Volume 2, No. 22. November 26, 2002
IAAPA Report
Networking
at the show
The U.S. cable network
that brought us Emeril, Iron Chef and Naked Chef was ready to bring us Knoebels.
Timing is all, though, and viewers will have to settle for a vicarious shopping
trip with Knoebels Amusement Resort’s food managers on the Food Network.
Researching a program on amusement park food, the producers were drawn by the
Elysburg, Pennsylvania, park’s winning of the Amusement Today Golden
Tickets Award for food. Producer David Sibila called Knoebels’ marketing
director, Joe Muscato, about filming a food feature on the park. But the show’s
deadline of March didn’t mesh with the park’s season.
However, when Muscato learned that Sibila is based in Orlando, he suggested
the producer do a feature on the Trade Show. “He got excited about IAAPA,
but he still said, ‘I want to find a way to fit you in,’” Muscato
said. So, a camera crew followed Ed Payeski, manager of the park’s Phoenix
Junction Steakhouse and several sweets and beverage stands, as he visited the
booths of J&J Snack Foods, Electro Freeze, Gold Medal Products and Quick
n’ Crispy.
“It was a typical television day,” Muscato said. “It took longer
than you think it should, it was slow, and there’s lots of standing around.
But I have to give these guys credit; I’ve done enough of these, I was
very pleased it didn’t go longer than it did.”
The only hiccup was Payeski’s shirt. He showed up for the opening interview
wearing a shirt he had borrowed from fellow food manager Tony Rodriguez because
it bore the Knoebels logo. But the navy blue shirt blended into the background,
so Payeski swapped for Muscato’s Hawaiian shirt. “I’m wearing
Tony’s shirt while Ed wears my shirt,” Muscato said. “All for
a plug.”
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