Overview
Gone are the days of heading to a game and the only food option is a Four'n Twenty pie. Stadium food has been on the rise for a little while now, but it really took a leap to a whole new level last year when the SCG and the new Allianz Stadium enlisted the help of Merivale to revamp their dining options — and following suit is another set of sports grounds.
Sydney's largest sports and concert venue, Accor Stadium, and Parramatta's flash new ground, CommBank Stadium, are both giving their food offerings a major makeover with the help of the family-owned hospitality business Gema Group. The team-up will see a heap of local and international favourites join the culinary roster across the two stadiums.
Five Guys, El Jannah, Al Aseel, Ribs & Burgers, Roll'd, The Meal and Wine Co, Sushi Hub and Oakberry will all be available across the two stadiums alongside refreshed offerings of classic stadium food like pies, hot chips, hot dogs, nachos, pizza, souvlaki and burgers.
The addition of El Jannah's famous charcoal chicken to Western Sydney's two major stadiums feels like a match made in heaven — while the addition of Five Guys to the offerings is particularly notable, with this being the first time the US burger chain will be located in a stadium anywhere in the world.
"This is a great announcement that will not only highlight the flavours of Western Sydney, it will create jobs and support many small to medium family-owned businesses, like the legendary El Jannah," says NSW Minister for Sport and Small Business Steve Kamper.
Even Nobu is getting in on the action, with the famously fancy sushi and sashimi outpost popping up at major Accor Stadium events in collaboration with the Crown Sydney.
And a trio of acclaimed chefs — Manu Feildel, Anna Polyviou and Miguel Maestre — are all jumping on board to put their own spin on stadium eats as part of the Event Chef Series that will pop up during major events.
"We will be giving fans the ultimate choice of cuisine — reflecting the diverse communities who attend our events and Sydney's richness of culture," says Venues NSW CEO Kerrie Mather.
Head to the Venues NSW website for more information on the partnership between Venues NSW and Gema Group.