The adventurous catering solutions magazine Autumn 2016
ALL IN A
DAY'S WORK
Behind the scenes with the Chefs delivering
fabulous food at amazing venues
FOOD MATTERS
When only the best will do – creating
bespoke menus for clients and customers
Welcome
Welcome to the first edition of Glorious, a magazine
from Amadeus celebrating everything that
is great about food and service
If ever there was a time to be proud of
what is happening in our industry it is
now. With innovation in food and
technology, what we eat and how we
order it is changing. The focus on the
customer and providing the best service
has never been more relevant and
the team at Amadeus has
embraced this fully and is
constantly looking for ways
we can improve what we
deliver to our venue clients
and ultimately their visitors.
In an ever-changing industry,
having an eye on the future
both for trends and for
talent is something you
ignore at your peril.
I hope you will enjoy
reading about some
of the talent I am
fortunate to have
in our business.
The passion and
enthusiasm Chefs
like Simon Hellier,
Aaron Johnson and
Darren Proud
bring to their teams is immeasurable and at
Amadeus it is the people that drive change.
Our business is simple – it’s about food and
people. What is not simple is getting those things
right. Being able to sell well, understand the
customer needs and fulfil them is a skill and in
the last year we have focussed on changing our
culture from one of serving to selling.
Find out more about this on page 28.
Autumn is a great time in the food
industry, gearing up for Christmas
hospitality and for us swapping from
our summer events season at visitor
destinations to venue retail and
hospitality. I am looking forward to
launching our new project,
The Edge, at the
NEC and hope
you enjoy reading about
how we developed the
concepts on page 16.
KEVIN WATSON,
MANAGING
DIRECTOR,
AMADEUS
Emma Thorn
Head of Marketing
Jenna Hadley
PR & Communications Manager
info@amadeusfood.co.uk
0121 767 3329
amadeusfood.co.uk
Follow us...
@amadeusfood
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AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 3
IN THIS ISSUE READ ALL ABOUT IT
READ ALL ABOUT IT IN THIS ISSUE
Contents
Issue 01
Autumn 2016
Hot
topic!
22 33
The adventurous catering solutions magazine Autumn 2016
ALL IN A
DAY'S WORK
Behind the scenes with the Chefs delivering
fabulous food at amazing venues
FOOD MATTERS
When only the best will do – creating
bespoke menus for clients and customers
14
01_OK_0072AMM_COVER_REPRO.indd 1 06/09/2016 09:56
REGULARS
06
43
Changing the way we eat
The latest news from Amadeus and why
they're at the forefront of innovation
Calendar of events
The definitive guide to what’s going
on over the autumn and winter seasons
FEATURES
10
16
The perfect double act
Simon Hellier and Aaron Johnson
talk inspiration and seasonal favourites
Taking you to The Edge
Introducing the innovative food
concepts at The Edge within the NEC
10
22
Feeding time at the zoo
Amadeus reinvigorates the food on
offer at Dudley Zoological Gardens
– and it's not for the animals!
28
33
50
Satisfaction guaranteed
Always pushing for a better customer
experience is key to Service that Sells
How was it for you
Glorious talks to Sam Bates and Darren
Proud about what it took to host
the Ricoh Women’s British Open
Amadeus made my day
Apprentice of the Year, Tyrel Richards,
reveals how his apprenticeship opened
up a world of new opportunities
4 GLORIOUS
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 5
NEWS FOOD INNOVATIONS
FOOD INNOVATIONS NEWS
UNDERSTANDING
THE CUSTOMER
Changing
the way we eat
For 40 years Amadeus has been recognised for its
culinary expertise and commercial development that
is designed to improve the customer experience.
Here are just some of their latest innovations...
MADE FOR YOU
One of the most important elements scratch. At the International Convention
of the Amadeus catering business Centre (ICC) Birmingham, this is
is the ‘MADE for you’ initiative, which business as usual and has seen the Chef
means it is a bespoke offering – so up to team – headed up by Executive Chef,
85 per cent of food delivered is exactly Simon Hellier – create some of the
what the client wants. This means most imaginative and operationally
Amadeus creates an experience from challenging events ever seen.
“Food should be
part of the event
experience and
we want to get
even closer to the
customer”
Simon Hellier Executive Chef ICC
EXPERIENCING FOOD
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
In January 2016, Simon and his team
introduced the ‘Chef ’s Table’, an
experience that gives guests a real
insight into the food served at the ICC.
This has been created to support the
sales teams as it enables them to bring
clients on to the site to sample the
food and showcase it as a unique selling
point for the venue. Simon cooks in
front of the guests while talking them
through recipes, food provenance
and wine pairings.
Record
breaking
A ground-breaking event from the
team at the ICC saw Amadeus break
its own catering record. The gala
dinner for the World Small Animal
Veterinary Association Congress
(WSAVA), allowed 950 guests to
choose their starter, main and desert
from a full choice menu. The restaurantstyle
service for such a large event was
a first for the catering group, and a rare
occurrence for any venue.
“Delivering a restaurant-style service,
where each guest has a menu of
options to choose from is relatively
unheard of, particularly on such a
scale,” said Craig Hancox, Amadeus
General Manager at the ICC. “Each
table’s order was taken by
our front of house waiting
staff and then fed into the
kitchen where Simon Hellier and
his team got to work to deliver the
courses as ordered.
“We have delivered this service
before but not for so many. It
presents its challenges, primarily
from a service and ordering point
of view, but we have a very talented
team who are always looking to
raise the bar and I feel we’ve
certainly achieved this here.”
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT
HOLDING AN EVENT
AT THE ICC OR ANY OF
THE AMADEUS VENUES
CONTACT 0121 767 3329
Providing customers with innovative
solutions continues when it comes to the
environments run by Amadeus. Within
the NEC, Amadeus had the opportunity to
conduct some in-depth customer research
to understand what would improve the
experience of a visit to the NEC food
and beverage areas.
In 2015, Emma Thorn, Head of Marketing
for Amadeus, teamed up with Know Research
and conducted one of the largest and most
in-depth customer research programmes ever
at the NEC site to understand the consumer
decision-making process at all stages of the
customer journey. This included a number
of research channels including accompanied
shops, app-based research prior, during and
post visit, incept interviews and observations.
The research produced insight into when
customers start thinking about food and
beverage, what impacts purchasing behaviour,
their mind states during the day and pre and
post perceptions of the food and beverage
offerings. From the research, some of the key
actions included refurbishment of some of the
NEC food and beverage areas called PODs.
As part of the redevelopment, the Amadeus
project team investigated eating trends,
multiple food service options and food
trends to influence the concept choices.
Working with the NEC Group’s central
Insight and Marketing Services departments,
which includes a full in-house marketing
agency, the concepts for ‘The Edge’ were
developed. The project is being launched
at the Autumn Fair and will include increased
speed of service and covers and four brand
concepts – see page 16 for details.
6 GLORIOUS
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 7
NEWS FOOD INNOVATIONS
FOOD INNOVATIONS NEWS
BUILDING THE
RIGHT TEAM
In order to foster innovation, Amadeus has
to ensure the right people are part of their
culture, understand it and live and breathe
the values of ‘MADE a difference’.
In 2015, the HR team at Amadeus looked
to innovate and reinvent how they recruited
and trained over 1,000 staff including 90
Chefs. Tony Baldock, Operations Director
for Amadeus, looked at overhauling the
recruitment and training based on his belief
that a change was needed to take Amadeus
from being a serving culture to a selling one.
The process started with recruitment and
scrapping the traditional interview for an
audition, one in which the applicant had
to demonstrate they can sell and have
a passion and flair for food and service.
Tony then introduced a Service that Sells
programme to the Amadeus business, which
focusses on customer service – turn to page
28 to find out more about how it is working
for the staff and the customers.
As a brand, Amadeus prides itself in living
by a personality that is progressive, creative,
passionate, supportive and inventive.
It’s a culture that is delivering real results,
both now and in the future and one that
ensures the team will and can respond to
any challenge they are given.
TO FIND OUT ABOUT
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
WITH AMADEUS GO TO
NECGROUP.CO.UK/WORKING-FOR-US
THEATRE ON A PLATE
The Amadeus team’s most recent
innovation has been introducing
a theatrical dining multi-sensory
experience where the food is
prepared and cooked in front the
guests, creating an additional air
of anticipation and excitement.
“Food should be part of the event
experience and we want
to get closer to
the customer,”
explains Simon
Hellier. “Not
only does it
showcase to the
guests the quality
and freshness of
the ingredients
and talent of the
chef’s brigade, but
it reiterates everything we say we
do – that we can serve fine dining
in large numbers.”
The theatrical dining experience
was premiered at the Vox launch
in February 2016. Emma Channon,
a journalist from Meetings and
Incentive Travel Magazine, said of
the event, “You don’t generally
associate conference venues with
Michelin-quality food – this has
officially set the bar.”
One of the standout dishes was a
lemongrass mist that engulfed the
table to give a citrus twist to the dish.
This technique, and other theatrical
dining elements, is an area Simon is
truly passionate about. He believes
multi-sensory experiences add
another dimension and overall the
whole meal is enhanced.
“It goes beyond just the experience
of eating the dish, it adds a bit of fun
into it too. The dish feels more alive,
more fresh. The lemon mist is a real
crowd pleaser. We use flavoured dry
ice, which reacts when warm stock is
poured over. As it evaporates vapour
is released and the mist travels across
the table and starts to roll in front
of the guests sat at the table. They
get this intense lemongrass smell
which
adds another
sensory level to
the dish. You are
creating a mystical
element and with the
right ambiance and lighting it can really
make the course stand out. We serve
this course at the beginning of the
dining experience so we really have to
make sure we follow through with four
or five other really impressive courses.
