DENVER — Kroenke Sports & Entertainment has signed New York-based hospitality company Legends to be its new food and beverage concessionaire at Pepsi Center — as well as at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and the Paramount Theatre — bringing the first change in food service to the home of the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Mammoth in nearly 20 years.
Legends will begin serving its new food and beverage menu — which includes contributions from three James-Beard-Award-winning local chefs — tonight, when the Pepsi Center hosts the Jonas Brothers in concert. But the real test of its appeal is likely to begin Thursday at the home-ice opener for the Avalanche.
What might be called traditional offerings — from hot dogs to hamburgers to popcorn — will remain in place at about half of the food venues in the stadium, which hosts some 200 games per year, said James Versfelt, executive chef at the Pepsi Center. But the other half will concentrate on locally sourced meats and vegetables and offer up items like a bison pastrami melt, a grain and seasonal salad or a half crispy chicken with patatas bravas.
Then, in the suites area, Legends will partner with some of Denver’s culinary rock stars to elevate the eating experience for sporting events and concerts. Jen Jasinski, owner of restaurants like Rioja and Bistro Vendome, oversaw the new menu of food packages for higher-end customers. Alex Seidel will put his Füdmill experience to work by crafting desserts for those suites. And Bobby Stuckey, co-owner of Frasca, will oversee the wine program both in premium setting and in lower concourses.
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