Since 2012, the Food & Catering Zone at Glee has become a ‘must-see’ feature for those thinking of setting up a catering facility from scratch, or in need of ideas to reinvigorate an existing one.
In its short existence so far, it has become renowned as a central hub providing advice, information and inspiration for retailers to take their concept to the next level, as well as offering visitors an unrivalled selection of food and catering-related products to suit all budgets.
i2i Events were delighted to announce two major brands as the main 2014 sponsors for the area; Catering Design Group, one of the UK’s leading restaurant and commercial catering design companies and Blue Cap Coffee, a recognised supplier of the Lavazza BLUE Concept, an exclusive system which enables garden centre cafés and restaurants to offer an authentic Italian coffee experience.
Blue Cap Coffee’s Managing Director, John Williams, a speaker on How Garden Centres win the Coffee Shop War, hailed this year’s workshops as “a great platform for experts in the industry to address key issues and arm caterers, whether seasoned or new to the industry, with invaluable insight”.
Steve Hutchings, Director at Catering Design Group, also a partner of the Food & Catering Zone, shared his thoughts on the show. He said: “This is our second year of visiting the show and our first as partners of the Food & Catering Zone. For us, Glee is all about showcasing the breadth of our offering across design and build for front and back of house. We set out to give visitors a better understanding of what we’re about and to inspire operators with the use of creativity, insight and current trends to illustrate what can be achieved within their own catering space. Glee provides a great platform in the industry for us to be able to do this.”
Mark Robson, Managing Director of Red Mist Leisure was another keynote speaker, who focused his insight to visitors on sourcing local produce for customers and unlocking revenue streams. Having operated five very successful pubs throughout Surrey and Hampshire for 10 years,’ Mark is in an enviable position to deliver a compelling story on Red Mist’s success, which he says is built on an ethos of “fresh, local and seasonal produce”.
“For us, engagement with the local community and understanding what is good produce has been key to our success” explained Mark who acquired his company’s first pub in 2004. “It’s imperative that the passion for fresh food – ‘farm and field’ – is communicated through everything we do, right to the plate”. He cites his first appearance at the show as “giving my business a new dimension” and adds that he’s “impressed with what I have seen so far”.
If that didn’t whet the appetite, Patrick Fairweather, Owner of Fairweathers Garden Centre’s session certainly did with his Grow your own: Maximising your land for your restaurant profits and credibility workshop. Fairweathers, situated in the New Forest, cultivated ‘Patrick’s Patch’ to be used as a source of home-grown fruit and vegetables for its in-house restaurant, Steff’s Kitchen. Known as ‘Beaulieu’s hidden gem’, the garden is free to enter and supported by a loyal group of volunteers and Primary school children who regularly visit to learn gardening skills and understand where its food comes from. Since opening during the evenings for its renowned Supper Club in 2012, it now attracts interest from Michelin-starred chefs.
“We decided in 2008 to expand the café as public interest in food sourcing grew, which was a key decision in our business”, explains Patrick. “There are so many ways for catering facilities to be self-sufficient nowadays. We’ve hopefully proved it’s not just a ’trendy concept’ and there are many ways to get the community involved in your business, which can mutually benefit everyone.”
Finally the Food & Catering area was also home to another new addition – the stunning Farmers Market. Reminiscent of artisan food markets favored by culinary connoisseurs across the country, this new area was home to passionate suppliers of delicious foods and beverages.