If you start with a great course and
don’t follow it up, the whole meal can
fall apart. We like to keep anticipation
levels high and really carry on with
the theatrical elements.”
Simon continues, “I wouldn’t say
I look at any particular ingredient
and think, ‘How can I use this in the
room?’ It’s more, ‘How can I add theatre
to this, how can I impress the guest?’
I’m always looking at dishes and
aspects that can be completed in the
room with the guests involved rather
than away in the kitchen. I believe
Crêpes Suzette may make
a comeback and will
be created in front
of the guest.”
Food and drink
at the click of a button
Under the brand initiative, ‘MADE life
easier’, Amadeus is also committed to
delivering innovation that improves
how customers order food and
drink at events and improving the
speed of delivering service. The first
major technical innovation that saw
Amadeus shortlisted for a prestigious
Catey award in 2016 was Qjacker
– an online ordering service to
cope with the demands of feeding
thousands of visitors at the Insomina56
Gaming Festival hosted at the
NEC Birmingham.
One of the most critical components
for the Insomnia event – an impressive
new event for the NEC venue – was
having a service for the BYOC (bring
your own computer) community
who are engaged in live games and
competitions round the clock on a
global scale throughout the event, to
be able to order refreshments from
8am-2am each day without causing
disruption to their play. Amadeus used
the convenient web and smartphone
app Qjacker, which allows users to
order food and drink to be delivered
directly to their gaming stations – all
other live sites now operating the
app use collection points. Working
closely with NEC Group IT and Qjacker,
Amadeus developed the application to
suit the needs of the event – including
design, build and testing – within just
eight weeks. With record numbers
processed and delivered to happy
gamers with an average time from
order confirmation to personal delivery
of just eight minutes it transformed the
way food and drink was delivered.
Operations Director, Tony Baldock,
explains the importance of introducing
the ground-breaking service, “The level
of detail required to get the finished
solution just right was challenging but
the planning and teamwork including
IT, marketing, our service partners and
suppliers helped make this venture
a success. The event was only
won in September
so a three-month
turnaround
for a brand new technological concept
is phenomenal. Allowing customers
to order instantly rather than preordering
gave a different dimension to
the event and was important for the
visitor experience. The team offered
exceptional service by following a predetermined
seating plan meaning we
were able to find customers quickly.”
Tony added, “We also worked
closely the Insomina56 organisers
to determine the demands of the
community with the most important
factors being portion size, quality of
food and value for money. Normal
operations were also in effect with our
service partners extending
their hours to support us so
if we did have any issues they
were resolved promptly as
to not affect food service
or customer experience.”
Qjacker has now been
tested in Starbucks and
the NEC Group’s two
arenas – Genting and
Barclaycard Arena – with
positive results. The service
is due to be implemented
across all NEC Group sites
by the end of 2016.
8 GLORIOUS
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 9
DEVELOPING TALENT MEET OUR CHEFS
The perfect
double act
Executive Chef Simon Hellier and Head Chef Aaron Johnson know
what it takes to deliver exceptional food. They work with their teams
to provide restaurant-quality food on a grand scale. We caught up
with them to find out their favourite seasonal ingredients
Simon Hellier (pictured right) has been
working for Amadeus based at the
ICC Birmingham since 1991 and has
worked his way up through the ranks
to become Executive Chef in 2011.
He is renowned for his ability to deliver
restaurant-quality food in a large scale
environment – creating drama and impact
for guests at events and banquets and
creating menus for anything from two
to 8,000 guests.
So what inspires him? “For me
I always resort back to the
fundamental rules of
cooking, without this
you are unable to
be innovative. My
inspiration comes from
art, the weather, what
I see, what I feel,
music or a smell.
All these can
help innovate
to create new
dishes, but you
have to start
with the basics.”
His most recent
innovation has been
introducing a theatrical dining experience.
This includes a multi-sensory experience where
the food is prepared and cooked in front the
guests. “Food should be part of the event
experience and we want to get closer to the
customer,” explains Simon. “Not only does it
showcase to the guests the quality, freshness
and talent of the chef ’s brigade, but it reiterates
everything we say we do – that we can serve
fine dining in large numbers.
“At the moment we are working on the
autumnal menu, which for me is all about
comfort food and slow cooking. We choose
selections of meat that take a long time to
cook but deliver the maximum flavour
– something like blade of beef (see
page 15 for Simon’s recipe) served with
British root vegetables works very well
during the autumn season. With
braised cuts we make our own
sauce using the meat juices
as it gives an intense and
natural flavour. So you’re left
with quality meat, good
vegetables and a delicious
highly flavoured sauce.
“It’s also really important
to use seasonal vegetables –
they taste best when you are using
locally grown produce in season. It’s the same
with fruit – there’s no comparison between
the flavour of strawberries grown in season and
forced – they’re like two different products.
Using seasonal vegetables is also important as
it means we can support local farmers.
We work closely with our procurement
department who are close to all our suppliers.
We also talk directly to our local suppliers and
encourage them to send us information on what
they’re producing and to tell us about what they
have coming on. Weather really can make the
difference between a good crop or early crop or
late crop so we have to keep up to date with
what supplies we may have coming in. There
are also product trends and growth trends
Dishes clockwise from top left: lobster tail and claw, ham hock
with a Scotch quail egg, tiramisu and venison parfait
“My inspiration comes from art, the weather,
what I see, what I feel, music or a smell. All
these can help innovate to create new dishes”
Simon Hellier, Executive Chef ICC Birmingham
10 GLORIOUS
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 11
DEVELOPING TALENT MEET OUR CHEFS
Gressingham duck breast
with baby broad beans
that we may not be aware of, so the relationship
between us and the growers is really important
and the success of that good communication
is reflected in the food we produce.”
To find out what goes into producing
award-winning food on such a huge scale we also
caught up with Aaron Johnson, Head Chef at
the Vox conference centre (pictured right).
He has worked his way up through the ranks at
Amadeus and was mentored by Simon at the
ICC. “My passion for food was originally honed
by my parents. They owned restaurants so I was
exposed to preparing food for paying customers
from an early age. My parents worked hard and
had a real passion for their work and I think that
rubbed off on me – seeing their enthusiasm and
hard work shaped my career choices.
“Before I came to Amadeus I worked for
Gordon Ramsay and Jason Atherton at the
Michelin-starred Maze restaurant in Mayfair.
The work was relentless but really rewarding.
It really taught me all about presentation – food
has to look beautiful, you have to want to eat it.
That’s what I love about what I do now – it’s a
real challenge to produce restaurant-quality
food with fabulous presentation on this scale.
We regularly produce banquets for 800 guests,
but every plate of food is served straight from
the kitchen to their table. We don’t reheat dishes
and then serve – this is restaurant dining.”
The demands of the job are phenomenal with
preparation starting up to two weeks in advance
for an event. “We have a menu selection for
clients to choose from, but about 85 per cent
of our clients opt for a bespoke menu, so
that’s when you can really let your creative side
run wild,” says Aaron. “It’s great to work with the
client to ensure we can deliver exactly what they
want. Once we’ve decided on the menu we will
start planning up to two weeks in advance,
ordering the ingredients to put the dishes
together. Obviously we also look at how the
dishes will be presented on the day as when you
have 800 plates leaving the kitchen through up
to 24 delivery points you have to know that
every single one looks perfect.
“We have a core team that work at the
VOX and then we bring in agency staff for our
big events so we have to be able to communicate
well to ensure everyone is clear about what’s
expected of them. When I was working in other
kitchens I had head chefs shouting at the staff,
but I just don’t think that works. When the
pressure is on with a job of
course we all feel it, but
I would rather people
felt focussed and
motivated rather than
terrified of being shouted
at. I don’t think that brings
out the best in people.”
Every Chef also has a
passion for their ingredients
– you can’t make memorable
dishes without great ingredients,
so what are Aaron’s
favourites? “I love
seafood and one
of my
favourite
“You can cook food to
perfection but if you
don’t make it look
beautiful then you
won’t get the best from
it. A glass of the right
wine also helps!”
Aaron Johnson, Head Chef VOX
0121 748 3377
info@contemporaryeventstructures.co.uk
www.contemporaryeventstructures.co.uk
12 GLORIOUS
DEVELOPING TALENT MEET OUR CHEFS
Slow-cooked
feather blade of beef
Enjoy this flavourful cut of British beef, perfect for slow cooking,
along with butterbean potato purée, seasonal roast roots and a
Merlot and red onion compote for a hearty autumnal dish
INGREDIENTS
BUTTERBEAN MASH
ROOT VEGETABLES
RED ONION COMPOTE
dishes to cook is squid ink risotto with a piece
of bream on top and served with a lobster
sauce. It’s great to play with different flavour
combinations to see what works. Obviously
there are classics – slow-cooked French dishes
like beef Bourguignon, moules marinière,
bouillabaisse, confit of duck – but I like to
add different twists. I like to experiment with
flavours from Thailand as I spent some time
travelling there, so I like to introduce the classic
spices and flavours of Thai food, so that might
be a Thai broth with the moules or infusing a
confit of duck with Asian herbs and spices.
