Valley Forge Casino Resort Announces Grand Opening of Revolution Chop House

Valley Forge Casino Resort (1160 First Avenue) announces the opening of Revolution Chop House on Friday, October 14, 2016. Chef Les Bender will debut a menu focusing on classic and big cuts of steak, chops and seafood, with classic steakhouse appetizers, salads, soups, sides and desserts. Revolution Chop House's menu will also feature a revolving menu section where Chef and his culinary team will spotlight seasonal and innovative preparations and showcase use of seasonal and specialized local ingredients. The full service bar will feature specialty cocktails with revolving seasonal flavors that also pay homage to the revolutionary history of the Valley Forge region. The 4,400-square-foot space will seat up to 244 people in the main dining room, two private dining rooms, main bar and lounge area.

"We are thrilled to announce the opening of our newest culinary offering, Revolution Chop House," said Chief Marketing Officer Jennifer Galle. "Revolution Chop House will focus on the classics but also revolve with the seasons and trends, plus pay homage to our historic roots in Valley Forge. Executive Chef Les Bender will bring big chops, classic cuts, innovative preparations and seasonal flavors to the property in a unique way that we haven't done before. Our patrons will also experience elevated service and interactive experiences."

The kitchen and menu will be spearheaded by Executive Chef Les Bender, who brings 35 years of experience in the culinary field with expertise in regional and international cuisine.
Chef was born and raised in Southern New Jersey, and graduated in the first class of the Academy of Culinary Arts in 1983. He worked in dining rooms, restaurants and casinos throughout the Philadelphia and Atlantic City region. His first position as a Chef was as Banquet Chef at the Trump Marina Casino. In this position, he was directly responsible for all catering functions which included all of Donald Trumps’ birthday parties as well as VIP events aboard the Trump Princess Yacht. Chef went on to hold Executive positions at Trump Taj Mahal, Trump Plaza, Trump Marina and Sands Casino, all in Atlantic City. In 2001, he became a Certified Executive Chef thru the American Culinary Federation and is an active member of the ACF/Professional Chef’s Association of South Jersey. He has served in many different capacities of the Chapter, Co- Chair Professional Chefs week, Co- Chair ACF Chapter Certification Committee and Co- Chair Membership Committee.

In recognition of his outstanding efforts in the Chapter, he has received various awards; Professionalism Award, Member of the Year and Chef of the Year. In 2013, he traveled to Las Vegas to be inducted into the prestigious American Academy of Chefs.

Chef currently oversees all banquet and catering - as well as other casino culinary operations - for Valley Forge Casino Resort. While he has his eye on the big picture operations at Valley Forge, Revolution Chop House will let him focus on more intimate dining experiences in the steakhouse dining room and kitchen, where can really showcase his creativity and many years of experience. Revolution Chop House's evolving and revolving menu section will constantly push the envelope for him and his team

Chef's menu will focus on classic and big cuts of steak, chops and seafood, plus includes steakhouse favorite appetizers, sides, salads and soups. Chef will also offer a revolving menu for evolving tastes that will showcase seasonal preparations and ingredients - and will also come to feature collaborations with other chefs in the region. Between the standard and changing menu (that will rotate nearly every month), Revolution Chop House will be the resort’s largest restaurant to shine the spotlight on seasonal offerings - as well as incorporating more local food and drink purveyors.

While the menu is still being finalized, early confirmed dishes will include verlasso salmon, braised boneless short rib, king crab legs, bone-in swordfish chop, filet mignon, 18 ounce bone-in ribeye, veal chops, Colorado lamb chops, and a 40 ounce tomahawk ribeye (for two). Appetizers and sides will include Smoked Jalepeno Bacon, Steak Crudo Duo, Crab Cocktail, Heirloom Caprese and Kennett Square Mushrooms. Look for approximately a dozen appetizers, eight to ten entrees, eight steaks and chops, six to eight sides and four to six desserts. The rotating menus will feature four to six dishes - and change nearly monthly.

In the dining room, Chef's dishes will be paired with personal and interactive experiences that will elevate the guest experience. Examples of this include table-side presentations and personalized preparations.

At the bar, look for specialty cocktails that will pay homage to the historic roots of Valley Forge and King of Prussia. The cocktail program will also incorporate an increased number of local purveyors and showcase seasonal ingredients in ways that haven't been done before. Early confirmed cocktails include:

The Loyalist - bombay sapphire east • orange bitters, clove infused syrup • club
13th Abetment - los amantes mezcal • cointreau noir, aztec chocolate bitters • cinnamon
Blackstrap Molasses -  whistle pig rye • snap liqueur brown sugar • jerry thomas bitters orange twist

When the bar opens, look for it to feature approximately two dozen wines by the glass and 150-200 selections by the bottle. The bar will also feature 10 draft lines for craft beer and wine on tap.

The 4,400-square-foot restaurant and bar combined will accommodate up to 244 guests. The dining room and two private party rooms combined equal 2,900-square-foot, and will include seating at two-tops and banquets. The private rooms can seat from 12 to 24 guests for parties, and they can be combined into one larger private space for up to 48 people. The 1,500-square-foot full service bar area will seat 25 at the bar top itself and additional 30 seats on surrounding high-tops and lounge seats.

LP Steak, which currently occupies the space for Revolution Chop House, is currently closed. Revolution Chop House will formally open for business with a grand opening service on Friday, October 14, 2016. Reservations can be made by calling 610-768-5003. Happy Hour at Revolution Chop House will launch later in the fall. Revolution Chop House will also announce Thanksgiving and holiday hours/menus later in the fall as well.