Delta Air Lines and OTG Management gave dozens of their VIPs a sneak peak at the food they are bringing to Concourse G at Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP) during an event in St. Paul, Minn., in October.
The 12 local foodies bringing chef-driven restaurants to the concourse had their food on display during the event at the Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market.
Heartland is owned by Lenny Russo, a local chef who focuses on local sourcing and sustainable operations. Russo, who will bring a local concept called Mill City Tavern to MSP, was named the Twin Cities’ best chef in 2011 by City Pages, a local alternative newspaper.
Also among the chefs opening restaurants at the airport is Andrew Zimmern, famous for hosting the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods.
OTG CEO Rick Blatstein and Bill Lentsch, senior vice president of Minnesota operations for Delta, both thanked those in attendance and expressed excitement about the relationship that has developed between the two companies.
The plans at MSP are an extension of the hold room projects Delta and OTG teamed up on at John F. Kennedy International (JFK) and at LaGuardia (LGA). Blatstein says Delta has given his company nearly free reign over redesigning the hold rooms and concourse spaces, leaving his team limited only by their imaginations.
He says the eating spaces and hold rooms will blend together, allowing people to eat comfortably while also remaining at their gates. Travelers will order using iPads.
“We rethought the entire process,” Blatstein says. “We’re going to re-create the experience.”
Lentsch says the program should allay any fears the local market may have had that Delta would reduce its reliance on MSP as a key hub. Delta has invested tremendously in upgrading the customer experience at the airport and will continue doing so.
“We have done a lot here at MSP to invest in customer service,” he says. “We wouldn’t be making this effort with Rick and his team if we weren’t here to stay. It is going to be a very exciting thing … a one of a kind in the world.”
OTG will take over the concessions in Concourse G on Jan. 1 and will immediately install a temporary program. Construction on the permanent concessions program will take 12 to 18 months.