“We really like getting people to try different
things. Obviously when we’re developing a
menu for the VOX we need to be mindful
of producing it on a large scale, but once you
know you can produce something for 50-100
people I know it will work at banqueting level
as then it’s just a case on multiplying it up. To
deliver on the day it’s all about the organisation
– we normally have about one and half hours to
deliver three courses, so it’s demanding but I’m
proud that we manage to do it several times a
week throughout the year. We’re building a
reputation here for great food and that’s what
I am so proud of.”
Aaron clearly loves what he does – it’s hard
work but he says the rewards are definitely worth
it. “I just love food – my favourite dinner that
I cook for friends at this time of year is pan-fried
loin of venison, cooked medium rare, squash,
coffee-glazed beets and Parmesan crumb
shallots all served with a red wine jus. For dessert
it has to be a plum and gooseberry crumble with
macadamia nuts and vanilla topping.
“It’s great to cook with what’s in season as
then you can ring the changes throughout the
year, adjusting your menu to make the most of
what’s in the shops and at its best.” So what’s his
other top tips for the best dinner party food?
“It’s all about the presentation – you can cook
food to perfection but if you don’t make it
look beautiful on the plate then you won’t get
the best from it. A glass of the right wine also
helps! It’s worth trying out different wines to
find flavours that complement each other – at
Amadeus we have wine training to learn about
how wine and food can work together – or not!
It’s all part of the restaurant experience of dining
at an Amadeus banquet.”
TO FIND OUT ABOUT
BANQUETING FACILITIES AT THE
ICC CONTACT THEICC.CO.UK/
CONTACT OR FOR THE
VOX THEVOXCENTRE.CO.UK/
CONTACT-US
Serves 2
2 x 8oz British feather blade of beef
or braising cuts (from any good
quality butcher)
1 x small bunch of fresh thyme
2 x cloves of garlic
500ml x fresh beef stock or 500ml water
with 2 beef stock cubes
50ml x sunflower oil
28g x tomato paste
2 x large parsnips
2 x long carrots
1 x red onion
1 x small bunch of fresh rosemary
28g or a good-sized spoonful of
redcurrant jelly
100ml x Merlot red wine
2 x jacket potatoes
1 x lemon
56g x butterbeans
56g x salted butter
28g x sea salt
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Sprig of fresh parsley
BRAISED BEEF
AND SAUCE
Preheat the over to
200°C/Gas mark 6. Seal
the blades of beef in a
hot pan until golden
brown on both sides,
then place into a
suitably sized braising
dish. Add the beef
stock and tomato
paste to the meat
sealing pan to capture
any beef sediment
for additional flavour. Pour
the braising stock over the
beef blades and add the fresh
rosemary and cloves of garlic.
Fully cover the beef with lid or tin
foil and slow cook in the preheated
oven for around 4 hours or until the
meat is tender. Then remove the excess
cooking liquor from the beef and reduce
down to a sauce consistency.
Bake the jacket potatoes in the oven (about
2½ hours after the beef was placed in the oven)
on a bed of sea salt for around 60-80 minutes
or until the texture is soft. Scoop the filling from
the potato skin and crush with a fork. Add
a squeeze of fresh lemon, coarsely chopped
butterbeans, salted butter, fresh chopped
parsley and plenty of seasoning to taste.
Peel the parsnips and remove the core. Prepare
the carrots, rub with sunflower oil, fresh thyme
and seasoning. Place on a flat roasting tray and
cook in the oven about 30 minutes before beef
is ready until the vegetables become golden
brown and soft to the touch.
Peel and slice finely the red onion into strips
or diced, soften in sunflower oil in a small pan,
add redcurrant jelly and red wine. Reduce the
cooking liquor until the mixture becomes sticky
and thick, then remove from the heat.
BUILDING THE PLATE
Serve a generous portion of butterbean mash
in middle of the plate. Place feather blade of
beef on top. Add the red onion compote on
top of the beef. Build the root vegetable up
and over the beef. Finally pour the rich
beef sauce over the dish.
14 GLORIOUS
FROM VENUE TO MENU PROJECT POD
PROJECT POD FROM VENUE TO MENU
Taking you to
THE EDGE
Now guests can enjoy Italian, British, a handcrafted deli cafe
and a man vs food meat concept within @the Edge in halls at
the NEC. Executive Chef Neil Ashton talks through the process
Above: Sustainably caught, hand beer-battered
cod with hand-mashed minted and chilli peas
There are mouth-watering changes
taking place at the NEC with new
food and drink offers being created
to ensure visitors have a really great
experience. Amadeus has taken a
new approach following in-depth
research and has created four new
concepts for in-hall dining: Italian,
British, handcrafted deli cafe and a
man vs food offer with fresh food
cooked to order and lots of healthy
options. The changes are part of a £1.4
million investment named Project Pod
and the new in-hall services will also
have faster service, more seating and
‘grab and go’ options. Calm and cool,
NEC Executive Chef Neil Ashton has
been working for Amadeus for nearly
30 years and leading the charge – his
experience has been indispensable and
here he talks all about the new offers.
“Previously the food areas in the halls at
the NEC were designed to last around ten
or 15 years. Once they were created, the idea
was that they wouldn’t need much changing.
However, with customer desires this is
simply no longer possible. Each hall at the
NEC had at least one restaurant before this
project but now, with the customer in mind,
we have invested heavily to offer one
restaurant with four concepts. Our hope is
that visitors will enjoy the new range and find
something that works for them for whatever
reason they are there. This project includes
the new EvViva (Italian restaurant) and
Butcher and Grill (the meat and grill option)
as well as the Oak Kitchen, which serves
British food. This on-trend concept launched
in 2012 and the menu proved so popular that
each year we only tweak the dishes slightly”
The customer experience is at the centre
of all events at the NEC, and this extends
to the food and drink offering. The
refurbishment of the first three in-hall
food restaurants is part of a venue-wide
improvement programme, and following
extensive research carried out in 2015, a
radical re-styling of the look and feel began.
Logistical issues have also been looked
into to ensure visitors receive their food
quicker and have more choice of good value
and great quality food.
“We have evolved the traditional offer of
self-service to enhance the experience for
the customer,” Neil continues. “This still
works but now the customer has a greater
choice. We looked at the high-street options
and then decided to take these ideas further
to improve the guests’ experience. The NEC
Group research team, Insight, provided us
with market trends and information on the
up-and-coming experiences such as ‘grab and
go’. The research process started over a year
ago and the team began by looking at ‘mega
trends’ in food and basically with a blank
sheet of paper with regard to the overhaul of
the 250-seat food restaurants at the NEC.
“The main areas looked at, alongside the
food offering, were the times people want to
eat and people’s craving for longer dwell
16 GLORIOUS
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 17
FROM VENUE TO MENU PROJECT POD
PROJECT POD FROM VENUE TO MENU
Above: Try burgers from the meat and grill selection
Main: The “Brummie” Balti will also be available
Customers are looking for fresher,
tastier food cooked quickly to order to
suit their personal tastes
times. Food trend information and eating
out trends have been essential for identifying
high performing, large appeal potential food
concept ideas around food types. The project
team were split into research teams to go out
and look at similar concepts, style of service,
menu and restaurant design and report back on
findings and recommendations. We discovered
that customers are looking for fresher, tastier
food cooked quickly to order to suit their
personal tastes, whether it’s adding extra shots
in their coffee or choosing the filling and type of
bread for their sandwich.
“We also noticed that alcohol and especially
beer sales are in decline, so we reduced the size
of the bar area and added an Italian themed
restaurant in the previous bar area. By changing
our offer to match the customer demand and tie
into key new trends, we are able to provide the
very best visitor experience.”
Studying customer behaviour has been vital
to the project and from these results, the growth
of healthy options – as part of the decisionmaking
factor – has increased. “This is especially
true in the morning but also as the day or week
goes on they have something more of a treat,”
Neil explains. “We have to make sure there are
options available for whatever the customer
is looking for.”
Designing how the concepts work and how
they would sit within the areas to maximise
customer flow, speed and wayfinding was
also completed at the same time as this research.
For the customer, they should hopefully see
some great food options. While behind
the scenes the whole customer journey has
been thought through and designed to ensure
they can easily find exactly what they want.
“We were handed back the areas from the
designers in the summer and have spent time
making sure it was all ready for food tours.
We hold these for key internal, NEC Group
stakeholders, because it is important we have all
the teams involved. These food tours are great
for this and our teams really enjoy experiencing
the food themselves – they have to explain it to
our customers after all. Following this stage
we’ll open up the dining space for the staff to try
and hold training days around this time too. VIP
tours for show organisers and key people will
then take place just before we go live this month
– just in time for the very popular Autumn Fair!
“Working on the new menu offers was great
fun. We investigated a range of products and
18 GLORIOUS
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 19
FROM VENUE TO MENU PROJECT POD
rattled the choices down to the best of the best.
Designing new menus can be challenging but
it does have its advantages, like getting to try
numerous delicious options. If you take
our burger, we tried ten patties, ten brioche
buns and ten more of everything else. The initial
cook-off allowed us to pick the best relish and
garnish too. Then all the chefs went away and
created different versions. After whittling it
down we were left with the best choice.
“When I think of hot plates I think of
motorway services, ones where customers have
to come to the counter with a tray and someone
places food on to the plate in front of them. This
wasn’t too far removed from what we offered in
some areas and so we have completely rethought
this to improve it for the customer. Now dishes
are prepared and plated in the kitchen after
orders come in via electronic screens from the
front of house teams. We can spend more
time on presentation before the customer
sees the finished article.
“Before these changes we had a library of
dishes that we switched for shows depending on
what they were. This ranged from the type of
show like a trade show, to the gender of the
audience and we believed we had covered all
requirements and everyone had a fair offer.
