Category Archives: Events
26 Jul |
Are you ready for Rio? |
It’s been a rocky road so far for the Brazilians with the Olympic Games now only days away. From the announcement of the venue, the authorities have been plagued with financial problems, scandals and scaremongering. And the world’s media are loving it!
The latest news involves the entire Russian team, which is desperately trying to overturn a ban from the Games for widespread, long-term doping allegations. So far, only the athletics team is banned, with a few exceptions and 68 other competitors from various sporting disciplines are awaiting their fate from the International Olympic Committee and individual sports bodies. Russian sports ministry officials are also banned from the Games.
But away from the events, other issues are being raised, the most recent being the revelation that the Olympics media village has been built on ‘sacred’ mass grave of African slaves destroying archaeological remains at site. The media village, Grand Club Verdant, will be sold to private buyers after the Games. The land was acquired in 2013 and the site was cleared of hundreds of trees, destroyed a community football pitch and the remains of the old slave owner’s house and the slavery-era sugar mill. Brazil was one of the most prolific advocates of slavery, and by 1888, between four and five million Africans had been sent to the country.
Environment
We are all aware of the Zika virus threat but there has just this week emerged another potential problem. Brazilian scientists discovered that a drug-resistant “super bacteria” is lurking in the waters off some of Rio’s most popular beaches and some Olympic sailors have already reported “severe” skin irritation during practice runs with the white sails of their boats turning brown due to an oil slick in the water.
Hail the Hero
However, every Games has a hero, an underdog. Remember Eddie the Eagle and Eric (the Eel) Moussanbani, not forgetting the Jamaican bobsleigh team? This year, an Indian man Dattu Bhokanal who up until recently had no idea what the Olympics were will be competing in the rowing competition, the only Indian rower to make it to Rio. He picked up an oar for the first time in 2012, having been encouraged to attempt the sport by his army employers. “When they told me I’d qualified for the Olympics and that I was going to Rio, I didn’t even know what it meant,” he says.
It is worth remembering that every Olympics is beset with problems. Preparations for London 2012 were literally only finished hours before the opening ceremony. And it didn’t stop the wrong Korean flag being hoisted during the first medal ceremony. All the world can do now is wait and see what happens. The infrastructure is in place and the competitors are booking their flights.
With the good weather in this country expected to last for a few more weeks, there will be plenty of communal places to relax and watch the sport. If you are hosting an event this summer, make sure that your ovens and appliances are in full working order. If you want us here at AC Services (Southern) to pop round and check them out, simply give us a call on 01454 322 222
Published Date: 26th July 2016
Category: Blog, Catering Business, Events, News
Tags: Events
19 Jul |
South West Food Festivals Galore |
Summer is officially here and thoughts turn to holidays and food festivals. Every year, a hearty percentage of us brave the M5 and head south. This year will be no different and now is the time to be looking at alternative events to whet our appetites and possibly new suppliers of local food.
Lobster and Crab Feast
One event that should not be missed is the Clovelly lobster and crab feast, which celebrates the crustaceans sustainably caught by its fishermen and combines it with a great day out for all the family. The event will feature a variety of crab and lobster dishes cooked on the quay together with live folk music, chef cookery demonstrations, a prize draw for a magnum of champagne, local food and craft stalls, including plenty of freshly cooked lobsters and crabs, and beer tasting. There will also be entertainment in the form of street theatre, walkabout magic, balloon modelling and event-themed craft activities provided by The National Trust.
At the end of the event, baby lobsters will be released into Clovelly Bay in aid of the National Lobster Hatchery, Padstow whose lobster restocking project allows local fishermen bring pregnant female lobsters to the hatchery where their offspring are raised in captivity without predators. These young lobsters are raised to a size where they can be released back into the sea and look after themselves.
Even further south is the 2016 Liskeard & District Agricultural Show taking place on Saturday 9th July 2016 at The Showground, Merrymeet. One of the biggest events of its kind in the South West, there is plenty for everyone to see and do with the emphasis firmly on animals and a whole variety of fruit and vegetables.
If you are looking for something to end the summer with, try the Plymouth Seafood Festival which every year brings the area around The Barbican and Sutton Harbour alive with entertainment, activities and dishes. Plymouth is proud to be the first city in the world to be awarded the Fish2Fork Blue City status for its commitment to sourcing sustainable fish and will be celebrating its fishing heritage from 24 September 2016 – 25 September 2016.
