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3 Los Angeles chefs partner with Sodexo Live! for new concept at The Ford amphitheater

Attendees of performing arts programs can now order a variety of chef-crafted dishes from Bodega at The Ford.

Patricia Cobe, Senior Editor

July 20, 2023

1 Min Read
Menu selection
Bodega at The Ford offers signature menu items and street food from three L.A. chefs. | Photo by Suzanne Lanza.

Bodega at The Ford, a new culinary concept at The Ford amphitheater in Los Angeles, was launched by Sodexo Live! in partnership with three well-known L.A. chefs.

Each chef created a signature menu for the concept: Jason Kim’s Forage focuses on locally sourced cuisine; Jason Winters’ Speak Cheesy offers sourdough pizzas; and Mercedes Rojas’ Arepa Stand is all about Venezuelan street food. All three offer non-GMO dishes and plant-based options, and attendees of performing arts programs can order from them all through via app or directly at Bodega.

The amphitheater's Zev Terrace and Marketplace venues have also been refreshed. Food is now served in compostable containers and drinks in reusable aluminum cups; single-use disposables have been eliminated.

On the beverage side, there’s an expanded selection of hyper-local craft beers and small-production California wines curated by restaurateur Caroline Styne. The Bodega also has a lineup of new cocktails, including a Cucumber Gimlet, Gaviota Margarita with strawberry puree and the bourbon-and-grapefruit-based Tennessee Ruby.

The Ford’s Grab & Go Market features small, local food and beverage businesses. The Dainty Cow, owned by L.A. baker Megan Cochrane, offers up cookies, cakes and ice cream desserts, while BatchCraft & Sparkle Up are known for old-school bottled sodas. Brewed coffee is coming from South LA Cafe, and canned organic sparkling water from Nixie.

Sodexo's goal with creating Bodega was to bring the vibrant Los Angeles street food scene and dining experience to The Ford amphitheater.

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Sodexo

About the Author

Patricia Cobe

Senior Editor

Pat plans and executes the menu sections of Restaurant Business and FoodService Director, covering food and beverage trends, Menu R&D, profiles of chefs and restaurateurs and Technomic research. She also contributes to the digital content of both RB and FSD and is editor of two weekly e-newsletters, Recipe Report and On the Menu. Pat’s weekly podcast, MenuFeed, covers a wide range of menu topics through interviews with chefs and operators.

Pat came to Winsight from Hearst, where she was an executive editor. She is the co-author of the Mompreneurs series of books as well as two cookbooks. She graduated from Cornell University and earned a Masters in Journalism from Boston University. She is active in several professional organizations, including Les Dames d’Escoffier and the International Foodservice Editorial Council (IFEC), and serves as a judge for the James Beard Media Awards.

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