TASTE OF THE NFL: A CULINARY AND GRIDIRON EXTRAVAGANZA  TO HELP GENYOUTH TACKLE STUDENT HUNGER

Get ready for an unparalleled culinary, sports, entertainment and philanthropic experience as Taste of the NFL, presented by Frito-Lay, Quaker, and the PepsiCo Foundation, takes center stage during Super Bowl LVIII Weekend. Scheduled for February 10, 2024, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. PST at the Keep Memory Alive event center in Las Vegas, the Super Bowl’s largest purpose-driven culinary event will deliver an extraordinary blend of cuisine and culture, with net proceeds benefiting GENYOUth’s commitment to tackle youth hunger and food insecurity.

Taste of the NFL will feature some of the nation’s hottest culinary talent and an all-star lineup of NFL Legends and players. World class chefs Andrew Zimmern, Carla Hall, Tim Love, Lasheeda Perry, and Mark Bucher will host the event with over 25 nationally renowned and locally loved Las Vegas chefs who are teaming up to tempt guests’ taste buds with signature dishes, innovative beverages, and exclusive eat-and-greets. New additions to the culinary roster for 2024 include  Lorena Garcia of Chica, and Mauro Casanto and Joey Faugno of Carlo’s Bake Shop, both at The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas; Jennifer Yee of Wynn Las Vegas; Josh Capon of Fontainebleau Las Vegas; Todd English of Todd English Hospitality; Belle English of Williams-Sonoma; Matt Chacho of Wicked Spoon at The COSMOPOLITAN™ of Las Vegas; Lukasz Mackowiak of Morimotos Las Vegas at MGM Grand Las Vegas; Bob Broskey of RPM Italian at Caesars Palace; James Trees of Las Vegas culinary hot spot Esther’s Kitchen; and Bryan Forgione of Buddy Valastro’s Restaurant Group.

Also cooking up their favorite Game Day recipes will be Chef Steven Dominguez, Quaker’s Associate Research Chef and Culinary Lead, and Charlene Gladden, Frito Lay’s Senior Research Chef and Culinary Lead; along with local food talents DJ Flores of Milpas, Paula Escudero and Sean Wilson of Smokin’ Good Bistro & Deli; Rochelle Hodge of Twice Baked, and Dan Chatman of Family Soul Restaurant, from the PepsiCo Foundation’s IMPACTO Hispanic Business Accelerator and Black RestaurantAccelerator programs.

These culinary maestros will be joined by over 30 NFL Legends including Will Blackmon, Daryn Colledge, Doug Flutie, Morlon Greenwood, Tony Moll, Shannon Sharpe, Jason Spitz, Stephen Tulloch, and Charles Woodson, among other gridiron greats. A special appearance will also be made by Miss America. And no Las Vegas event is complete without entertainment, which will be provided by the incomparable talents of Cirque du Soleil.

Taste of the NFL will raise vital funds for GENYOUth’s commitment to tackling youth hunger and food insecurity. Net proceeds from the event will benefit GENYOUth’s Super School Meals initiative by supporting school nutrition programs and delivering critical school meal equipment packages to high-need schools throughout Nevada. In addition, Taste of the NFL proceeds will support school nutrition programs with equipment grants in all NFL Club markets across the nation.

“Giving back to the communities in which we live, work and serve is a critically important part of our mission at PepsiCo. Frito-Lay and Quaker, along with the PepsiCo Foundation, are proud to support GENYOUth’s Taste of the NFL and its lead-up Super School Meals initiative that will provide schools with equipment and resources to help tackle food insecurity throughout the United States,” said Steven Williams, CEO, PepsiCo Foods North America. “We are dedicated to increasing opportunities to enhance nutrition security in communities across the country.”

“One in 8 U.S. children live in food insecurity and 30 million children rely on school meals, which include milk, fruit, vegetables, whole grain and lean protein, for a substantial portion of their daily nutrition. School nutrition programs foster nutrition equity for students,” said Ann Marie Krautheim, M.A., R.D., L.D., CEO of GENYOUth. “Through the support of our founding partners America’s Dairy Farmers and the NFL, as well as purpose-minded partners who fund Taste of the NFL, Super School Meals, and other GENYOUth programs, we are working to ensure all children are nourished and active to be their best selves. We thank all of our partners for helping us ensure that the only hunger a child experiences is the hunger to learn.”

“As a valued, vital and longstanding NFL non-profit partner, we are proud that our Super Bowl partnership with GENYOUth will raise funds to tackle food insecurity and provide school meals to children in communities in Las Vegas and across the nation,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL Executive Vice President, Club Business, International & League Events. “We also deeply value GENYOUth’s continued commitment to improving the health and well-being of America’s youth through programs that promote physical activity, including the NFL FLAG-In-Schools program.”

Taste of the NFL attendees will enjoy autograph sessions with NFL greats¹, curated cocktails, live and silent sports memorabilia auctions, a unique lunchbox wall co-presented by American Family Insurance and Frito-Lay® Variety Packs, and special FEED gift bags. Outdoor features include a visit from the Quaker Pregrain Tour, which kicked off in November 2023 with a $250,000 donation to GENYOUth and whose tailgate truck will make a special stop at Taste of the NFL serving up a NFL-inspired recipe.

Taste of the NFL is made possible through the support of the NFL and presenting sponsors Frito-Lay, Quaker, and the PepsiCo Foundation; NFL sponsors Frito-Lay® Variety Packs, Cheetos, Tostitos and Verizon; and GENYOUth End Student Hunger partners including PNC Bank, American Family Insurance, The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas, Hellmann’s/Best Foods, Boars Head Brand, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, Las Vegas Raiders, John Anthony Family of Wines, Smoke Wagon Straight Whiskeys, Melissa’s Produce, Le Portier Cognac by Shannon Sharpe, Charles Woodson’s Intercept Wine and Woodson Whiskey, Don Londrés, FEED, KLAS-TV News 8, Las Vegas Review-Journal, and Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee.

Tickets to Taste of the NFL are VIP only and can be purchased at www.TasteoftheNLF.com  or Ticketmaster.

¹ Additional confirmed appearances to date by NFL Legends and current players include Michael Bankston, Willie Buchanon, Jarrod Bunch, David Caldwell, Darryl Clack, Mark Collins, Chris Calloway, Bryan Chamberlain, Rick Cunningham Chris Draft, Jonathan Grimes, Liffort Hobley, Darnay Holmes, Darvell Huffman, Charlie Joiner, Derek Kennard, Nick Lowery, Mark McMillian, J.C. Pearson, A.Q. Shipley, Mike Sherrard, Clifton Smith, Wesley Walker, Mike Wilson, and Usama Young.