The University of Oklahoma hosted the Levy’s Annual Food and Beverage showcase, which featured the university and its partner’s food offerings at the Oklahoma Memorial Stadium this fall.
The showcase featured a number of vendors that will be in the stadium this year, many of them returning from previous years like Fletcher’s Corndogs, Baked Bear, Poppin’ Okies, Nashbird and Midway Deli.
The event also sported three new vendors that will be at the stadium: Cupbop, a Korean barbecue restaurant, HTeaO, an iced tea store and Boomarang Diner, a 1950s-style American restaurant.
Apple Caramel, Jalapeño Cheddar and Classic Kettle Corn made by Poppin' Okies.
Cody Malone, director of operations for Levy Restaurants at OU, said that diversity in the vendors is important for the stadium and its fans.
“We like to bring a variety of food to the university,” Malone said. “We have 85,000 fans here each game, which means we have a lot of diversity, so we want to make sure we have something to offer for everybody to eat. Some people wanna come here and just have hot dogs and nachos, but maybe some want to come and try the Korean barbecue, or the barbecue from Rib Crib, maybe they want something new and different."
Malone also said that it’s important to him that people come to the stadium not just for the game, but to enjoy the food and atmosphere as well.
“We want to make sure everyone is welcome and included and has something to eat," Malone said. "We don’t want people to eat before the game. We want you to come here, enjoy the food, enjoy the drinks and enjoy the atmosphere of our football games.”
Cory Stevens, director of operations at Boomarang Diner, said the company is very excited to be in the stadium for the first time.
“We’re an Oklahoma company, we use a lot of Oklahoma products, so we’re excited we can partner with the University of Oklahoma to be here," Stevens said.
Stevens recommends the Diner Double to fans, which features two fresh beef patties and two pieces of cheese on a toasted bun. Boomarang Diner has been named the official burger of OU Athletics.
Erica Hope, executive chef for Levy Restaurants and OU, said that the stadium aims to work with Oklahoma businesses for their food.
Executive Chef Erica Pope and Director of Operations Cody Malone from Levy Restaurants.
“We’re very local-driven, we’re very Oklahoma-branded, we do what we can to get our Oklahoma companies in here,” Pope said.
Pope also detailed a few of the items the OU concession stands will be selling this year.
“We have our Prairie Dog, which is a foot-long corn dog dipped in white cheese sauce and topped with pickled corn and red onions. We will also have our weekly rotating corn dog, which is different every time you come to a home game. The other item we’re featuring is our Boomer Brisket Sandwich.”
Eric Pope, an OU offensive lineman from 1980-85 and father of Erica Pope, said that he is happy that Erica is continuing a legacy at the university.
“It’s exciting to have Erica here, back at the university, being a part of what I know is a winning legacy, and I am happy I can be here to support her,” Pope said. “I think the exciting thing for me is that we can both be a part of the same university, just sharing the excitement, legacy and commitment of excellence that I know is here, and one of the things that excites me is her commitment to excellence of her food. To me, that’s something that runs through us.”
Pope also said that he helped develop the Boomer Brisket Sandwich with his daughter, and that he thinks fans will like the item.
“For me the brisket sandwich is the item to look out for,” Pope said. “Barbecue has been in our family for a long time, so I’m one of those guys who sees smoked meat, cooked meat, and I go, ‘Hey, how does that taste?’ Erica has made it a few times for me and I love it.”
All the vendors and more will join the OU concession stand in the stadium this fall for football home games, starting Saturday, Sept. 3.