However, we have rethought this process and
work across all shows at the NEC to keep it
consistent. It’s an exciting change to make and
I know it’s going to work, but I have to admit
that I am a bit nervous – but more excited.
“Our main hope is that we have created some
defined areas for people to enjoy. It didn’t make
20 GLORIOUS
Above: A rack of low ‘n’ slow ribs is a traditional grill favourite
THE EDGE CONCEPT CAN BE FOUND IN HALLS
1, 3 AND 4 AT THE NEC BIRMINGHAM AND WILL BE
LAUNCHED AT THE AUTUMN FAIR IN SEPTEMBER.
sense for the visitors to queue for their hot food,
queue for their drink and then maybe queue
for their dessert. Now they can select their
complete meal in one movement and go away
and enjoy it. None of us like being delayed,
especially when it comes to a meal! The new
areas will now feature an increased number
of tills so visitors can be served more
quickly. And seating has been increased
by 30 per cent after customer feedback
that they want more areas to sit down
and enjoy a coffee.
“With our exciting customer-driven
concepts we feel equipped and ready to
provide a great visitor experience at the
NEC. We’re continually looking at ways to
improve and hope the investment and the
food and beverage offerings reflect the customer
needs. We’ve really enjoyed trying something
totally different, the excitement, and the fear of
something new. It’s been around eight
months in the making. It’s been a
challenge for me and the Chefs
but one we have embraced
with open arms. We now have
four key concepts – meat/
grill, a grab and go deli cafe,
an English concept and an
Italian concept. Every
factor has been considered
from speed of service,
freshness and
preparation, to
equipment and
service style.”
With our exciting
customer-driven
concepts we feel
equipped and ready
to provide a great
visitor experience
BARS
THE
BARS
BARS
B
19 &20 OCTOBER
The UK’s original and most
comprehensive exhibition of . . .
products, services andentertainment
for the outdoor event industry . . .
The Outdoor Event Services Exhibition
Newbury Showground
Berkshire RG18 9QZ
BARS
SHOWMAN’S SHOW 2016
For exhibitor & visitor information contact:
Lance Show & Publications Limited, Courtyard Office,
The Courtyard, Parsons Pool, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8AP
Tel: 01747 854099 Fax: 01747 854634
Email: info@showmans-directory.co.uk
www.showmans-directory.co.uk
OUT AND ABOUT DUDLEY ZOO
DUDLEY ZOO OUT AND ABOUT
Feeding time
AT THE ZOO
Amadeus began working with Dudley Zoological
Gardens in 2014 and since then the relationship
has flourished. The zoo is full of exciting sights and
sounds and Amadeus match the fun activities with a
quality food offering that adds to the overall experience
“We believe
visitors want
to understand
the provenance
and animal
welfare of the
food offering
Dudley Zoo is set around an 11th century
castle on 40 acres of land. Thousands of
visitors travel each year to the unusual
surroundings of the castle in a zoo. The
wooden fortification on the site was built
not long after the Norman Conquest of
1066 and was recorded in the Domesday
Book of 1086. The first stone castle was
built on the site a while after this – this
was destroyed by order of King Henry VII
and another castle was erected. Over
the years the castle was beseiged and
survived several attacks but eventually
became uninhabitable after a fire in the
late 18th century.
The zoo opened in 1937 and is now home to
hundreds of animals. Much of the collection
is linked to international conservation and
breeding programmes. Endangered species
include Asiatic lions, Sumatran tigers, Tibetan
red pandas and Madagascan lemurs.
The food offering available is very much
an extension of Dudley Zoological Gardens
rather than a separate entity and is now
an important element of the overall zoo
experience. Many visitors take a ride on the
chairlift connecting the zoo’s upper (where
the castle stands) and lower
levels – they mostly take it up
rather than down and this could be
to avoid the steep walk up Castle
Hill! The chairlift was the first
passenger-carrying aerial ropeway to be
installed in England when it opened in 1958.
Back then passengers paid sixpence for their
journey, but today it’s free and offers panoramic
views across Sandwell to Birmingham. While
travelling on the quirky ride, visitors can look
over the flamingos and Gelada
baboons. Amadeus has food
options dotted nearby the lift so
after the two-minute ride visitors
can grab a bite. If you’re visiting the
zoo you can relax knowing the food
offering provides a great selection and includes
a few classic favourites. A wide range of British
dishes should tempt most visitors, especially
the sustainable fish and chips, the famous
Brummie balti and the award-winning sausage
DUDLEY ZOO 01384 215313
OPEN FROM 10AM EVERY DAY
DUDLEYZOO.ORG.UK
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
Dudley Zoo offers a Close Encounter experience,
which makes a vital contribution to their
conservation work. Popular as birthday and
anniversary gifts, the 30-minute experience goes
towards special animal treats, toys, bedding, health
checks, food bills, heating and more. Visitors can
enjoy a unique experience with packages including
the choice of feeding the lemurs, spider monkeys,
giraffes, a big cat, the bats and the sea lions.
Visitors can also choose to meet the orangutans,
the chimps or even opt to explore for a reptile
encounter. Other activities include grooming and
behind the scenes access and each participant
receives a Close Encounter certificate, detailed
animal fact sheet, gift card and zoo entry ticket.
GHOST HUNTING
Looking for something different to do for
Halloween this year? Look no further than
Haunted Happenings at Dudley Zoo with Ghost
Hunt and Suppers. An experienced team of
investigators guide visitors safely through the
ghost hunt in what is thought to be one of
the most haunted locations in the
Midlands. Working in small teams
throughout the night, guests are
able to carry out séances and
vigils in the castle and use
forms of communication
including ouija boards
and table tipping!
LORIKEETS LAND!
The first Australian rainbow lorikeets
arrived at Dudley Zoo in the
summer to take up a residence
in the new Lorikeet Lookout.
The £40,000 new home is one
of many new enclosures to be
developed and open at the
zoo this year. Flamingo Falls
has already been a popular
hit having opened in March
to excellent feedback
from visitors. With its
running waterfall
and a bigger
den for the birds
as well as a new internal pool,
visitors can see the birds even when they’re inside.
MATCHES MADE IN HEAVEN
You can make a trip to Dudley Zoo even more
memorable by popping the question to your
loved one. The Zoo proudly supports those who
choose to propose there and can enable you to do
so surrounded by some of the rarest animals in
the world before celebrating with
a glass of fizz. From Humboldt
penguins to Rothschild’s
giraffes, the zoo then puts
together a meet and
greet with some
animal magic.
and mash. Overall visitors to the
zoo have increased since Amadeus
started providing the food offering
and their hearty, simple food made
from the best quality ingredients
is a hit with the outlets
consistently beating revenue budgets.
There are many choices for dining,
including The Queen Mary restaurant,
which can hold 200 people, The Grey Lady
Tavern, which can fit 20 and there is also
a marquee for events. The food has a clear
identity but is also sympathetic to the zoo.
A good example is The Oak Kitchen in The
Queen Mary Restaurant on the zoo’s upper
level opposite the sea lion moat pools.
This area was the base for creating a new
and exciting dining experience on shared
22 GLORIOUS
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 23
OUT AND ABOUT DUDLEY ZOO
ZOO KEEPER FOR A DAY
Amadeus has added
a mobile food kiosk
and ice cream unit for
those warm summer
days, and for those
feeling adventurous
on a colder day
tables, which – as the name suggests – serves
a wide range of traditional and iconic British
dishes prepared by hand.
Marc Frankl, Food and Beverage Director at
Amadeus, is proud of the menus the restaurant
serves and has ensured that the right suppliers
have been sourced, “We believe visitors want to
understand the provenance and animal welfare
of the food offering, so we are committed to
various sustainability initiatives.”
Following the success of the zoo’s main
eaterie, the Oak Kitchen housed in the Queen
Mary Restaurant, a new and unique mobile food
kiosk with the Amadeus MADE coffee brand
was also installed. Amadeus has also added a
mobile food kiosk and an ice cream mobile unit
for those warm summer days, and for those
Above The medieval castle really sets the scene
Below Dudley Zoo’s newly created Oak Kitchen
feeling adventurous on a colder day. Running
the zoo’s catering has not been without its
challenges, however. The Queen Mary
restaurant is located in a Grade II-listed
building so there was always going to be a
limit on what changes could be made in the
main building. Amadeus is proven at
not only improving the ambiance and
environment for the customers, but also
the back of house facilities, which needed
extensive work including new extraction,
flooring and equipment. It’s always good
to make sure the Chefs have the right
environment to create their delicious dishes!
In the restaurant some internal walls were
removed to allow visitors better views of
the tree canopy outside.
Working alongside one of the expert zoo
keepers and across all animal sections at Dudley
Zoo, you can get up close and personal with some
of the rarest animals in the world. With purchases
supporting conservation programmes and animal
care at the zoo, you will enjoy a hands-on
experience feeding and having educational play
with the animals. Priced from £195 for the Adult
Zoo Keeper experience (aged 14-plus) and from
£80 for the Little Zoo Keeper experience (aged
8-13), entry for one guest, lunch vouchers and
a special souvenir gift are also included in
the package.
TWILIGHT TRAIL
Dudley Zoo is one of the country’s busiest
attractions during the day. Guests can enjoy
a very different zoo experience by taking part in
one of the Twilight Trails, following the keepers
going about their evening duties after the zoo
closes to look behind the scenes and get up close
to some very exotic species. Learning about the
vital conservation work carried out and seeing
the animals settle for the night, after the tour
guests enjoy a BBQ Supper in the Castle
Courtyard. Priced at £45 per adult and £35
per child (aged 8-15).
