After Months of Preparation, Bethesda-Based Caterer Sets To Work At U.S. Open

Feeding corporate sponsors and the media at the U.S. Open is a big job. And Bethesda-based caterers Ridgewells has been tasked with the job. I can’t speak for the corporate tournament-goers, but I can attest to the fact that reporters are a ravenous bunch.

Ridgewells, who has been catering the corporate and media side of the U.S. Open for 14 years, starting planning for this one nine months ago, Executive Chef Robert Gadsby said. He brought in chefs from as far away as Florida and California and the company has employed some 400 locals to bring everything together for the seven-day event.

Before the tournament ends, Ridgewells will use 10,500 pounds of poultry; 18,000 pounds of beef, lamb and pork; 12,380 pounds of cheese, 250,000 pounds of ice and 800 cases of bottled water.

They also have on hand 2,500 cases of beer, wine and vodka, none of which, I assure you, have been diverted to the media tent. That would be a hot mess of epic proportions.

And with all that food, quality is still paramount, Ridgewells CEO Susan Lacz said. All food is cooked from scratch on the premises.

“We don’t open a container of potato salad and dump it in,” Lacz said. “We boil the potatoes and make it from scratch.”

When selecting ingredients, Gadsby is careful to taste test everything.

“We tested, 16, 18, 20 different turkeys for our smoked turkey,” he said.

And though I was I had earlier in the week, and I stand by my opinion on it, I can say that the salmon that was served for lunch in the media tent Friday was cooked perfectly.