... by the food....

from Allison Ward of the Columbus Dispatch.

By the time hockey fans start arriving on Friday for the Blue Jackets game against the Canadiens, members of the Nationwide Arena culinary crew will be well into their second day of preparing the vast array of food to be consumed throughout the night.

All 66 of them.

The feeding of 18,000 people, after all, takes plenty of hands and ample time — especially when one menu doesn’t serve all.

Depending on the area of the arena — lower bowl or upper bowl, Club Level or Suite Level, Time Warner Cable HD Lounge or party tower — the house-made choices might vary widely.

And, in recent years, the offerings have become increasingly elaborate, thanks largely to the growing popularity of the Food Network and the rise of the “celebrity chef,” said John DiGiovanni, one of three primary arena chefs.

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