Putting on an awards event can be challenging for any organiser, but when you have 1,868 celebrities to be fed, watered and kept happy, the stakes can be a lot higher.
Each year after the British Academy Film and Television Awards (BAFTA’s) have taken place at London’s Royal Opera House, the event moves to Grosvenor House Hotel in London
for a sit down meal and after party.
Here celebrities are treated to a lavish dinner with champagne and then an official after party hosted by Disaronno, transforming the ballroom at the hotel.
The BAFTA’s celebrate the great and the good in the Britsh film and television industry and guests
at the 2012 event included Brad Pitt, Gary Oldman, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Michelle Williams, and Ralph Fiennes.
Head of Production at BAFTA, Clare Brown, was responsible for organising the 2012 event, alongside Claire Keene, the Director of Events at Grosvenor House. Brown told CN: “There are always challenges and requests to be catered for with an event of this magnitude.
“We needed to put on a dinner suitable for some of the world’s biggest A-list stars served in the historic Great Room of the venue with very prompt service so that guests could join after show parties in the Ballroom and other 86 Park Lane suites.
“Popstar Emeli Sandee permed in the Ballroom and it was important that guests had enjoyed dinner before the permance began. Closing of the hotel forecourt at the Park Street entrance was also necessary to allow for the red carpet arrival of VIP’s.”
Thirty-two coaches were used to transport guests from the Royal Opera House to dinner at Grosvenor House. BAFTA’s partner, Audi, supplied cars on the night to drive nominees, citation readers and other VIP’s.
There were around 4,000 people working on the night of the event, ranging from police to runners. Escada, the event’s official women’s wear partner was also on hand to dress the ladies in a red carpet gown and a Lancome Pro-team was onsite in a style suite at the nearby Savoy Hotel to give guests a makeover.
Other challenges of putting on this type of event according to Brown were: “Managing the timings of such a prestigious event as acceptance speeches are sometimes longer than anticipated and can mean a knock on effect to dinner being served.
“The post BAFTA dinner is slightly different from many of the awards events that are hosted in the Great Room in that the awards have already taken place and the vast majority of the guests arrive by coach from 9.30/10.00pm dependent upon how long the various acceptances speeches run.
“Dinner is served much later than normal, around 10.30/11.00pm. The hotel had contact at the Royal Opera House to advise when the first guests were leaving, prompting action stations back in the hotel kitchens.”
Nigel Boschetti, the Executive Chef at Grosvenor House, devised a menu based on the brief that it should follow a British theme using seasonal produce.Guests were treated to a starter of Smoked Ribblesdale goat’s cheese, leek and walnut tart, beetroot and balsamic dressing. A main course comprised of slow cooked shoulder of Cornish lamb, Boulangere potatoes, courgettes, oven dried tomatoes and samphire. The dessert was Rabot Estate chocolate mousse and coca nib nougat served with raspberry sorbet, inspired from the menu at the Boucan Restaurant in St Lucia.
Grosvenor House worked with Hotel Chocolat to recreate the dessert and 40kg of chocolate from its estate on St Lucia was used to produce it.
Continuing its lavish theme, each nominee received a gift bag to celebrate their nomination, which this year included a limited edition Anya Hindmarch bag designed exclusively for BAFTA, Asprey playing cards, jet and silver Hackett cufflinks, Lancome beauty products and a wine tasting tour
and lunch at the Villa Maria winery in Auckland.
The event was themed around each of the five films nominated for the ‘Best Film’ Award; The Artist; The Descendants; Drive; The Help; Tinker Tailor, Solider Spy and this included floral arrangements and table placemats for each film.
BAFTA is a charitable organisation and partnerships/sponsorship are integral to the event being a success. 2012 was the 15th year that Orange sponsored the event. Lancome, Tattinger and Villa Maria were also sponsors. Grosvenor House has been host venue of the event for over a decade.
Brown said the venue is chosen because: of its arrival experience offer. “The forecourt for VIP’s and coach drop off on Park Lane allows guests to get into the venue quickly and the hotel
has a reputation for being a well-oiled banqueting venue used to handling high profile guests,” she said.
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This was first published in the May edition of CN.
