NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Gone are the days of cafeteria food at St. Thomas Sports Park. During the offseason the Titans’ cafe was transformed into a gourmet restaurant.
Players still can’t believe the night and day change.
“Oh, it’s amazing,” Titans linebacker Jayon Brown said. “We got a whole redo, makeover — Miss Amy, thank you — the food in there, the chefs, the whole environment, it’s amazing.”
When Amy Adams Strunk took over as Titans Controlling Owner she wanted the team to have the best of everything. Over the last three years she’s invested more than $100 million into the team facility.
The team got a new locker room a couple years ago. The weight room and the indoor practice bubble were re-done last year. And now, with the urging of general manager Jon Robinson and head coach Mike Vrabel, the team dining hall was revamped.
"[Vrabel] said at the beginning he was going to give us the best opportunity, and with that comes the best possible stuff they can give us,” said Taylor Lewan, Titans Pro Bowl left tackle. “The facility is nice, but no facility can be as good without the food. The food is 10 times, 100 times better. It’s really good.”
The seven-figure renovation included adding more than 2,000 additional square feet. Space that allowed for the installation of ovens, refrigerators and freezers that allow newly hired chefs to prepare all meals on-site. In the past, they were prepared in an off-site kitchen and transferred to St. Thomas Sports Park, limiting the quality and variety of food that could be offered.
The Titans hired Flik Hospitality to run the kitchen, ensuring that each plate is made to order according to each player’s desires.
“It’s like a new surprise everyday,” offensive lineman Kevin Pamphile said.
Added Brown, “We’ve got everything we need. All kinds of snacks, healthy foods, we even have vegan options for all the vegans on our team.”
From omelets and smoothies in the morning to salads and wraps for lunch and from lean, organic proteins to even options for the team’s sizable vegan contingent, there’s something that everyone will enjoy.
“I like fish,” Brown said.
“Someone had some ribs the other day,” Lewan said. “And it was a cheat day, so I snagged some of those.”
The Titans are also now limiting access to the cafeteria to just players, coaches and essential football staff. That privacy along with the increased space and tastier dining options has turned the dining hall into more of a meeting place.
As opposed to grabbing meals to go, many players are now hanging out longer with each other. An added benefit that should help further strengthen the team’s chemistry.
“It’s one of those areas where guys hang out and talk,” Pamphile said. “That’s awesome to have.”
Understanding the new exclusivity of the player’s cafeteria, Lewan noted that it’s really well done and joked that reporters should sneak in there if they get the chance.
It’s where Titans players will be all season long, fueling their bodies with the best possible foods to stay healthy and take their performance to the next level.
“As a pro athlete you have to understand your body is your temple,” Pamphile said. "This is your moneymaker. This is what you need to function day in and day out, so what you put in your body is essential.”