ARACHNOPHOBIA WORKSHOP
Dudley Zoo offers a hands-on approach to facing
your fear of spiders. The Arachno
Workshops are run by spider experts
who take groups through relaxed
discussions and education
sessions and have been a
huge success over the last
five years. Through
encouraging a better
understanding of
spiders, those with a
phobia will even gain the
confidence to touch
the arachnids by the
end of the session.
Photo Experiences and Creative Events
Photo booth / Selfiebox / Polabox / Photography / Live Events
www.flashmat.co.uk | contact@flashmat.co.uk
24 GLORIOUS
Supporting
Great Festivals
Temporary Structures, Tiered Seating, Total Overlay
and the Freedom to be Truly Creative.
Bringing People Together for over 150 years.
GL events UK | Station Road | Castle Donington | DE74 2NL
01332 850 000 | info@glevents.co.uk
www.glevents.co.uk
SERVICE THAT SELLS CUSTOMER FOCUS
CUSTOMER FOCUS SERVICE THAT SELLS
Satisfaction
GUARANTEED
Last year Amadeus introduced a customer service programme
that created a positive impact on both employees and customers.
‘Service that Sells’ has led to team champions, healthy competition
for prizes and overall greater customer experiences
Service that Sells encourages employees
to find out what a customer wants and
make appropriate recommendations.
Introduced by Operations Director Tony
Baldock, it has already proved to be
effective for customers as it reduces
the effort and time of decision making
needed, so customers get exactly what
they want and in less time so have
an enhanced and positive customer
experience. The programme has been
running successfully in many venues
including the NEC, the ICC, the VOX,
Barclayard Arena, Genting Arena, the
Library of Birmingham, Cadbury World
and Dudley Zoological Gardens.
When customers visit these venues they
engage with teams who are full of energy and this
is due to the training programme. Behind the
scenes the teams have been working hard to set
up the programme in a fun and successful way.
This has included one team turning themselves
into themed hero squads to ensure everyone
gets involved. The programme primarily has
commercial aims – which is to be expected in as
part of a business – but the employees have also
been having fun and enjoying the experience.
Employees are trained in the programme in
various ways, all of which are made as interactive
as possible with an element of fun included.
From flipcharts to game cards and ten-minute
focus sessions to button badges. Tony explains
how this has boosted team morale and staff
motivation, “The training pack really is a super
tool. Alongside the flipchart the team leaders
can use regularly, we have games that help
explain to staff how their sales generate profit
and the impact they can have on business.”
Tony is immensely passionate about the
initiative and believes it has been effective
for both employees and customers. “We really
are living and breathing a retail and sales culture
for the future and it has been an exciting journey
that will long continue.” The programme also
includes mystery shoppers who keep an eye
out for staff members who have the right
attitude and always give the customer a great
customer experience.
Amadeus presents many of the team with
Love2shop vouchers. The rewards are given
as incentives where a number of business areas
reach or exceed their targets. “It’s wonderful to
see the staff getting excited,” Tony says, “It’s
a great motivation for them to get instant
recognition. It shows others that you are
rewarded for doing a good job and encourages
them to immerse themselves into the culture,
which can only be good for our customers.”
As well as the vouchers, employees receive
other forms of instant recognition, such as a
28 GLORIOUS
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 29
SERVICE THAT SELLS CUSTOMER FOCUS
THE DRIVING FORCE
HIRE
THE
BEST
‘pot of money’ for teams who achieve a certain
growth target. All of the winners of the instant
vouchers are also added to a prize draw each
quarter to win a big prize. Trophies are also
awarded to teams who have achieved the biggest
percentages of growth per quarter. This healthy
competition really does push the team and
is a great incentive. “Moving forward the
programme is also going to include training in a
realistic environment. It’s important to ensure
employees understand and feel part of the
bigger vision of the caterer and so loyalty cards
are being introduced to help them understand
the impact. This will be visible to the customers
who feel they are dealing with someone who
cares about their role within the company.”
Visitors to the various venues may also spot
a number of the team wearing badges. Support
pin badges are worn to remind all of the vision
and values of the company. With an overall
focus enabling the teams to implement the
programme in a fun and engaging way,
Amadeus has achieved great success. Customers
can see and appreciate the employees going the
extra mile, and for the teams they are rewarded
for their hard work and made to feel part
of the wider organisation. Correct resources,
can-do-attitude, clear training and team
momentum have led to this programme making
a positive impact, especially for those
receiving a satisfying customer experience.
Some of the well-deserving team
members since the programme started:
Ian Hunt at Dudley Zoological Gardens
Ian has achieved mystery shopper scores above
90% . He has also supported the training and
set up of Herbert Art Gallery and Museum
(HAGM) during mobilisation, the customers
loved him there as well as the team!
Matthew Harborne, Cadbury World
Matthew received several Love2shop vouchers
as he showed consistent high performance. He
has had written compliments regarding the
service he has given during peak times.
Romana Higgins, NEC
Romana was nominated for her tireless work in
training, developing and leading the team as
illustrated by the great customer service and
upselling on display for a recent show. Romana
has recently joined the team as a Deputy
Catering Manager and her positivity in
embracing the programme has cascaded
throughout the teams that she manages.
Davina Allington, Barclaycard Arena
Davina was nominated by a customer during
an event over the summer months. The
customer feedback on the night to her manager
read… “Her customer service and attention
to detail was exceptional – nothing was too
much trouble.”
Operations Director Tony Baldock joined
Amadeus in 2014 and brought with
him a wealth of experience from over
35 years in the foodservice industry.
Tony has made a huge impact on the
business, both commercially and
culturally, through his passion for
delivering exceptional customer service
and implementing a selling, not serving
retail culture that has driven top-line
sales. His campaign started in Canada
where he developed a Service that Sells
training programme that added 10%
growth to a business with a billion-pound
turnover. From this, Tony’s new training
method was rolled out globally. He has
now brought his passion and experience
to Amadeus in the UK.
Tony explains, “Service that Sells is
about moving from a service culture to a
sales culture to help drive the business to
where it should be. In the UK selling has
a bad reputation, Service that Sells shows
it’s giving the customer what they want.
We encourage our teams to find out
what the customer wants and to make
appropriate recommendations to reduce
the effort and time of decision making
for the customer and it teaches staff not
be afraid to offer a sales-led service.
This results in customers receiving faster
service and ensures they get exactly
what they want.”
Service that Sells
is about moving to a
sales culture to help
drive the business to
where it should be
Our portfolio of clients
includes 5* hotels,
catering companies, global
brands, PR agencies,
event production companies,
sports stadiums and
corporations. Every day we
give our staff hundreds of
opportunities to work for
amazing companies.
Like yours. This is why the best
staff come to work for LOLA.
FIND OUT HOW WE CAN HELP
YOU PROVIDE FIVE STAR
SERVICE TO YOUR GUESTS.
VISIT WWW.LOLASTAFFING.CO.UK
OR CALL US ON 0207 0430 652
30 GLORIOUS
RICOH BRITISH WOMEN’S OPEN HOW WAS IT FOR YOU?
Airstream Facilities
www.airstreamfacilities.com
The event from
every angle
An insight into the team behind the Ricoh Women’s British Open
We are Europe’s leading Airstream hire company, our ever increasing
fleet ranges from the 16 foot ‘Bambi’, up to the 34 foot ‘Slide’ in all
styles from the 1950s to the present day.
With years of experience, we supply a wide range of industries,
including corporate events, TV and film, weddings and private hire.
Get your brand on our
Airstreams, the smooth
curves and sleek lines of
our trailers provide the
perfect canvas for your
brand and campaigns.
All our Airstreams are fully
equipped for a luxurious stay,
from central heating and
air-con to fluffy towels and
a cold fridge.
We also supply state of
the art Poleadion marquee
structures, perfect for any
event or production.
The Ricoh Women’s British Open
celebrated its 40th anniversary this year
at Woburn Golf Club in Buckinghamshire.
It’s the tenth time the championship has
been held at the course, with the last one
played here in 1999. This is just one of
the exceptional summer outdoor events
Amadeus caters for, and Woburn is
always a special location, especially with
the golf being played on the Marquess
course, the club’s ‘jewel in the crown’.
The championship was established in 1976 by
the Ladies’ Golf Union (LGU) and has become
one of golf ’s truly iconic events. The quality
field of top players are from the Rolex
Women’s World Golf Rankings plus
other players who have qualified
through competition. The
exciting championship is full
of thrilling action from
the hugely talented
sportswomen, and
the hospitality provided has to match these
great heights. The Amadeus team behind the
event are known for their dedication, hard
work and ability to set up shop in a greenfield
at numerous locations throughout the year.
Carrying the baton are Samantha Bates,
General Manager of external events, and Darren
Proud, Executive Chef, who together make sure
everything runs smoothly and that visitors are
provided with the very best hospitality and food
during the four-day event. From the top players
all the way through to the marshals, Amadeus
makes sure everyone is catered for, going the
extra mile to ensure
the event is a success
on all fronts. It’s no
easy feat, but it’s
essential for
the historic
and passionate
Ricoh Women’s
British Open.
A BRIEF HISTORY
In the first three years of the event, from its
inception in 1976 to 1978, English players
prevailed with Jenny Lee Smith, Vivien
Saunders and Janet Melville taking the trophy.
