Centerplate brings chef from Phoenix for Yum Arena kitchen

[Robin Garr]

I couldn't resist posting this news release un-edited and in full so you folks can see what editors have to go through in translating PR-ese back into English. It's more than just deleting exclamation points! Oops, "points." I'm sure Chef Kavanaugh is a nice guy and will be a good addition to the local dining scene, but this news release made me think they were bringing in Emeril or Mario Batali or somebody. Do PR agencies think editors (or the public) will be snowed by this kind of massive exaggeration? Okay, rant out, PR on:

Centerplate Moves Acclaimed Chef to Serve New KFC Yum! Center

Hospitality leader taps Chef Sean Kavanaugh to oversee the culinary operations at Louisville's new arena

STAMFORD, Conn., July 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Centerplate, the leading hospitality provider to North America's premier sports stadiums and convention centers, is pleased to announce Chef Sean Kavanaugh, Executive Chef of Sports and Entertainment for the company, will be the new Executive Chef at the KFC Yum! Center; Louisville, Kentucky's new state-of-the-art arena set to open in October of 2010.

With more than 25 years of experience in hospitality and food service, Chef Kavanaugh has a passion for delivering superior service and creating memorable food. He has continually applied his culinary expertise and strategic business sense in ways that have earned him industry acclaim and significant business results. Under his leadership, the Restaurant at the Ritz Carlton Phoenix earned the ranking of Ninth Best Restaurant in the United States by Conde Nast Traveler magazine. His proven ability to up sell food and beverages to existing and new customers led to outstanding short term sales increases in high-profile convention center accounts. Chef Kavanaugh was honored by the Association of Luxury Suite Directors for the most innovative suite menu in sports, was the winner at the 2008 Scottsdale Culinary Festival for his innovative menu and service design, and earned a finalist position in the 2009 Event Solutions Spotlight Award. He has headlined as chef of some of the most prominent gatherings in sports and entertainment including the 2010 Winter Olympics, Super Bowl XLII, Pro Bowl, 2001 World Series, NBA Championships, NBA All Stars, MLB All Stars, and the 2010 Nuclear Security Summit feeding 50 of the world's leaders.

"We are excited to welcome Chef Kavanaugh, one of the strongest culinarians in sports to the KFC Yum! Center," states Harold Workman, President and CEO of the Kentucky State Fair Board. "With his experience in opening professional football, baseball and sports arenas around the country, we are confident that he has the right combination of culinary talent and operational skills to ensure we have a hospitality guest experience to match the premier nature of our facility."

"I am very excited to move to Louisville," says Kavanaugh. "I'm inspired by the cutting edge facility as well as the culinary bounty and southern hospitality of Kentucky and look forward to reflecting all of this in our plans for the food service program."

The KFC Yum! Center will be a multi-purpose arena that will serve as the home to the University of Louisville Men's and Women's Basketball programs. Additionally, it is designed to accommodate a wide variety of other events with seating for over 22,000 fans.

I am excited about becoming an active member of the local culinary scene.

SPK

Sean Kavanaugh
Senior Executive Chef
Centerplate Sports and Entertainment
University of Phoenix Stadium

I'm rather stunned that the profile lauds his ability to "upsell" before it lists his awards and accomplishments. In fact I don't think upselling is what I want to be known for. Sure, we all do it, but . . .

Lots of people in Yum! upsell too...

" Do you want fries with that? "

Agree totally. We all upsell. It just struck me as odd in a press release. And it's not the sort of "accomplishment" I want in my obituary or engraved on my headstone.

Did Sean write this press release himself?

Did Sean write this press release himself?

It appears he did from the sig block.

[Robin Garr]

Did Sean write this press release himself?

Beats hell out of me, but my guess would be that it was written by PR for his signature.

"Centerplate, the leading hospitality provider to North America's premier sports stadiums and convention centers ..."

Mandated and exclusionary monopolies at taxpayer-financed venues are wonderful things, aren't they?

[Robin Garr]

Mandated and exclusionary monopolies at taxpayer-financed venues are wonderful things, aren't they

For the record, I believe it was the Mets what fired them from their new stadium. Of course, it was to replace them with some other mandated and exclusionary monopoly, I'm sure, perhaps one that would deliver even more plain, unmarked envelopes ...

Mandated and exclusionary monopolies at taxpayer-financed venues are wonderful things, aren't they

For the record, I believe it was the Mets what fired them from their new stadium. Of course, it was to replace them with some other mandated and exclusionary monopoly, I'm sure, perhaps one that would deliver even more plain, unmarked envelopes ...

Yep.