Arrive Magazine - May/June 2012

All Aboard!
Welcome to Culinary Excellence

As you travel today, I invite you to enjoy one of the most essential aspects of the on-board experience, and one that di;erentiates us from other forms of transportation—our dining and meal service options. Whether you are traveling aboard a corridor or long-distance train, you can expect delicious and healthy meal choices developed by our renowned Culinary Advisory Team.

Our Culinary Advisory Team comprises two Amtrak executive chefs, Chris Hannah and me, along with culinary expertise from our supply chain partners. Our team also includes four celebrity chefs: Michel Richard, a pioneer in French and California cuisine, is the owner of several restaurants, including Michel Richard Citronelle, his flagship location in Washington, D.C.; Tom Douglas, along with his wife, Jackie Cross, owns 11 restaurants in the Seattle area, including Dahlia Lounge, Etta’s and Serious Pie; Roberto Santibanez is the owner of Fonda, an authentic Mexican restaurant with locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn; and Sara Jenkins is owner of Porsena, which features artisanal pastas in the Italian tradition, and Porchetta in the East Village in New York City.

We also have many exceptional on-board chefs, three of whom were recognized last year as the first recipients of an annual Culinary Excellence and Achievement Award, which was created to recognize some of our best culinary talent. Together, we are continuously engaged in working to bring you a better product.

We rely on feedback from our passengers to improve our menu options. You have told us fresh food and healthy meal options are important to you. So over the past year, we upgraded all of our menus to reflect your requests. Northeast Regional and Acela Express passengers may try our popular Panache Creative Cuisine line of fresh artisan sandwiches, paninis, wraps and salads. Based on the success of this program, we have implemented a similar menu using locally sourced products for our California state-supported train services. We are also working

closely with our Illinois state partner on a similar menu concept for the soon-to-be-launched high-speed rail service. Aboard our long-distance service, the breakfast menu has been updated to include steel-cut oatmeal and omelets made with fresh vegetables. We introduced a chipotle black bean and corn veggie burger to our lunch menu, enhanced fresh-made entrée salads and introduced several signature menu items for dinner. Soon, we will introduce a gluten-free, no-sugar-added vanilla pudding to our dessert menu. Additionally, healthy menu options containing 500 calories or less of which less than 30 percent are derived from fat with a sodium content of 600 milligrams or less per serving are now available on every dinner menu.

Our e;ort to be healthy also extends to our “green” initiatives. We have introduced cups made from 100 percent renewable resources in our café and lounge cars. Our paper napkins and cardboard carryout trays are made from 100 percent recycled materials, and all of our collateral is produced on paper from responsible sources using soy-based ink.

We are continuously striving to improve our o;erings and deliver meals that you will enjoy. We look forward to serving you in our cafés and diners across America. Thank you for choosing Amtrak for your travels today—we hope you enjoy the journey!