Having worked in the event catering industry for over 10 years, in my time I have witnessed the industry undergo many changes, but none more welcome than the conscious move by venues to embrace more sustainable practices in terms of food sourcing.
This, in part, has been helped by the growing interest that event organisers have in where the food that they select for an event comes from and how it is produced. There is no room for contract caterers to cut corners, all ingredients must be fresh and of the highest quality that can be procured according to budget.
With so many great suppliers producing premium food in the UK and the ability to source high quality specialist products from further afield at reasonable prices, there is no excuse for event caterers to offer delegates frozen or pre-prepared foods from a factory production line, especially when charging premium rates.
More often than not processed foods and ready prepared meals contain a high content of salt, sugars and saturated fats, all of which have been proven to have an adverse effect on people’s concentration – a big no-no at an event, where delegates’ undivided attention is required. Venue chefs can easily craft delicious dishes from fantastic, fresh ingredients, resulting in refreshing salads, filling sandwiches and warming one-pot dishes without cutting corners.
Contrary to popular belief, processed food is, in fact, more expensive than fresh produce, especially when cooking for large numbers. Venues using frozen or pre-packaged food will inevitably have a high premium on their products to justify their purchases. It is imperative that event organisers speak with the venues sales team to ensure that they are fully aware of what exactly is on offer in terms of catering and what they are paying for before they commit.
Initiatives such as Slow Food UK have captured the public’s imagination through their ever growing campaign to promote a better quality of food by educating people to achieve a better understanding of taste, quality, sustainable production and awareness of endangered ingredients, through publications, festivals and events. There is no reason why the practices of this initiative shouldn’t be incorporated in the meetings and events industry, actively encouraging event organisers to choose nutritious and sustainable menus that use local ingredients, providing their delegates with good, ethical and wholesome food.
76 Portland Place has recently joined Slow Food UK as we passionately believe in offering our visitors a better and more responsible way to eat, building on the organisations work to reconnect people with where their food comes from and how it is produced.
This is why I have launched a ‘Real Food’ Campaign in association with my colleagues at 76 Portland Place, to engage with the events industry and debate how we can act responsibly while still delivering on quality. I would encourage all fellow venue chefs and event planners keen to provide better quality, better tasting food.
Any comments? Email sarah@mashmedia.net
