Great backstage catering starts with great ingredients. During Phish’s recent two-night run at Merriweather Post Pavilion, our US team took that principle right back to the source, working with local farms and suppliers to create fresh, seasonal menus for the artists and crew.
Eat to the Beat has been the in-house caterer at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, since 2010. Over the years, the venue has become an important part of our international operation and a home from home for the team during the busy US summer season.
As the in-house caterer, we provide food and hospitality for the artists, management teams, production personnel and crews working behind the scenes at the venue. Each show presents different dietary requirements, schedules and creative opportunities, but our approach remains the same. We curate carefully considered menus that incorporate responsibly sourced ingredients and freshly prepared food that’s designed to keep everyone fuelled throughout the day.
For Phish’s two performances at Merriweather, the team developed menus featuring seasonal ingredients sourced from businesses located just a short distance from the venue.
Meat and fish came from J.W. Treuth, a local farm butcher approximately 15 minutes away. Established in Maryland, the supplier provided the team with quality ingredients while helping us reduce the distances travelled through the supply chain.
Clark’s Elioak Farm supplied fresh produce, 100% farm-raised ground beef, jellies and hot sauces. Members of the Eat to the Beat team also visited the farm to hand-pick flowers and produce, bringing ingredients directly from the fields into the dishes and backstage dining spaces.
Locally grown fruit and vegetables were also sourced from MOM’s Organic Market, another neighbour within a short drive of Merriweather.
Working with suppliers close to the venue allows our chefs to make the most of ingredients that are fresh, seasonal and rooted in the local area. It also supports nearby farmers, producers and independent businesses, ensuring that the benefits of each event extend into the surrounding community.
Our approach at Merriweather reflects Eat to the Beat’s wider commitment to making more responsible choices throughout our operations.
As part of Global Infusion Group, Eat to the Beat is proud to be part of a certified B Corporation. B Corp certification recognises businesses that meet independently assessed standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.
For us, this means examining the impact of the decisions we make every day, from how and where we source ingredients to the way we support our people, clients, suppliers and communities.
Sustainability in event catering is rarely about a single initiative. It comes from continually identifying practical improvements that can be incorporated into the way a project is delivered. Choosing seasonal produce, shortening supply chains, supporting local suppliers and designing menus around the ingredients available nearby are all important parts of that process.
The Phish shows provided a great example of how those commitments translate into the food that we serve backstage. The ingredients were not only locally sourced – members of our team were able to meet the people producing them and see exactly where the food had come from.