A new event has been added to the calendar in Teignmough. Taste of the Teign is a new Estuary and Food Festival celebrating the provenance and local flavours of the Teign River Estuary and the event will last a week, from 19-25 September 2016. Local restaurants and cafes will feature special menus based on foods available from the Teign estuary and its environs. There will also be demonstrations including being shown how to shell and dress crab, to pressing your own apples to make cider.
There are too many food festivals to list individually across our region such as the Shaftesbury Super Sunday every 3rd Sunday; Bristol Multi and Thai Cultural Food 30-31st July; or later in the year Sturminster Newton Cheese 10-11th September and the Forest Showcase 2nd October.
Wherever you decide to go, enjoy the great food that producers around Britain have to offer and consider how you can offer more to support local producers. If you are catering at a food festival, don’t forget to check your appliance and equipment to make sure nothing goes wrong on the day.
Published Date: 19th July 2016
Category: Blog, Events, News
Tags: Events, Food producers
05 Jul |
Wales, the Last Great Hope |
As this is being written, we are basking in another of the world of sports’ underdog story. The national football team of Wales (repeat WALES) has not only secured, but deservedly earned, a place in the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
The defeat of Belgium was a joy to watch from start to finish, even for those who see sporting events as an annoying interruption to their daily soap schedules.
The achievement has inspired a nation currently rocked and disorientated by political unrest. We left the EU; the youth are blaming the elders for wanting to ruin their lives; and it seems that all major political parties are now leaderless.
And to top it all, the English football team embarrassed itself beyond expectations by losing to the part-timers of Iceland, another of sport’s underdogs. We have all seen the cruel and savage but accurate jokes and comments on social media and drowned our sorrows. All in all, we haven’t had much to cheer about over the past month but now we have an opportunity to all share in Wales success.
Wales Go Down in History
Wales, the football team, has evolved quietly. 1876 saw the Wales national football team playing its first international match and since then, the team has struggled to find success at international level. Its only appearance in the World Cup happened in 1958.
Then along comes Chris Coleman and the country suddenly has a chief to believe in, a man who whatever happens tomorrow night, will forever go down in history as the leader of a team of unlikely and passionate heroes. A manager who in his own words has had more failures than success, but still believes you should not be “afraid to have dreams”.
And it’s not just our nation gripped by the story: the epic performances of Aaron Ramsey, Ashley Williams – the man who refused to go off even though his left arm was seemingly hanging on by a thread – and Gareth Bale at Euro 2016 have prompted Budweiser to offer every adult in Wales a free bottle of Bud! According to the local press “so impressed has the brewing giant been by the march to the semi-finals of Chris Coleman’s team it wants to show their support ahead of the next big game by “raising a Bud” to Welsh football and the fans ‘who always believed’.”
The semi finalists are France, Germany and Portugal. Each national team has its patriotic supporters, but the rest of the world is rooting for Wales. The team is doing the United Kingdom and all true football and sporting fans proud and the players are being recognised as passionate, ambitious, incredibly professional and inspirational in their pursuit of the dream.
The question for all catering businesses is how they can think like Bud and take part in the dream from offering a simple Welsh rarebit menu special through to a full-blown event.
The message of support from all at AC Services (Southern) . . . we believe in helping others turn dreams into success!
Published Date: 5th July 2016
Category: Blog, Events, News
Tags: Catering business, Events
28 Jun |
Battle of the Somme Remembered |
This week marks a new era for the UK, which will be parting ways with the European Union. This historic and unprecedented event has already led to a furore of uncertainty and fear over our role and relationships with Europe.
This week also marks another historic event that involved a European alliance: 100 years ago on July 1, 1916, the Battles of the Somme began in France and raged until the end of the war, two years later.
So many people lost their lives at The Battle of the Somme that over the years, it has come to symbolise the tragic futility of World War I. The first day of the conflict remains the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army, where too many young, eager and impressionable men from the UK lost their lives. There were over 420,000 British casualties in the 141 days of the Somme including nearly 60,000 on the first day alone. The French lost 200,000 men and the Germans nearly 500,000.
Lost Generation
While we are enjoying a year of sport with the Euros and the Olympics, it is interesting to note that the sporting ethos also rose during the Battle, with athletes and players from sports at all levels volunteering to enlist.
Entire teams formed ‘Pals’ Battalions serving alongside each other with battalions dedicated to athletes, footballers, and individual clubs and teams. From cricketers to boxers to footballers to Olympic stars, the sporting elite signed up to fight for their country. Many lost their lives and so the phrase the Lost Generation was attributed to them.
