Everyone has to eat and that includes rock stars. They have to be fed while on tour and a quick meal from a nearby eatery isnt going to do it.They need an army of chefs and their staff to provide them with ther favorite foods, It makes touring that much easier,
Multi media journalist and first time contributor Soo Yuon wrote abote this in today''s New York Times Food section. Just like an army that marches on its' stomach a singer and his or her entourage which include roadies and technicians also runs on their stomach as well. Being an on the road chef is challenging but interesting. The production demands are significant . The standard for a sizable tour is four meals on set up and show days. There's breakfast, lunch and dinner along with an after dinner meal usually eaten on a tour bus.Not only does the star have to be well fed but also the back up singers and dancers, stage builders, the pyrotechnics crew and security guards. Also included are the managers and bus drivers, along with whoever else is involved in the concert. Usually these chefs and their staffs cook in the arenas' vast kitchens but sometimes kitchens have to be assembled.These custom based ones have to have shelves and cabinets built along with ovens..These have to be packed and repacked in specialized flight cases that are assembled and reassembled in each city visited. Sometimes they're assmebled in parking lots too.
Then there is the problem of picky perfomers. Lizzo is a vegetarian. Her recent show at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert , California had a juicing station with a blender ready basket of vegetables. There were also corn dogs and Southern fried chicken for the carnivores - namely the roadies - on her tour. She also had plant based Impossible sliders, couscous , squash ,carrots and cookies. Stars are not as bad as they were in the past. The band Van Halen had put a ban on brown M&M's in their candy dishes. Gene Simmons of the classic band KISS always wanted a turkey sandwich with lettuce, pickles and tomatoes on the side. yet he only ate the sandwuch and nothing more. Marilyn Manson demanded that boxes of Kraft's baked mac and cheese be shipped to england when he was touring there. Kraft does produce it in the UK but the taste is different. Beyonce does her own pastry chef Grant Byrd who bakes her favored cookie, a kind of chocolate chip with Belgian milk chooclate and chopped Reeses peanut cups folded in. One thing that all chefs have to watch - food poisoning. A sick star can cost an arena millions of dollars in cancellations. The food always has to be fresh
A full stomach and good food make a star shine brighter. These chefs and their staff work just as hard as these celebrtities to make a tour stand out. They are just as inportant as any musician.
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