Where’s the EVent? UBS Arena, Elmont, NY

Where’s the EVent? UBS Arena, Elmont, NY

When it comes to buildings and event centers, sports arenas are in a class of their own. New stadiums are relatively common, and developers and teams seem to go all out to try to outdo each other. One of the newest stadiums is the UBS Stadium in Elmont, New York, where developers have taken a progressive, modern approach to everything.

While people come to the stadium to watch the game, food is also integral to the experience. The UBS Stadium team decided to utilize a mix of technology and modern trends to make this one of the coolest stadiums in the country. Evo ventless griddles are found in more than 60 world-class stadiums and arenas and feeds the fans of 58 professional sports teams. Here’s how the install at UBS Area went.

UBS Arena

As the arena was being developed, planners knew that food would be an essential component. The arena wanted to participate in the state’s Taste NY initiative, meaning that most of the food (up to 75 percent) would need to be sourced locally from New York state farms and suppliers.

Additionally, designers wanted to utilize technology to make vendor interactions as streamlined and convenient as possible and looked to Amazon Go stores for inspiration. For example, at some stalls in the arena, guests can pick items and purchase them at a self-checkout station without interacting with a cashier. Guests can also order food from their phones, so it’s ready to pick up as soon as they leave their seats.

Finally, the design team wanted more transparency between customers and their food. Many stations will allow guests to see their meal being prepared, all thanks to the Evo Ventless Griddle. The arena purchased 15  for installation, offering a dynamic option for both vendors and customers.

About the Install

The UBS Arena design team decided to go all-in on ventless cooking appliances. First of all, going ventless meant reduced installation costs because the arena didn’t need a complex network of ducts and fans. Second, a ventless grill can be placed anywhere for maximum productivity. For example, on game days, vendors can utilize multiple griddles to accommodate more orders simultaneously.

Evo griddles enabled the design team to embrace an open concept that allows for free movement from one area to the next. So, instead of guests hanging out in one location, they’re encouraged to move around and see what else the arena has to offer. Obviously, in a post-pandemic world, this type of concept had to be adapted slightly, but it’s still pretty true to the original layout.

EVent Griddles

The main question guests will ask is, how can you cook on a ventless griddle? Won’t steam and smoke just billow and create a health hazard? Evo addressed this issue with a built-in high-tech ventilation system. This system extracts air from the griddle’s surface, so nothing billows up in anyone’s face. The vents are also outfitted with filters to remove grease and other particles before redistributing the hot air.

An Evo Ventless Griddle is perfect for customer-facing stations like the ones at UBS Arena. With a traditional setup, guests wouldn’t be able to stand so close to the grill and watch the chefs work. In addition to opening the kitchen and making it more user-friendly, these grills offer efficient cooking so chefs can prepare their dishes faster and more consistently. Like all Middleby ventless kitchen solutions, Evo brings meal prep to the forefront, allowing cooking in places never before imagined.