Sporting events usually mean beer and hot dogs, but as the 2014 U.S Open Tennis Championships kick off this week in New York, the world’s best tennis action will also see some fine dining action. With celebrity chefs like Mantuano, David Burke, Richard Sandoval and Masaharu Morimoto, champs Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova won’t be the only ones with star status at this year’s tournament.
“You have an audience that loves great food, the U.S Open has that reputation now of not only having great tennis, but also great food,” Mantuano, the James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Spiaggia in Chicago, told Fox News.
As pressure builds for the title, expectations off the court are just as high.
“It’s like opening a new restaurant. You come in here and you get three days to put the menu together, and you have to go with a whole new staff– and that is challenging,” Chef David Burke told Fox News.
According to Danny Zausner, the chief operating officer of the National Tennis Center, around 70,000 people will enjoy the games at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York.
“As opposed to a traditional sporting event, people are here for six to eight hours at a time– so they will be here for several meals and we love that,” Zausner said.
This year the menus highlight sustainable and local foods.
“We are staying local; clams and oysters from Long Island, and lots of produce from New Jersey and Connecticut,” Burke said.
Tennis fans won’t be disappointed with all the delicious culinary choices offered this year.
“40 percent of what we use is locally sourced, and it’s a great time of year for tomatoes so we have a great tomato salad with fresh mozzarella,” Mantuano said.
There are also healthier options available, compared to typical sporting events.
“We made Mexican food a little healthier with the same bold flavors. We’ve taken out a lot of the lards and a lot of the cheeses and made it healthy– but still very flavorful,” Chef Richard Sandoval of Maya Modern Mexican Kitchen in New York told Fox News.
Some chefs will even offer gluten-free dishes.
“We try to be healthy so if they ask we have brown rice, and gluten free– I changed the vinegar with the sushi rice, [so there is] no gluten,” Morimoto said.
Even tennis pro’s like Fabio Fognini stopped by to try a quick bite.
“I tried the jambo and potatoes and I like all fish, so it was really very nice,” Fognini, the #15 seed in this year’s tournament told Fox News.
During the two-week event, a culinary team of nearly 300 will be on hand to prepare the cuisine across five restaurants and sixty concession stands.
For more information on all the dining options at the U.S Open visit 2014.usopen.org.
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