Then the international players began to take
part, tempted by the chance of a British Open
title. Although Laura Davies (1986), Alison
Nicholas (1987) and Penny Grice-Whittaker
(1991) would furnish three more home triumphs,
there would be a 13-year gap before Karen
Stupples won at Sunningdale, Berkshire, in
2004. It was then a further five years before
Catriona Matthew became the first Scottish
woman to win the title, and did it just 11 weeks
after giving birth to her second child.
The event was afforded ‘major’ status in 2001,
and to date players from nine different countries
have won the trophy – South Korea lead the way
with five wins, followed by America with three
and Taiwan with two. The championship has
grown in popularity and now 50,000-60,000
spectators attend each year at some of the
greatest golfing venues across the UK – and
Amadeus is part of that growth, ensuring the
event catering matches the thrilling action.
info@airstreamfacilities.com
www.airstreamfacilities.com
or call us on 01885 400223
Airstream Facilities
@AirstreamUK
@AirstreamFacilities
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 33
Tel: 0845 222 0069
Email: info@crewtec.co.uk
RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN HOW WAS IT FOR YOU?
Event Support Services
Delivering the highest standard of event support available in the uk
How was it for you
Samantha Bates?
Samantha Bates is the General Manager of External Events and plays
a pivotal role at Amadeus. Celebrating 22 years at Amadeus the
knowledgeable and hugely experienced events expert is praised by
clients and colleagues but puts her success down to those around
her and says you’re only as strong as the team you work with
Since it’s formation 3 years ago, Crewtec has
evolved to alleviate the increasing pressures put
upon the Events Industry. In 2013, the majority of
Crewtec’s workload was supplying professional
support crew to push flight cases and load vans,
but today our clients need much more from us. The
skill set within our crew is diverse, from certified
plant operators to technicans and multi - skilled
event crew.
Crewtec operate throughout the UK and have been
sending strong crew oversees to work on global
events for our clients. Crewtec are able to identify
common challenges from a global perspective.
Supporting our clients anyway possible and at any
time of the day or night is the mantra at Crewtec
and we uphold this by investing in our services.
CORPORATE CREW SITE CREW PLANT OPERATORS TECHNICIANS
/Crewtec /Crewteccrew crewtec.co.uk
CREWTEC EVENT SERVICES LIMITED
UNIT 6, 38 HEPBURN ROAD
HILLINGTON PARK, GLASGOW
2016 CREWTEC EVENT SERVICES LTD
G52 4RT
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Samantha and Amadeus recently received
a top award at the annual FSM Awards.
They won the prestigious ‘Event Caterer’
accolade, which recognises those who
excel within the events sector of the
contract catering industry.
Samantha oversees events run by
Amadeus from inception to delivery and
breakdown. These range from greenfield
events where everything has to be set
up from scratch – all delivered by the
Amadeus team – or at external venues.
Running Amadeus’s external events is
no easy feat and recently Samantha
played an essential role for the
Ricoh Women’s British Open
2016. Each event must
match the client’s brief
and she ensures the
guests leave with a
smile on their faces.
How did you get into
event catering?
I grew up on the Isles of Scilly,
which really is a tourism-based environment.
It followed from working summer jobs in hotels
and restaurants – you could say I fell into it!
How much has the industry changed?
I’ve been working for Amadeus for just over 22
years now, having started after leaving college
in Cardiff. I studied a Hotel and Catering
Management course and my first role was
a Banqueting Coordinator. I’ve held a few
different positions within the company which
Sam receiving
the FSM award
for Caterer of
the Year 2015
“I’m lucky to be able to take a step back
and look over my experienced team”
a “I’m step lucky back and to be look able over
to tak
experienced team and ma
sure they are happy and
has over
time turned
into a very
client-facing job. One thing I have noticed
that has changed greatly over the years is the
knowledge everyone has now on food. This is
both a positive and a negative because most
people now have an opinion. Food and drink is
hugely popular, and many now cook as a hobby.
However, because of this they begin to think of
themselves as an expert, which is lovely to see,
but sometimes you are given some very difficult
challenges that simply aren’t possible for
a caterer to achieve! Our role is to make sure we
explore every option for better ways of doing
things, and we strive to ensure all our clients and
customers receive the very best of our abilities.
What is your favourite part of your role?
It’s hard to say because the job itself is so varied!
No day is ever the same. We could be looking at
different quotes in Scotland, Germany or just
down the road from the office. It’s certainly not
the easiest job – you have to love it to stay in it
– and I have a great team around me.
As a GM I’m lucky to be able to take a step back
and look over my experienced team and make
sure they are happy and on the right path, plus
push them to do better year on year. We are
always looking to find better and more efficient
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 35
when start o
t! We we’re work at
on what
uld do differently the next
HOW WAS IT FOR YOU? RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN
and know our planning team have everything in
place. I make sure the client is happy and that
everything is delivered to the best of our ability.
Liz Mallinson plays a vital role as Logistics and
Planning Manager and has 15 years working with
us – her huge amount of experience helps me
and makes my life much easier. It’s great to have
others around who we have grown up with,
including some clients. At this event all the
catering is our responsibility – we feed the
public, we manage the hospitality suites, we
feed the players, the media and also look after
the marshals. So in other words, nearly everyone!
“Watching the team come together
to pull that off and deliver the very
best event was extraordinary and
has given me some great memories”
ways to support the client. Sometimes I do get
involved in the thick of it, which is good now and
then and is what I used to do. A fresh pair of eyes
and lots of questions can really help sometimes.
Which events from the past stand out
the most and why?
So many! We have major events such as the golf,
tennis and other greenfield sporting events, as
well as weddings at Stoneleigh Abbey stately
home and corporate and business events for
clients such as JCB, John Lewis, Selfridges and
Bentley Lamborghini. I remember a few years
ago I came into an event just two weeks before.
That was challenging! It was for a flower show
and I came on board due to an unfortunate
colleague illness. I went in fairly blind as it
was about to be built and it needed to be
ready for 8,000 guests in six days.
Watching the team come together to
pull that off and deliver the very
best event was extraordinary
and has given me some
great memories.
Another
that stands
out was the
Anniversary
Games, which was
under very different
circumstances from the games the year
before. It was a great experience and is a lasting
memory. We even got to watch Usain Bolt do his
100m. We are lucky to work on international
events and a recent one was in Munich. This job
does offer opportunities to travel and while in
Munich we were able to see the city – it’s little
perks like that which can make the difference.
What do you personally most look
forward to during external events?
Seeing what we do as a team being delivered,
and feeling proud in the circumstances. It’s
important to remember that everything we do is
temporary and nothing is fixed down.
Whether this is the kitchen, structure
or space – it’s always new to everyone
and we must always
maintain our
high standards.
What do
Amadeus do at the
Ricoh Women’s
British Open?
I always feel so
lucky to be able to
turn up at this event
How far in advance do
you start preparing for
an event like this?
We start organising the next
year at the current event! We
work on what we could do
differently. The course
changes each year and this time it
was over two sites. It is demanding
for the team as it takes longer to get
around but we are experienced and
can work in one area or two if needed.
We can work on events all year round,
even when they are held annually. With this
ongoing cycle we tend to start the confirmation
stage and site visits in February and March. This
gives us plenty of time to make sure everything is
set-up and ready for a successful event.
What is the ‘takeaway’ you want guests
to have after receiving hospitality?
A great day out! Sometimes the events we cater
for are almost white-label under our clients,
but we always make sure the catering is a great
standard. We are part of a package – we bring
the food and service and the client brings the
ambiance and look. A perfect partnership for a
brilliant event. So for an event like this we know
PGA always provide beautiful events and
ultimately we both want to make sure everyone
leaves happy with great vibes. We have received
great feedback from the client and the visitors
so this is always great to have.
With our experience we do truly know how
to provide a great event. We are a small team
but our commitment is clear whether it’s for
a wedding or a golf tournament. It’s important
to make sure we look after everyone from the
hospitality suites to the marshal rest areas.
Everyone’s there for a reason and we always have
to make sure we provide the best experience.
36 GLORIOUS
HOW WAS IT FOR YOU? RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN
RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN HOW WAS IT FOR YOU?
How was it for you
Darren Proud?
Executive Chef Darren Proud is in charge of making sure all external
Amadeus events have the very best catering in any location. From
a historic abbey to fields in the middle of Scotland, Darren is leading
the brigades to ensure a successful event. However, his job doesn’t
start in the kitchen – it can start months, even a year, before the
event takes place and is at the concept stage
“As a chef, the limits are
job only and what whatever you put you into put the
in,
OVER THE FOUR-DAY EVENT…
Amadeus fed over 170 managers and staff
Provided 1,000 media lunches
1,200 hospitality packages
(breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea)
1,750 players’ meals
15,000-plus beverages
and 4,500 public hot meals
“As a Chef, the limits are only what you put into the
job and whatever you put in, you will get back”
Having worked at Amadeus for more than
10 years, he is one of many long-serving
team members who constantly pushes
boundaries and thrives under pressure.
How did joining Amadeus come about?
I celebrated 11 years working here on 1 August
this year. Before that I worked four or five-star
hotels and two-rosette-awarded restaurants.
I was working as Head Chef at a golf club hotel
and had been awarded a rosette in the first year,
but I decided I needed something new. Hotels
and foodservice are like chalk and cheese.
I applied to work for Amadeus at the NEC,
which I only knew as the venue for the
Motorcycle Live show – I didn’t realise it hosted
more than 700 events each year! I took part in
a ‘cook off ’ and, to be honest, I thought I hadn’t
done very well, but I was called back for a third
interview and was given the job.
