Here’s How This Chef Elevates Typical Stadium Food For 23,000 Soccer Fans
Picture yourself as the executive chef of a major Los Angeles stadium. With a team of over 120 employees under your management, your task is twofold: to meet substantial sales targets and to consistently serve high-quality food that keeps the revenue soaring.
In the shoes of Hugo Miranda, executive chef at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, home to the LAFC soccer club, this is the reality. Upholding such standards demands not just culinary prowess but also an infusion of cultural richness and delicious creativity into the stadium’s menu.
“In LA we got Downtown, Chinatown, Koreatown, we get a lot of Central Americans, we got Hispanics — it’s a big playground. So how do you compress that to concessions food, but also be different?” It’s a crucial question he asked himself when game planning for a ballpark menu that will cater to its diverse culture.
With impressive sales targets to maintain and surpass, Chef Miranda’s culinary team faces as much pressure to perform as the players on the pitch.
To achieve this, Chef Miranda relies on his adept management of a team comprising 120 employees, three sous chefs, and 15 supervisors. His secret lies in emphasizing the importance of maintaining both composure and consistency. “There comes a point where you must realize the importance of maintaining composure. You’ve got to drive the ship as a leader, but also make sure everybody’s consistent, everybody’s doing their job,” he emphasized.
With this foundation set, Chef Miranda orchestrates the delivery of top-notch ballpark cuisine to approximately 23,000 fervent soccer fans. “My goal this year was to do the best food that we can in concessions. [It’s] not just regular ballpark food. I think you can actually do gourmet food,” he asserted.
BMO Stadium surpasses the usual fare of hot dogs, nachos, chicken tenders, and fries. Instead, fans queue up for a 2024 season menu that’s got cultural range, one that balances mouthwatering fusion, heightened techniques, and everyday accessibility. Imagine indulging in a Peruvian-style roasted chicken accompanied by waffle fries and aji amarillo dipping sauce, or savoring a Korean Fried Chicken sandwich filled with a vibrant som tum salad. Not to mention, there’s the option of enjoying a fully loaded brisket sandwich served with brisket fries as a sidekick.
“They’re coming to our house, our stadium. So we gotta show them what we do in LA,” beamed Chef Miranda.
With the video above taking you through his favorites on the menu, it’s clear that he’s channeled his inner Dénis Bouanga and nailed the goal of serving gourmet ballpark food.