WWI Events
Events are, and have been taking place around the UK to remember the fallen. If you have the chance, visit Exeter Cathedral on July 1st where actors Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton are to feature in a Devon concert marking the Battle of the Somme centenary. The concert is a conclusion to a day of commemorations beginning with the unveiling of a major art project remembering every man killed at the Battle of the Somme.
On the same day, an all-night vigil will be held in Wales to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, taking place in Cathays Park, Cardiff . At Bristol Cathedral, the South Quire Aisle of the Cathedral is now home to a display, which includes two touch-screen PCs for viewing the online book of remembrance. The venue is also hosting a World War I exhibition until 31 August, entitled No News of Fred.
The Museum of the History of Science in Oxford is staging a walking tour of Oxford’s contribution to the Great War on 3 July. The tour will highlight the many well-known colleges and public buildings which were converted into hospitals and for military use as well as the experiences of famous historical and literary figures, including Siegfried Sassoon and T E Lawrence.
Then as now, we are entering a period of insecurity and unfamiliarity. The mistakes and tragedy of the First World War are highlighted and remembered a century on in local events across the nation with people coming together to reflect rather than celebrate the Battle of the Somme.
07 Jun |
Queen’s Official Birthday Celebrations |
We are living in historic times under the longest rule of any British monarch ever. As the Queen chalks up another year, she has entered the record books alongside other memorable rulers.
The record is held by Sobhuza II of Swaziland who reigned for 82 years for 1899-1982. Louis XIV of France had a good innings of 72 years from 1643-1715.The only living monarch who has ruled longer than the Queen is Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand who has been in charge for 69 years.
On the other end of the scale, if you think back to your history lessons, you should be able to remember the one fact drummed into schoolkids for generations: Lady Jane Grey was the shortest living monarch, reigning for a mere nine days!
Gloucester to Bristol
This month marks the Queen’s official birthday celebrations of her 90th birthday and the Southwest in particular has numerous events planned to celebrate. Gloucester has organised a street party in Kings Square on Saturday 11th June 2016. Lasting from 11am – 4pm, the city is hosting a range of festivities to which all residents of the city are invited. The emphasis is very much on family fun and there will be a range of free activities and entertainment including funfair style games, balloon modelling, face painting, a sand pit, arts and crafts workshops and lots more.
At 3pm on the same day, Gloucester Cathedral is hosting a Garden Party. The afternoon will feature a bespoke canape menu served in the Cloister Garth featuring local, home-grown British produce, as well as strawberries and a glass of champagne.
Cakes are very much on the menu too, with local children from Kingsholm Primary School taking part in ‘The Great Gloucester Cathedral Cake Competition’ to design a cake depicting their favourite part of the Cathedral.
IImjin Barracks in Innsworth is opening its doors to the public on Thursday 9 June 2016 with live music from military bands and a Spitfire fly past.
The historic Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester is open on Sunday 12 June 2016 where visitors can enjoy face painting, pony rides and a farmers’ market, with the event coinciding with the national street party taking place in London. Or pop over to Oxfordshire’s Blenheim Palace, where they will be hosting a special party featuring an array of food stalls.
Bristol Cathedral will mark the Queen’s official birthday with a week of celebrations, beginning on Saturday 11 June. Over 30 Cathedral flower arrangers have designed and created special flower installations, all on the theme of The Queen’s Birthday.
And on Sunday 12 June, the Cathedral will hold a special Choral Eucharist in celebration of the Queen’s birthday, complete with trumpeters, and followed by a slice of cake and the Royal Toast. Children are invited to attend the service in fancy dress, with the theme of Kings and Queens.
However you are celebrating the Queen’s official birthday this weekend, let’s hope for sunshine and for all those outside caterers, make sure your appliances are clean and in full working order. If not, simply call us here at AC Services (Southern).
31 May |
The Summer of Sport 2016 |
It’s only just over a week to wait until the summer of sport kicks off with the Euro 2016 football tournament on 10th June.
The next major global event is in August with the Rio Olympic Games.
As usual, the supermarkets have been the first to alert the expectant British public with point-of-sale displays popping up everywhere, with a glut of useless, but must-have paraphernalia to complement the beer and food deals.
Incidentally, for those collecting the Panini sticker book, it has been calculated that it would cost over £600 to fill an entire book and that’s without duplicates!