The way of working here was completely
different – I mean every aspect was different.
In a hotel, as a Head Chef you have to do
everything yourself, but in foodservice you have
great teams around you. There are hygiene
experts taking that workload from you, you have
purchasing people who help with suppliers.
I felt Amadeus was very posh when I was first
shown around. I’ve enjoyed every second since
that first day – no day is the same. I can be
working on a wedding, organising the food for
a golf event, arranging menus for a 300-person
function in a field – it’s so diverse and you really
do have to think outside the box. I’ve worked in
old kitchens the size of a broom cupboard, set
up in fields with no electricity and had to get
ovens into spaces that weren’t designed for
them! I love that every day here is different.
Coming from the hotel sector, Amadeus was
a world away. I was working 15-hour days and
didn’t feel rewarded. Here, I work hard and
feel appreciated. In hotels you can hide
and work can become pedestrian, but
here you have structure and support,
and it’s so diverse.
What’s the most memorable
Amadeus event?
That has to be working at the
Scottish Open for the first
time. I had worked with
you will get back”
Amadeus for a year and the catering for
this event was now mine to run. There
were about eight kitchens with 40-plus
Chefs and it was manic from the day it
started till the day it ended. I loved every
minute of it – seeing the teams working
for you in the middle of field with heaps
of happy visitors. Every year gets better
and better for me. I’m trying new
things, bouncing ideas off my Chefs.
I stand back and look at some of this year’s
events and feel so proud, and we received
great comments, so we know we’re
doing something right.
Hitting the client’s brief and going
beyond it is always the aim. It can be
different to showcase what we do sometimes
without seeing it first-hand. Hearing comments
such as ‘it’s the best food they’ve ever had at an
event’ is special to me, and to the team. Honest
feedback from both the team and visitors helps
us grow. Recently, Marc Frankl, our Food and
Beverage Director, said he just couldn’t believe
what we do and wished he saw it more often.
I took this as a great compliment, because it can
be difficult for all of the team to come and visit
our sites when we’re hundreds of miles away.
What’s your favourite dish?
For me it has to be pork belly. I just love cooking
it – it’s not praised enough and there’s so much
flavour in it. That’s what I enjoy the most about
38 GLORIOUS
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 39
HOW WAS IT FOR YOU? RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN
“No
cooking – getting as much flavour out of
something as possible. I would always go for the
chicken leg rather than the breast for this every
reason. It may not look as nice, but the taste is
superior, in my view. Sometimes the cheaper
cuts of meat may not look as good but
they can taste amazing.
What’s been the most popular dish at
the Ricoh Women’s British Open?
Poussin with baby vegetables and potatoes has
been a huge hit. We really enjoyed creating this
dish and it’s great to see the guests enjoying it.
We relish pushing ourselves to try something
different. This can be as simple as fish and chips
– we will serve 1,000 portions in four days, so
how can we make it better? So we make our own
batter, individually put this on the best fish and
make the finest chips. Receiving
good feedback tells us we’re
creating delicious dishes.
What do you find the
most enjoyable and most
difficult during events?
I really enjoy pressure and
work better with it. I thrive
“We relish pushing ourselves to try something
different. This can be as simple as fish and
chips – we will serve 1,000 portions in four
days, so how can we make it better”
“No day is the same for me. I can
be working on a wedding, organising
the food for a golf event, arranging
menus for a 300-person function in
under the not knowing. You can plan everything
but once you’re out there, you can’t just pop
next door or down the road for something. If
you forget a ladle, you need to find something
that will do the job, so you have to make sure you
have every piece of equipment. It involves a lot
of thinking outside the box, and I mean properly
outside the box. It will take you far beyond your
comfort zone, and I love that.
The most different aspect can be the
suppliers – and I don’t mean the people! You
have to plan so much in advance
and make sure you have what
you need so that you, firstly,
don’t run out and, secondly,
you don’t have any waste. Some
sites are difficult to access and
you don’t want to be waiting
around for the key to arrive. Our
experience plays a huge part
here – we’ve been doing this for so long now we
feel we can deal with most situations.
Any words of wisdom for would-be
chefs out there?
Stick at it. When you first start it isn’t great
money. I was a Commis Chef for a few years and
earned very little, but if you work hard it’s worth
it. I believe it’s the best job you can do. I’ve
always wanted to be a chef. I see people come
into the job and then leave because they can get
better money doing something else, but they
don’t think about the long term. If you work
hard as a chef you can climb the ladder and
eventually earn really good money. Go into some
other jobs, yes you are on good money initially,
but there is no scope for growth. As a Chef, you
can go for Michelin stars, rosettes or awards.
The limits are only what you put into the job
and whatever you put in, you will get back.
Event branding
Bespoke menu design
Live illustration at events and venues
Wall murals for events and venues
Hand painted and decal window designs
Editorial illustrations
www.missmagpiefashionspy.com +44 (0)7730 876017 info@missmagpiefashionspy.com
@miss_magpie_spy
40 GLORIOUS
AMADEUS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS • PUBLIC & TRADE
The comprehensive guide to the upcoming shows and events this season
05•10
Horse of the
Year Show
22•10
Bear Grylls:
Endeavour
19•10
Grand Designs
Live
18•12
BBC Sports
Personality
of the Year
16•02
Jack Whitehall
@TentickleUK
www.tentickle-stretchtents.co.uk
Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
07826 843099 Tentickle UK
www.thenec.co.uk
www.barclaycardarena.co.uk
www.gentingarena.co.uk
OCT
1-2
Miniatura, NEC
2-5
W Exhibition,
NEC
5-9 OCTOBER
Horse of the Year
Show, Genting Arena
4-6
Clean Energy Live, NEC
5-9
Horse of the Year Show, Genting Arena
7-9
Destination Star Trek Europe, NEC
Filling a 50-acre site with thrills, spills, world-class entertainment and spectacular
horsemanship, the Horse of the Year Show is a veritable equestrian utopia. Whether
you are a competitive rider, horse enthusiast or simply want to enjoy an exciting day out,
this show has something for the whole family.
CALENDAR OF
EVENTS
8
Jean-Michel
Jarre, Barclaycard
Arena
11-12
The Care Show,
2016 NEC
11-13
The Print Show,
NEC
11-16
Motorhome &
Caravan Show, NEC
12
Fifth Harmony,
Barclaycard Arena
14
The Australian
Pink Floyd Show,
Barclaycard Arena
14
Nickelback,
Genting Arena
14-16
The Vaper Expo,
NEC
15
Babbu Maan,
Barclaycard Arena
17-18
Justin Bieber,
Barclaycard Arena
18-20
UK Construction
Week, NEC
19
Steel Panther,
Barclaycard Arena
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 43
CALENDAR OF EVENTS AMADEUS
AMADEUS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS • PUBLIC & TRADE
The comprehensive guide to the upcoming shows and events this season
22 OCTOBER
Bear Grylls: Endeavour presented by Land Rover,
Genting Arena
In his first live tour, adventurer, writer and TV host Bear Grylls hosts a ground-breaking interactive experience that transports the audience to multiple
environments in an action-packed two-hour show. Celebrating some of the greatest feats of courage, endurance and endeavour through the ages, the wonder
of our planet and the important value of mankind’s indomitable human spirit will be revealed.
19-20
Best Practice
2016, NEC
19-20
Fleet
Management, NEC
19-20
World of
Learning, NEC
19-23
Grand Designs
Live, NEC
20
Group Leisure &
Travel Show, NEC
21
Bad Company,
Genting Arena
22
Bear Grylls:
Endeavour
presented by
Land Rover,
Genting Arena
22
Supreme Cat
Show, NEC
22-23
DIVE 2016, NEC
24
Justin Bieber,
Genting Arena
19-23 OCTOBER
Grand Designs Live, NEC
Now running for five days, Grand Designs Live (sponsored
by Anglian Home Improvements) offers visitors a unique
opportunity to see the latest trends for the home as well
as many products never seen before. Based on the
Channel 4 TV series, and presented by design guru Kevin
McCloud, the event will be packed with over 500 exhibitors,
across six different sections where you can take away
ideas and inspiration for your very own grand design.
25-30
Disney On Ice
presents Frozen,
Barclaycard Arena
26
Birmingham Post
Business Awards,
The ICC
26
Four Tops &
The Temptations,
Genting Arena
27-30
BRICK LIVE, NEC
29
Maxwell & Mary
J. Blige, Genting
Arena
26 OCTOBER
Birmingham Post Business Awards, The ICC
Prosecco reception from 6:30pm. Aiming to celebrate
success, recognise achievement and highlight the innovative
people and companies in Birmingham putting the region on
the map, the awards will cover 14 categories across a range
of sectors. The Birmingham Post has joined forces with the
leading brand agency and event specialists Champions
(UK) plc to make this the best year yet!
27-30 OCTOBER
BRICK LIVE – Built for LEGO fans, NEC
NOV
2-3
Billy Connolly,
Barclaycard Arena
2-3
Advanced
Engineering UK,
NEC
2-3
Lab Innovations,
NEC
2-3
Saltex, NEC
3-6
Crafts for
Christmas, NEC
BRICK LIVE, the UK’s biggest celebration of LEGO, returns to the NEC just in time for the
half-term. See the latest LEGO sets, vintage collectibles, meet builders from all over the world,
special guests and have-a-go themed areas. New for 2016 is MindStorm showcasing fantastic
robotic builds and technical challenges, with more exciting features still to be announced.
