Chefs prepare fresh salads, burgers, Italian sausage for fans headed to Aronimink for PGA Championship
As Aronimink Golf Club prepares for the top golfers in the world, chefs are busy chopping fruits and vegetables, unpacking meats, and getting ready to serve thousands of spectators during the PGA Championship.
"What we do in seven days is what we're seeing stadiums do 365 days a year, so over 100,000 burgers, 65,000 hot dogs," said Eric Babcook, vice president of operations for the Patina Restaurant Group.
Babcook gave CBS Philadelphia a sneak peek inside the market-style concessions on the grounds of the historic course in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Fans will have access to a variety of beverages, as well as fresh food, including all-beef hot dogs, grilled chicken sandwiches, Italian sausage with sauteed onions and roasted peppers, and cheeseburgers.
It's grab-and-go style, and everything is included with your ticket price except for alcohol.
"You simply walk in, grab the items that you would like, and simply walk out and get back on the golf course," Babcook said.
Four markets will be open around the course. Executive chef Ed Milan says everything is cooked on site, which helps provide an elevated fan experience.
"If you're coming to see the best golf in the world, you want to have the best burger in the world, and we come really close to that, if not," Milan said.
We were also able to look inside the main production kitchen. It's a 24-hour operation, and cooks from around the country were preparing thousands of sandwiches and salads. We're told nothing is frozen, and everything is made fresh each day.
"We cut onions and peppers every day, Italian sausage, everything is grilled right behind us fresh every day," Milan said.
Some 200,000 spectators are expected during the PGA Championship, and chefs will be working around the clock to keep everyone well fed.
"We understand that the best players in the world are going to be here and we want to get them into our markets and watching the golf and the PGA Championship," Babcook said.