Chicago DNC security will include oversight of food preparation for 3,500 VIPs
CHICAGO (CBS) – With the Democratic National Convention coming to Chicago later this month, it's no secret that the Secret Service will keep things tight.
Barricades will start going up next week. Law enforcement will be everywhere, including a place with a lot of smells.
Inside Chicago's McCormick Place, the largest convention center in the U.S., is a kitchen assembly line. The team was pumping out 5,000 boxed lunches.
Chef Michael Kinglsey is at the helm of the well-oiled machine as the director of culinary innovation.
"Lot of planning, a lot of execution going on," he said.
That's pretty much any given day at the McCormick Place, which has a stacked calendar this summer. On the list of those needing to be fed are attendees of the DNC.
So what's on the menu for the delegates?
"Well, we really don't quite know what they're going to have yet," Kinglsey said.
Kinglsey said he's still waiting for details from DNC organizers, including food preferences, dining times, etc.
But what he does know is that the approximately 3,500 attendees whom he'll be in charge of feeding, will get receive some VIP oversight.
In addition to a boatload of police outside, like what was seen at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, law enforcement will be inside, too.
"I know we're going to have some guests," Kinglsey said. "So, we'll have a couple government agencies and the City of Chicago's health inspector and stuff like that here as well."
The U.S. Secret Service confirmed "food defense and food surveillance" security measures will be used where food preparation is happening for the DNC:
"Out of concern for operational security, the U.S. Secret Service does not discuss the means and methods used for protective operations. However, as part of the security plan for the 2024 Democratic National Convention, the Secret Service along with other Federal, state, and local law enforcement and public safety partners will institute security measures that will, or might, affect kitchens. These include food defense and food surveillance measures; and screening and observation of kitchen staff by Secret Service or other law enforcement personnel to ensure that Secret Service-designed security protocols are followed. The Secret Service does not comment on operational specifics or techniques implemented to achieve designed security objectives."
Former Chicago Police First Deputy Superintendent Anthony Riccio explained why that level of security is important.
"So there's going to be federal agents inside every part of that building," Riccio said, adding, "To make sure no one is doing anything that they shouldn't be doing to the food, contaminating it or poisoning it or something."
The United Center's kitchen staff will also be watched closely.
"I think my staff overall is really excited about the opportunity," Kingsley said.
That's even if food prepping for the DNC comes with added pressure and a few extra eyeballs.
"I think it will be business as usual for us," Kingsley said.
The McCormick Place chef said he is expecting about 3,500 mouths to feed each day of the DNC. CBS News Chicago asked multiple sources how many investigators could be dispatched to kitchens but no one would give that answer, citing security reasons.
