Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Announces THE DINING EXPERIENCE To Reopen, January 20

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts has announced the return of The Dining Experience beginning Friday, Jan. 20 for select dates prior to performances. The Dining Experience: Small Plates, Wine & Cocktail Bar offers a small plates menu of lighter fare, a selection of seasonal craft cocktails and a diverse collection of wines and spirits. This reimagined restaurant will continue to provide a perfect pre-show complement to any Kauffman Center visit.

Kauffman Center Executive Chef Laura Comer looks forward to welcoming patrons back to the modern and innovative space. "We love hosting guests for our creative dishes made with fresh and local ingredients. Enjoying a drink or appetizer before showtime really completes the performance experience at the Kauffman Center," Comer said.

January's menu features an assortment of small plates designed to satisfy all taste buds. It also includes a Saint Luke's heart-healthy selection, Duo of Dips: Classic Lemon Garlic Hummus, Tapenade, Naan, and Cucumber. The full menu can be viewed at kauffmancenter.org/menu.

The Dining Experience, which opened in 2015 and pre-pandemic offered a full 3-course menu, was created as a performance enhancement to complement the patron experience. This new format offers patrons small, sharable plates and a curated wine and cocktail menu. It is located in the comfortable and contemporary Founders' Lounge at the Kauffman Center. Positioned just within the south doors on the Plaza (Ticket Office) Level, the Founders' Lounge offers a sweeping view of Kansas City in a sleek and sophisticated atmosphere.

The Dining Experience is available prior to most evening performances at the Kauffman Center. Walk-in dining is welcome pending availability, and tickets to a performance are not necessary to dine. Reservations are encouraged and welcome now at kauffmancenter.org/dining.

Laura Comer is a Kansas City native and 2002 graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Conservatory of Music and Dance. Following graduation, she moved to Los Angeles, where she earned her A.O.S. in Culinary Arts and a Le Cordon Bleu Diploma in 2004 from California School of Culinary Arts.

She has worked in both sweet and savory kitchens, and for multiple, nationally acclaimed restaurants including Bluestem, 40 Sardines, and the Fairmont-Kansas City. Comer was executive pastry chef at Trezo Mare and Trezo Vino, Justus Drugstore, and the McClain Restaurant Group then went on to be the regional chef for Treat America. She is currently the executive chef at the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts in Kansas City, Mo. In 2018, she was named Chef of the Year by the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association, and in 2020 and 2021, she was a finalist for Best Chef KC in both The Pitch and Kansas City Magazine. She is also a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier International and is a Certified Sommelier. Recently, Comer appeared on season 28 of Guy's Grocery Games on Food Network and won on the ABC Mania episode, and on the inaugural season of Hulu's Chef vs. Wild.

Find information and maps for Kauffman Center parking and construction updates at kauffmancenter.org/parking. The Arts District Garage, immediately south of and beneath the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, is the primary parking garage for Kauffman Center patrons. Purchasing event parking in advance is highly recommended as it often will sell out. The garage is $10 per car or valet is $18 in advance or $20 upon arrival.

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