Amadeus Glorious Magazine Issue 02

The adventurous catering solutions magazine Winter 2016/17
BEST-KEPT
SECRET
The appealing nature of an
archetypal English mansion
CUTTING EDGE
Building a team of talented chefs
and creating delicious menus

0121 748 3377
info@contemporaryeventstructures.co.uk
www.contemporaryeventstructures.co.uk

Welcome
As we approach Christmas and the beginning
of 2017, we are looking back, and what we have
achieved in 2016 is incredible
We have been smashing targets across
all our venues this year and we still
have a number of great events coming
up before the end of the year.
Our business has been growing over the last
few years and in 2016 we have mobilised
six new venues. The mobilisation
teams behind these are handpicked
to instil best practice into
the new venues and ensure they
are up and running to the
standard we expect for our clients
– read all about this on page 28.
While the mobilisation team
sets up the new venues,
our existing teams are
flourishing with success.
On page 6 you can read
about the Genting
Arena team and their
prestigious Cateys
and FSM awards
win, and on page 16
read all about how our
PUOR concept
at the NEC is
offering a wider
range of healthier options for customers. One of
our new venues has taken us across the water to
Northern Ireland where we have found a home
in the newly refurbished Belfast Waterfront.
This magnificent building in the centre of
Belfast is hosting some of the biggest and most
prestigious events to come to Northern
Ireland. With Irish hospitality and
fantastic local food we are proud to
introduce the Executive Chef who is
taking us on his journey on page 10.
These are just snippets of our
year and I have no doubt that in 2017
we will have more success stories to
share, but for now I would like
to take this opportunity
to wish you a very
Happy Christmas
and a prosperous
new year.
KEVIN WATSON,
MANAGING
DIRECTOR,
AMADEUS
Kathy McGrath
Marketing Manager
Ellie Rance
PR & Communications Manager
info@amadeusfood.co.uk
0121 767 3329
amadeusfood.co.uk
Follow us...
@amadeusfood
This magazine has been produced in
conjunction with EP and Newhall Publishing Ltd
EP
4 Lombard Street, London EC3V 9HD
020 7933 8760
epmagazine.co.uk
Newhall Publishing Ltd
New Hall Lane, Hoylake, Wirral CH47 4BQ
0844 545 8102
hello@newhallpublishing.com
newhallpublishing.com
Managing Editor
Ben Butler
Production Editor
Anita Comerford
Art Editor
Gareth Evans
Senior Designer
Owen Moran
Picture Editor
Robyn Barr
Account Director
Richard Woolliams
Advertising
Simon Jones
and Dean Brown
01603 821021
Print
Buxton Press
Cover photograph
Shutterstock
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 3

IN THIS ISSUE READ ALL ABOUT IT
Contents
Issue 02
Winter 2016/17
Hot
topic!
REGULARS
06
43
Food innovations
All the latest news and innovations
from the Amadeus catering world
Calendar of events
Your guide to what’s going on over the
winter and spring seasons in 2017
FEATURES
10
What I’m loving this season
How Belfast Waterfront is moving to
the forefront of Northern Irish catering
33
4 GLORIOUS

READ ALL ABOUT IT IN THIS ISSUE
06
10
28
10
22
The secrets of Stoneleigh Abbey
A secluded Grade 1-listed mansion
set in idyllic surroundings, Stoneleigh
Abbey is a venue with a difference
28
33
50
The need for speed
Tony Baldock and Marc Frankl explain
what's needed to take a project from
initial inception to final delivery
How was it for you?
An insight into the team catering for
The Conservative Party Conference
Amadeus made my day
Glorious talks to Live Events Catering
Operations Manager, Lorna Hendey
about her role in ‘Live Events’
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 5