4 NOVEMBER
Bring Me The Horizon, Barclaycard Arena
After the success of their genre-splicing album
Sempiternal which reached No. 3 in the charts in 2013,
Bring Me The Horizon are back touring with their fifth
album, That’s the Spirit. One of the most ambitious
modern metal bands, they electrify crowds wherever they
go and are a must-see for any fan of metal music
3-6
The Stitching,
Sewing &
Hobbycrafts Show,
NEC
4
Bring Me
The Horizon,
Barclaycard Arena
4-5
Graduate
Recruitment, NEC
4-6
Mind Body Spirit
Wellbeing Festival,
NEC
4-6
Cake
International, NEC
5
Brit Asia TV
World Music
Awards 2016,
Barclaycard Arena
6-7
Trade Days, NEC
8
Bastille,
Barclaycard Arena
8
Nursing in
Practice, NEC
44 GLORIOUS
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 45
CALENDAR OF EVENTS AMADEUS
AMADEUS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS • PUBLIC & TRADE
The comprehensive guide to the upcoming shows and events this season
26-27 NOVEMBER
The 2016 Birmingham International Tattoo,
Barclaycard Arena
Britain’s biggest indoor international tattoo will bring together marching bands, exciting
displays and the spectacular Grand Finale with guest vocalists in a spectacle of pomp
and pageantry. In addition to the bands, this three-hour family event will host a range of
spectacular displays including Royal Air Force Cosford Queen’s Colour, the tri-services
RNRMC Field Gun Competition, the Flyball Dog Racing teams, the United Kingdom
Disco Display Team and the Parade of Massed Standards.
9
WWE Live,
Genting Arena
9-10
Farm Business
Innovation, NEC
9-10
Holiday Park,
NEC
10-13
Festive Gift Fair,
NEC
11-13
Classic Motor
Show, NEC
30 NOVEMBER
The Catherine Tate Show,
Barclaycard Arena
17-19
The Skills Show,
NEC
18
Jess Glynne,
Genting Arena
18-20
Spanish Riding
School of Vienna,
Barclaycard Arena
19-20
MCM
Birmingham, NEC
19-27
Motorcycle Live,
NEC
20
Simply Red,
Genting Arena
22
Elvis Presley
in concert live
on screen,
Genting Arena
23
The Academies
Show, NEC
23-24
Occupational
Therapy, NEC
23-24
Therapy Expo,
NEC
The critically acclaimed, award-winning comedian and actor performs live in new sketches uniting some of her best-known
characters from the hugely successful BBC series. The cast will include ‘Nan’ Taylor, Irish nurse Bernie, Geordie Georgie,
Essex girl Sam… and the return of a certain argumentative teenager. Guest starring Mathew Horne.
18 DECEMBER 2016
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2016
The Genting Arena will play host to the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2016 ceremony broadcast live around the world. One
of the most eagerly anticipated awards nights on the sporting calendar, once again Gary Lineker, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan
play host to this star-studded event celebrating what has already been an extraordinary year for British sporting achievement.
24-27
BBC Good Food
Show, NEC
25
Mika Singh,
Barclaycard Arena
25-26
National
Engineering &
Construction
Recruitment, NEC
26
Free Radio Live,
Genting Arena
26-27
National Model
Railway Exhibition,
NEC
26-27
The 2016
Birmingham
International
Tattoo, Barclaycard
Arena
27
Alter Bridge,
Genting Arena
30
The Catherine
Tate Show,
Barclaycard Arena
30
Pete Tong
presents,
Ibiza Classics,
Genting Arena
DEC
2-3
Rod Stewart,
Barclaycard Arena
2-6
The Clothes
Show, NEC
2-23
Christmas
Parties, NEC
3-4
UK Drone Show,
NEC
7
Biffy Clyro,
Barclaycard Arena
8
Placebo,
Barclaycard Arena
9
Reeves &
Mortimer,
Barclaycard Arena
10
The Human
League,
Barclaycard Arena
10-11
Red Hot Chili
Peppers, Genting
Arena
10-11
Ladies Kennel
Association, NEC
16
Status Quo,
Barclaycard Arena
17
Madness,
Barclaycard Arena
18
BBC Sports
Personality of the
Year, Genting Arena
21
André Rieu,
Genting Arena
26-30
Marvel Universe
Live!, Barclaycard
Arena
30
Best Ever
Christmas Show,
Genting Arena
46 GLORIOUS
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 47
CALENDAR OF EVENTS AMADEUS
JAN 17
12-15
Performance
Car Show, NEC
16 FEBRUARY 2017
Jack Whitehall – At Large
12-15
Autosport
International,
NEC
13
Avenged
Sevenfold, Genting
Arena
13
Comedy Central
Impractical Jokers,
Barclaycard Arena
In what the Evening Standard stated, “May well be the most spectacular arena stand-up show ever!” multi award-winning
comic Jack Whitehall is back on tour with his brand new live show. Following up his fantastic debut arena show and fresh
from hosting the Royal Variety Performance, Jack is back at his dynamic best in what is sure to go down as one of the
comedy shows of the year.
15
Basketball
Cup Finals 2017,
Barclaycard Arena
15-16
Trophex 2017,
NEC
21
The 2017 Monster
Energy Arenacross
Tour, Genting Arena
21-22
Asian Bride Live,
NEC
22-24
Beta
International, NEC
22-25
January Furniture
Show, NEC
23-25
Great Hospitality
Show, NEC
25
A Day to
Remember,
Barclaycard Arena
FEB
2 & 4
Black Sabbath,
Genting Arena
3
Donny Osmond,
Genting Arena
5-9
Spring Fair
International, NEC
15-16
The UK
CONCRETE Show,
NEC
16
Jack Whitehall,
Genting Arena
24
Pet Shop Boys,
Barclaycard Arena
25
Kaiser Chiefs,
Barclaycard Arena
MARCH
1-5
Cirque du Soleil Varekai: Tales of the
Forest, Genting Arena
7-12
Yonex All England Open Badminton
Championships 2017, Barclaycard Arena
17
Russell Howard, Genting Arena
24
Olly Murs, Genting Arena
www.titaniummreworks.com
020 7183 9665
group@titaniummreworks.com
48 GLORIOUS
Private Parties National Events Corporate Weddings
TEAM WORK THE APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME
BUILD IT
BEAUTIFUL
made my day
WWW.FURNITUREONTHEMOVE.CO.UK
Tyrel Richards, Solihull College Apprentice of the Year
at the ICC, and Executive Head Chef Simon Hellier talk
to Glorious about Amadeus’ apprenticeship scheme
How did you get on to the Amadeus
apprenticeship scheme?
Tyrel: In 2015 I was 34 and unemployed. I’d
never really thought of a career in catering
before but I love learning new things in life, so
I decided to take on a new challenge. It was
actually Simon that interviewed me and
we really got on – he said he liked the way
I presented myself.
Simon: That’s the great thing about the
apprenticeship scheme – it is open to anyone
over the age of 18. Sometimes, later on in life,
people realise their passion for something and
schemes like this give them the opportunity to
work in an industry that’s exciting and creative.
They get to work alongside professional Chefs
and really learn a trade. As soon as I met Tyrel
I knew he had everything you need to work well
in a kitchen – he understood that he had to
listen, work efficiently and always be on time.
That’s key when we’ve got a long day of food
preparation ahead of us! He is also patient as he
knows that learning some of the processes takes
time – you can’t rush in the kitchen as that’s
when things can go wrong. It’s been great
to watch him grow in confidence – he is not
only maturing as a Chef but as a person.
T: I’m so grateful to have been given this
opportunity. I’m learning new things and feel
such a great sense of achievement.
So how does the scheme work?
T: I go to college once a week. I’ve now finished
the paperwork side and I’m concentrating on
the practical tasks. We learn different ways of
preparing food and are then assessed in a real
kitchen environment to see if we are practically
applying what we have learnt. I practise at home
too – it doesn’t always turn out how I want it,
but that’s why I practise!
S: Tyrel does his theoretical work at college and
his practical work here. Students study food
safety, manual handling etc, and then come into
the kitchen and apply it.
T: I prefer when we’re hands-on in the kitchen
rather than sitting in a classroom as I feel that’s
how you can learn best and understand the
creative part of the process. When I found out
that I’d have to spend a day a week in college –
and that I’d have to do my English and Maths as
well – I almost changed my mind. I knew I had
to get through that stage to get to this part of the
scheme and I passed every exam. It wasn’t as
hard as I thought it would be and I get a lot of
support from the college and from Amadeus.
How did it feel to win the Solihull
College Apprentice of the Year award?
T: I was shocked when I received the
nomination in the post, but when I found out
that I’d actually won it, it felt great.
S: Tyrel’s award was due to everything he has
achieved in the last year. He is consistent, has
learnt a lot and really embraced the opportunity
of working in a busy kitchen. Tyrel’s attitude,
his commitment to his work and his ‘I want to
learn more’ approach to everything was what
ultimately won him the award. The assessor
could see Tyrel was applying the same attitude
to his practical work as in the kitchen.
What’s the best thing about working
for Amadeus?
T: The teamwork and the people. When I first
started, I thought the Chefs would be shouting
and swearing, but meeting Simon for the first
time I realised it wasn’t like that. All the Chefs
are so helpful and encourage the more junior
members of staff every step of the way. I am
so happy I joined Amadeus – it really has
changed my life.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT
MORE ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES
AT AMADEUS GO TO NECGROUP.
CO.UK/WORKING-FOR-US
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