Peanuts! Seared Lamb! Puck, Levy to Serve Dodger Food

Competition is expected to be fierce at Dodger Stadium next season, and not just on the field. When the first pitch is thrown at Chavez Ravine on April 14, Dodger Dogs will have Wolfgang Puck pizza and other Spago-tested entrees to contend with for the palates of wealthy fans.

The Los Angeles restaurateur plans to announce next week that he has teamed with Levy Restaurants, the nation’s leading purveyor of upscale cuisine at sports venues, to provide top-quality fare at Dodger Stadium’s restaurants and soon-to-be-completed luxury suites, Levy President Larry Levy said.

Puck couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday, and Dodger officials declined to discuss the agreement. The parties plan to announce the deal formally at a new conference Tuesday.

Under the arrangement, Chicago-based Levy, which handles food service for luxury suites and premium seats at Staples Center and Edison International Field in Anaheim, will oversee operations at the stadium’s two restaurants that cater exclusively to top ticket-holders, and it will incorporate offerings from Puck’s Spago and Chinois restaurants with Levy’s own fare. Levy will also supervise food service in the stadium’s 33 corporate suites. Menu choices will include seared lamb, Cobb salad with shrimp, sashimi and veal dishes.

Levy, which pioneered the four-star-meets-sports-star concept at Chicago’s Comiskey Park in 1983, now has contracts at 19 new or refurbished arenas and stadiums nationwide. The privately held company plans to do more than $250 million in sales this year.

Levy’s arrangement with Puck, which was orchestrated by stadium officials to broaden the appeal of its premium seats, is the company’s third compact with local restaurateurs. The venture is Puck’s first foray into sports entertainment, Levy said. The Austrian chef’s business empire includes more than 30 restaurants worldwide.

Dodger Stadium is undergoing a $50-million face lift, which will add luxury suites and 565 new seats behind home plate.

Philadelphia-based Aramark will continue to handle general concessions.