out the judges with a badly executed pork burger.
But don’t count Wiard down and out quite yet. Bravo continues the contest with “Last Chance Kitchen,” a web-only battle by the outsted chefs to win a place back on the big show.
On this week’s webcast, Wiard and CJ were again paired (to their amusement and chagrin) and challenged to make a dessert in competition against reigning “Last Chance Kitchen” champ Kuniko Yagi.
Chef/judge Tom Colicchio declared the pair the winners of the dessert challenge for their cherry fritters and hay (yes, you read that right) ice cream. So they will move on to face the next ousted “Top Chef” contender.
To see the webisode, go to http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef
It’s the end of the world as we know it?
Party like there’s no tomorrow with a package at Denver’s The Curtis – a Doubletree Hilton hotel on Dec. 21, the day the world will end, according to the Mayan calendar.
The Party Like There’s No To-Maya package, priced at $12,021 (does money really matter if Earth takes a powder?), gets you and dozens of your closest friends rental of the entire 15th floor, including the British Invasion Suite and the Rolling Stone Suite plus 22 guest rooms; limousine transportation to the downtown hotel; a full floor party with two bars stocked with top-shelf alcohol, a spread of glutinous foods and decked out with party decor and rockin’ music; apocalypse-worthy guest room amenities including freeze-dried foods, gas masks, anti-radiation tablets and water purifications tablets and a tattoo artist ready to give you the butterfly or tribal tattoo that you’ve always wanted.
And if the sun does come out on Dec. 22, the hotel’s Corner Office restaurant will throw in brunch for 48 people and limo transportation home.
To book the doomsday package, go to www.thecurtis.com or call 1-800-525-6651.
All that glitters…
The third annual Trice Jewelers Holiday Party is scheduled between 7 and 9 p.m. Dec. 13 in the store at 6885 S. University Blvd. (South University and East Easter Avenue) in Centennial.
You can shop, sip and snack knowing a percentage of the evening’s proceeds will go to the Cancer Center at the University of Colorado Hospital. RSVP to Wendy Duncan at duncanhome@q.com or by calling 303-981-8850.
Shop for the Soul
Swoozie’s, the darling card and gift shop on Sixth Avenue and Fillmore, is holding Shop for the Soul events where three local social and businesswomen are hosting events that give shoppers discounts while also donating a portion of the proceeds to the hostesses’ pet charity.
I am kicking off the shopping series from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the store to support Sense of Security (www.senseofsecurity.org). Regal realtor Edie Marks takes on hostess duties from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 11 to benefit Cancer League of Colorado (www.cancerleague.org), and philanthropist/socialite Jamie Angelich will host her event from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 18 for Excelsior Youth Center (www.excelsioryc.org).
Come shop till you drop with pre-holiday discounts and to satisfy your soul by giving back to local non-profits.
Meet the parents
Former Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow is making hay in the New York gossip columns with a much higher completion rate than he ever had during his short stint here.
The New York Jets back-up QB apparently has introduced actress girlfriend Camilla Belle to his parents, and “mom and dad approve,” according to an item Thursday in the New York Post’s Page Six column, which credits In Touch magazine for the initial report.
“His mom, Pam, likes that Camilla comes from a strict Catholic family, and loves that she does so much work with a children’s charity,” Page Six said, quoting an In Touch source. “Pam thinks Camilla could be the girl Tim has been waiting for!”
Here’s the link to the story: http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/tim_tebow_introduces_camilla_belle_wl8S5J9u5EYGn2G1mCkzmI.
Eavesdropping on a man: “Ok, I don’t think I am in danger of the fiscal cliff since I have not even gotten close yet to the fiscal summit.”
Did you hear that I have a new column, “Mile High Life,” in Colorado Community Media’s 17 weekly newspapers circling Denver? Be sure to like my Facebook page! Also, here’s where you go to get my column emailed to you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I’m now the social-media liaison for the Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, so read my latest restaurant news there. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.
Comments are closed.
Leave a comment