San Diego Symphony relaunches with premium culinary program

The San Diego Symphony kicks off its return to performance on Aug. 6 at its new waterfront Rady Shell at Jacobs Park home in downtown San Diego with officially announced partnerships for its Shell Provisions signature culinary program, which was conceived and created by Frank ODea Hospitality and curated by concessions firm Centerplate, a unit of Sodexo. Shell Provisions offers a range of local specialties in partnership with some of the city’s most popular purveyors, including celebrity “Top Chef” Richard Blais, URBAN KITCHEN Group, Biga, Lola55 and Achilles Coffee Roasters. In addition, The Shell Provisions at the Prebys Plaza Dining Pavilion & Market boasts new state-of-the-art kitchens and ipressive dining spaces that allow concertgoers to enjoy some of the best tastes San Diego has to offer while taking in the beautiful sights and sounds of the city.

"Our goal with The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park is to not only give San Diegans and visitors an unforgettable musical experience, but also a well-rounded cultural experience that reflects our city,” said San Diego Symphony, CEO Martha Gilmer in announcing the event. “The Shell Provisions highlights cuisine San Diego is famous for, while supporting local businesses and elevating the concert-going experience. We are thrilled to partner with Centerplate and Chef Richard Blais as well as Chef Tim Kolanka and restaurateur, Tracy Borkum with URBAN KITCHEN Group to give concertgoers an unmatched tableside dining experience. We are equally excited to showcase beloved local purveyors along with our dynamic programming this summer. We are infinitely grateful for every partner, donor and community member who helped make this possible."

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To make service at The Rady Shell as efficient as possible, The Shell Provisions is entirely cashless with Blais By the Bay, Blais Boxes and URBAN KITCHEN picnic boxes available for pre-order while selections from Lola55, Biga, URBAN KITCHEN Group as well as other purveyors throughout Prebys Plaza will be available for self-order at a kiosk. Guests can also pre- or self-order via The Rady Shell app, which also contains access to digital tickets, the venue’s concert calendar and full information about the new venue. The various cashless ordering systems are expected to increase speed of service significantly so no guest has to miss a moment of any performance. No outside food or drink will be permitted on the premises aside from factory-sealed water bottles.

URBAN KITCHEN think global eat local will offering self-order and grab-and-go options such as a CUCINA giant meatball and mascarpone polenta, Korean fried chicken sandwich, a California lobster and shrimp roll, a grab-and-go burrata with Dassi Farms heirloom tomatoes, salads, bites, and other selections to build a customized picnic meal.

Guests seated in the Marina and San Diego Row sections will have a variety of tableside dining options curated by Blais, who operates a variety of popular local restaurants, the newest being Ember and Rye, as well as URBAN KITCHEN Group, known for their modern Italian hot spots CUCINA Urbana, CUCINA Enoteca and CUCINA Sorella. They include…

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● Blais By the Bay, featuring some of Blais' favorite dishes such as flatiron steak, "arroz con pollo" roast chicken and vegan whole wheat fusilli pasta, will have its menu available to pre-order and served at their table.

● Blais Boxes, curated picnic boxes with selections such as a pulled Hawaiian pork sandwich, roasted vegetable wrap, "The Cupboard" charcuterie-themed box and a chef-selected vegan option also available for pre-order, with guests able to select a specific time they want their box delivered to their seats.

Meanwhile, the Prebys Plaza Dining Pavilion and Market will serve as the central hub for food and beverage offerings available to all guests at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. The open air pavilion and dining area will be home to a variety local partners offering self-order and grab-and-go selections. They include…

Mesquite grilled chicken tacos served by progressive Mexican taqueria Lola55 at the open-air Prebys Plaza Dining Pavilion and Market.

● BIGA Restaurant, with its wood fired pizzas available for self-order and pickup;

● Lola55, a progressive Mexican taqueria on the Michelin Guide's "Bib Gourmand" list, with a current menu that includes mesquite grilled chicken tacos, smoked carnitas tacos and a vegan cauliflower taco, all also available via self-order and pickup;

● URBAN KITCHEN think global eat local, offering self-order and grab-and-go options such as a CUCINA giant meatball and mascarpone polenta, Korean fried chicken sandwich, a California lobster and shrimp roll, a grab-and-go burrata with Dassi Farms heirloom tomatoes, salads, bites, and other selections to build a customized picnic meal.

● Achilles Coffee Roasters, a local small batch craft roastery rapidly expanding throughout San Diego.

The Shell Provisions will also offer an expanded cart service program called Food Cart Delights throughout and adjacent to Prebys Plaza, with carts from such local establishments as Marketplace Grille, featuring an assortment of hummus, wraps and desserts’ Kitchens For Good with a selection of soups and bread; and Minocqua Popcorn with a cart offering buttered popcorn and kettle corn.

There will be multiple full bars throughout the venue, with locations varying by concert or event and serving quality spirits, wine, local craft beers from AleSmith, Saint Archer and Stone Brewing as well as canned Cutwater cocktails, the San Diego Symphony’s official canned cocktail. A wide variety of wines by-the-bottle will be available and non-alcoholic options include soft drinks, and water.