Canvassing the community

I read an interesting article in the Dec. 1 edition of the Baltimore Sun, about how sports concessionaire Sportservice is beginning to plan the food lineup at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles baseball club.

Sportservice, a division of Buffalo, N.Y.,’s Delaware North Cos., recently was awarded the contract to manage foodservice at the stadium. Reporter Richard Gorelick went with Sportservice executives as they toured Baltimore restaurants and farmers’ markets. As the article’s headline suggested, the Sportservice team was searching for “the next signature item,” by seeing what types of foods are popular with city residents and might sell well at the ballpark.

But the company’s chefs made it clear to the writer that they are not necessarily searching for menu items that can be brought to the stadium. Instead they are trying to get a feel for the culinary culture of the town, to search for flavors and ingredients that resonate with people in the area. I guess you could refer to it as “inspiration, not imitation.”

Sportservice’s approach makes total sense, and it is a practice that easily can be emulated in the non-commercial markets. Certainly, if you are taking on a role as director or executive chef at a new facility—particularly one in a city that also is new for you—you should get the lay of the land, to help define what your institution’s menu should be.

But it also is good advice for veteran directors and chefs. If you feel revenue and/or participation in your foodservice outlets is down, even though your customer base is fairly stable, you might want to canvass your neighborhood. Find out if there are new restaurants attracting your customers, or if there are new menu items that have caught their eyes. You just might be “inspired” to shake up your menu a bit.