Euro 2016
For both England and Wales fans, the 2016 Euro tournament starts in earnest on Saturday 11th June at 5pm, when Wales take on the Slovakian team in Bordeaux followed by England battling it out in Marseille against Russia at 8pm. The crunch match will be 16th June in Lens, when the two home teams face each other. The final matches will take place on the 20th June. Will the outcome affect the voting outcome in the EU referendum a few days later? Only results will tell.
Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy are the men expected to do their duty alongside the more experienced Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott and Joe Hart. Coach Roy Hodgson says “he is not afraid to give youngsters a chance” which is why he has included 18 year-old Rashford in the squad. Let’s hope he doesn’t have as much cause to regret it as Sven-Goran Eriksson did with Walcott, a decade ago.
Road to Rio
The tournament concludes on 10th July but for die-hard sports fans, the summer of sport continues with an extra treat. The Road to Rio is almost at its destination and 5th August sees the opening ceremony in Brazil for the 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad.
For lovers of statistics, a record number of countries are taking part in a record number of sports. Kosovo and South Sudan are competing for the first time and there are more than 10,500 athletes expected to turn up. Newly-introduced events include rugby sevens and golf, with the events spread across 33 venues in the host city Rio and at five venues in São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Brasília and Manaus.
Rio will go down in history as the first South American city to host the Summer Olympics and these are the first Games since 2000 to be held in the Southern Hemisphere.
The success of the infrastructure will only be seen when the athletes and visitors start arriving but a massive urban waterfront renovation project has been ongoing. This includes 430 miles of public networks for water supply, sanitation, drainage, electricity, gas and telecoms; 2.5 miles of tunnels; 43 miles of roads; and three new sanitation treatment plants.
It is hoped that historic civil disturbances, the Zika virus and Rio’s notorious gun crime history will not affect visitors’ enjoyment of the Games.
Join the Elite
All eyes as usual will be on the elite track athletes, with the viewers’ favourites including Mo Farah. Greg Rutherford, Jessica Ennis-Hill and the mighty Usain Bolt. Rowing, swimming and cycling are a good bet for the British contingent, after a mighty medal haul four years ago in London. Eton Dornay became a household name when GB’s rowers won four gold, two silver and three bronze and hopes are high for Rio. Between 2013 and 2017 the sport has received the biggest proportion of UK Sport funding, a whopping £32.6m.
If you are catering for the 2016 Summer of Sport, make sure your Rational ovens are serviced and maintained regularly before the events start. The engineers at AC Services (Southern) are always ready to come out and repair any undue mishaps but pre-emptive measures are highly recommended. An emergency call-out during a crucial England or Welsh penalty shoot-out may not be fully appreciated.
26 Apr |
Food And Drink Expo 2016 |
Food and Drink Expo 2016 took place last week at the NEC in Birmingham and as expected, it saw record numbers of visitors. The show was promoted as providing the “number one route to the UK food and drink market, helping hundreds of companies showcase their wares”.
Over the course of three days, visitors from all walks of the food industry attended the stands, the seminars and the exhibited products.
According to figures from the last Food and Drink Expo in 2014, 31% of visitors were key foodservice buyers from various venues, including independent cafés, caterers, coffee shops, large restaurants and hotel chains. 18% of visitors were from the speciality food market from farm shops, delicatessens, garden centres, speciality food halls, butcheries and bakeries, with 25% from the manufacturing sector.
Talking Shop
The Grocer Talking Shop Live took centre stage, with an action-packed programme and a top line-up of speakers. These included Nadiya Hussein, reigning champion of the Great British Bake Off who took time off from baking the Queen’s 90th birthday cake to attend.
The Great Health Debate discussed changing eating habits and the rising obesity problem as well as investigating the changes required when it comes to targeting millennials versus the ageing society.
Topical sessions included talks on gluten-free products and the sugar debate with Gavin Partington, Director General of the British Soft Drinks Association and Ian Twinn, Director of Public Affairs at the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers debating the drinks scandals.
The Grocer Talking Shop Live concluded on Wednesday with a Meet the Dragons session at where entrepreneurs put forward their best innovations for potential funding to an expert panel.
International Presence
The Food and Drink Expo, co-located with the Farm Shop & Deli Show and the National Convenience Show was particularly focused on international cuisine, which was heavily represented. According to the World Cuisines Report 2014, the market has seen strong growth in recent years, with retail value sales increasing by 32% from 2008 to 2013. This is due in part to a wider range of ethnic cuisine, the UK’s diverse ethnic population, international travel and our national enthusiasm for trying novel foods!
Also very popular was the Great New Idea Competition, where industry professionals voted for their favourite products ahead of the event. Three finalists were chosen from hundreds of products, including Nim’s Fruit Crisps, with its healthy range of fruit and vegetable crisps; Craft beer Growlers, with its PEGAS CraftTap 2.0 and Purbeck Ice Cream, with its Dorset Wasabi ice cream.
Interestingly for British food companies, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) has also partnered with Food & Drink Expo and Foodex to support British businesses who are seeking to expand overseas. There is a big vote coming up about whether or not to stay in Europe and whatever the outcome, British businesses are keen to sustain and maintain a lucrative presence overseas. The Food & Drink Expo demonstrated the need and the enthusiasm for the industry to continue to expand and find innovations for future requirements.
At AC Services (Southern), we heartily support trade shows and have a vested interest in seeing what is new and what is trending. This enables us to provide the most up-to-date and relevant advice and support for all of our customers in providing and maintaining the perfect Rational appliance for market needs. So we’re looking forward to the next Food And Drink Expo in 2018.
Published Date: 26th April 2016
Category: Blog, Catering Business, Events, News
Tags: Food producers, Hotel, Pubs, Restaurant, Show report
12 Apr |
Events Industry News |
According to a recent report issued by the Government, the UK is a world leader in the events industry.
Whether it is the Olympics and Paralympics in 2012, the Commonwealth Games, or other cultural and entertainment, such as exhibitions, trade fairs and other hospitality, the industry contributes billions to the UK economy.
The Government has announced that the UK’s events industry can play a significant part in helping increase exports by 2020, as part of the 2020 Export Drive.
There is no doubt that events are instrumental in enhancing the economy: the UK met a four year target to raise £11 billion worth of economic benefit from the 2012 Olympic Games in just one year through businesses securing new contracts, sales and foreign investment, generated by the London Games.
2016 Events
2016 offers a wealth of opportunities for catering companies, with the Queen’s Birthday top of the list of national celebrations this year, followed closely by the European Football competition and the Olympics.
The fact that major events are not being held within the UK is of no consequence: any good event planner will take advantage of the appeal of these events and provide a venue for people to gather and watch communally. Major international events mean more money spent in the local economy whilst the event is taking place.
But it is not just the larger events that count. There has been a growth in small and medium-sized public events with fewer people holidaying abroad, leading to an increase in spend on UK leisure such as festivals, more and more of which have popped up over the past few years.
As Melanie Woodward, Founder of Event Planning Blueprint says: “Moving away from off-the-shelf events, planners are looking to create more customised and experiential events for their clients. It’s all about connection and unique experiences in 2016 . . . pop culture continues to be in vogue and millennials that are entering the industry, are bringing fresh, new advancements for connection that go beyond technology and more towards inclusion and purpose driven events. But that also engages and excites event attendees at the push of a button.”
More Events, More Opportunities
People are becoming bolder with the types of events being staged: chefs are running their own pop-up restaurants and supper clubs; craft enthusiasts are holding weekend workshops; and it is now common for business leaders to stage their own conferences or training sessions.
For those in catering, the opportunities are there for the picking but they need to have the backing of reliable and trustworthy equipment. Catering en masse at a music festival, for example, or a corporate event will only be successful as long as the oven is working constantly and consistently.
If you want to plan for your event, then contact us at AC Services (Southern) and see how our company has helped numerous small, medium and large companies improve their output with products from the Rational range and ensured their equipment is well-maintained so their events went profitably.
Published Date: 12th April 2016
Category: Blog, Catering Business, Events, News
Tags: Events
29 Mar |
Run in the Footsteps of Champions |
Surprisingly for Wales, it rained and was windy on Saturday, but that didn’t dampen the spirit of all those who took part in the IAAF/Cardiff University World Half Marathon Championships to run in the footsteps of champions.
The world’s best runners, including top Ethiopians and Kenyans as well as Mo Farah, descended on Cardiff for the event, which proved exciting and tense.
Birmingham was the last British host for the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in 2009. 2016 was the first time the UK has also hosted a public race at the same time as the elite runners reflecting the growth in the numbers now running this distance.
The race was won by last year’s winner Geoffrey Kamworor in a time of 59:10, setting a new course record, even though he suffered a fall at the start, while his team mate and compatriot Bedan Karoki finished second.
Britain’s Mo Farah delighted the crowd by finishing third. Prior to the race, Farah expressed his delight and anticipation of the event. “I’m really excited to be here. It’s part of my journey to Rio. I want to be here and I love the support of the home crowd – it makes a massive difference.”
The medal for Farah came in his first entry in the event, and was the first by a British man since 1993, when Carl Thackery took bronze in Brussels. For the Welsh contingency, Welshman Dewi Griffiths achieved a personal best of 1:04.10 and 27th place as well as finishing in the top three British finishers.
In the women’s race, Kenya stole the accolades with Peres Jepchirchir winning from Cynthia Limo and Mary Wacera in a time of one hour seven minutes and 31 seconds. Great Britain’s Alyson Dixon was the highest-placed home runner in 27th with a time of 1.12:57.
Over 16,000 registered runners took to the streets and enjoyed the warmth of the enduring support of the crowd. Tagged by the organisers as the opportunity to run in the footsteps of champions, the reality for some was simply to beat the conditions as ideas of personal bests got blown away across Cardiff Bay!
Runner’s Village
The events in Cardiff are not just about the runners. Catering is at its foremost, with a number of catering companies geared up to offer healthy meals tailored to the sporting elite. Diet is vital to athletes so spare a thought for those who ensure that the right ingredients and food combinations are available at all times to ensure that nutrition is suitable for the individual athlete’s exact requirements.
Equally for the non-elite runners while the build-up was all careful carbo loading the day before, once the race was run, it was surprising how many hot chocolates and cakes needed to be consumed across the city in cafes and coffee houses by runners and supporters alike.
Here at AC Services (Southern), we know from experience that the Rational range of ovens is one of the only appliances on the market that can cook variably, from grilling to steaming to roasting. In addition, it allows a variety of food to be served at the same time . . . no waiting, no cold food and no delays. Just what any runner, regardless of how fast they are, needs after they have run in the footsteps of champions.
08 Mar |
Hotelympia 2016 has Risen |
As the UK’s largest foodservice and hospitality event, Hotelympia 2016 has managed to excel once again in its four-day show which took place last week.
The event was a must for anyone involved not only in the food side of the catering industry but those involved in management, design and technology. And there was plenty to see, hear, taste and smell!
The show’s marketing promised to “deliver innovation and networking opportunities for exhibitors and visitors that can’t be found anywhere else on this scale” and from the feedback from both visitors and exhibitors alike, it did not disappoint.
One of the highlights of the four-day event was the International Salon Culinaire chef competition programme, incorporating over 80 classes in four categories of competition to showcase the skills and talent within the industry. The categories were Live Theatre, Skills Theatre, Senior Salon Display and Junior Salon Display. All threw up amazing talent and smorgesbord of innovative culinary ideas.
La Parade des Chefs
Two teams of chefs competed every day to create a three-course lunch for show attendees for up to 100 covers. Glass panels allowed the visitors to see the stars at work and on Monday, there was a special evening service prepared by two teams from the Culinary Ability Awards.
The Live Theatre offered some interesting concepts, such as Grab and Go Dough Ball Challenge, Hospital Chefs Team Event, the Tabasco Street Food Challenge 2016, Duo of Duck Dishes and the Master Chefs of Great Britain Challenge.
The Staff Canteen Live – Skillery involved some of the UK’s best chefs demonstrating their expertise, with the live cookery live streamed in real time direct onto The Staff Canteen YouTube channel.
In addition the seminars tackled topics that were relevant and topical such as the Benefit of Food Waste Recycling from ReFood, which collects plate scrapings, offcuts and spoilt produce from businesses nationwide, and by recycling, turns unwanted waste into renewable energy – enough to power 25,000 homes across the country.
There were also talks on landfill alternatives and anaerobic digestion. The Speciality and Health Pavilion was a huge attraction for anyone wanting more information and advice on recent allergen laws and increased knowledge on free-from foods.
Hotelympia 2016 was been rightfully heralded as “the destination event for chefs, hoteliers, restaurateurs, publicans and catering operators”. There are few exhibitions that offer such a range of issues, from catering equipment, drink products, food products including health, speciality and artisan products, waste solutions and services, hospitality career related products and services, to indoor and outdoor furniture and bathroom and spa products as well as hospitality technology solutions.
Here at AC Services (Southern) we are delighted to see Hotelympia 2016 providing a showcase for the catering industry to be truly proud.
Published Date: 8th March 2016
Category: Blog, Catering Business, Events, News
Tags: Catering business, Events, Show report