NEWS FOOD INNOVATIONS
Time to
celebrate!
Amadeus has picked up the Sport and Leisure
Caterer of the Year Award at the prestigious
Foodservice Cateys 2016 and the Sports and
Leisure award at the FSM Awards!
AWARD-WINNING
The awards were secured in the
every member is committed to
last two months and Annie Monnox, bettering themselves. This award will
Catering General Manager for the give the whole team a boost and
Genting Arena, was lucky enough to personally, I’ll look forward to building
be presented with both awards. The on our success in the next year.”
awards celebrate the success of the By implementing new systems,
caterer’s food service at The Genting investing in staff training and looking at
Arena in Birmingham.
the improvement of the customer
The team, headed up by Annie, has experience, the Genting Arena retail
demonstrated an ability to consistently team has seen an increase in average
deliver retail sales and fine dining transaction spend, rising from £7.76 to
excellence in a venue where numbers £8.22. 2016 has also seen record sales
and customers differ at each
at some events, notably the Slam Dunk
event. “We are delighted to
Festival, which surpassed its sales
have won the awards! It is
targets by £34k and averaged
a testament to the hard work
an £18 spend per head.
of the team behind the scenes
Kevin Watson, Managing
to make the customers’ food
Director at Amadeus, said,
experience at the Genting
“At Amadeus we are
Arena the best it can be. The
constantly changing and
team is set challenges and
improving, driving food
continually raises its game to
innovation and creativity
keep breaking records and
across the venues we
“We are delighted
to have won
the awards! It is
a testament to
the hard work
of the team”
Annie Monnox Catering General Manager
manage. Our hand-picked staff are key
to our success as one the UK’s leading
caterers and Annie very much leads
from the front with passion, drive and
with extensive knowledge of the
industry. Under Annie’s direction the
team has consistently exceeded their
targets, a trend which is only set to
continue with a number of new
technology advancements and
improvements in customer service
planned for next year.”
6 GLORIOUS

FOOD INNOVATIONS NEWS
HOSTING THE
POLITICAL
HEAVYWEIGHTS
Saving time
Reflexis
Amadeus has implemented a new
system to ensure teams are offered
the right work for their availability
and skills. The workforce management
system provided by Reflexis Systems
Inc., will help workers and save
the business £166k and over 8,000
hours annually.
All savings from unnecessary labour
and associated admin will be reinvested
back into the business to allow more
time for staff training and development.
The system initially launched at the
Group’s home venues – the NEC, ICC,
Vox, Genting Arena and Barclaycard
Arena. Operations Director Tony
Baldock said, “Amadeus is a complex
business with huge fluctuations in
staffing requirements across all the
venues, and each had their own way
of forecasting and producing staffing
rotas. With Reflexis we now have
that central view, maximising the
opportunity for work and staff are able
to access their rotas at any time. All
of this has been fantastic for our
customer service as we now
have the right people in
the right place at the
right time.”
Group IT Manager
for Amadeus, Sarah
Nelson said, “One of our
biggest costs is labour
and so this system, in
the most effective and efficient way,
frees up time for managers. The
system is fully integrated with
the Group’s HR, payroll, event
management and EPOS system
so we are pulling all the data we
need to forecast and schedule
from source systems.”
OP Choudary, Head of European
Operations for Reflexis, said,
“Working with Amadeus on this
project has allowed us to open up
more opportunities for Reflexis.
We worked previously with retail
businesses, so developing our
system to cope with the complexity
of the events industry has been
fantastic for us. We are
delighted to have supported
Amadeus and delivered a
solution that enables them
to consistently execute their
operations and
customer service
strategies.”
In October the International Convention
Centre hosted The Conservative Party
Conference for the fifth time since 2008.
The huge political event includes 12,000
delegates with Amadeus providing dining for
the whole event. The Conference utilises all
10 halls and 10 executive rooms at the ICC as
well as multiple temporary marquees erected
for the event to host more than 300 fringe
events taking place in the flexible venue.
The event is designed so they can engage
with all of their Party members and to
announce policies. To keep them going
during the conference, an impressive 24-houra-day
catering operation ensures everyone
has delicious food and drink options
including 8,000 sandwiches and 45,000
coffees served over the four days!
In this issue, Glorious speaks to Craig
Hancox, Amadeus General Manager at the
ICC on how he and his team start planning
for the event over 12 months in advance
and shares a behind-the-scenes view of
what happens during the top event. David
Comerford, Head of Conferences for the
Conservative Party, shares his thoughts
on why they choose the venue and the
challenges, return on investment and
feedback from the annual conference.
Read their thoughts on page 35.
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 7

NEWS FOOD INNOVATIONS
Amplify your enjoyment with
The VIP experience
Amplify provides VIP hospitality
experiences, memberships and
premium tickets for entertainment,
concerts and sporting events at the
Barclaycard Arena and Genting Arena.
General Manager of Amplify, Sally
Walder explains, “Amplify offers
companies and individuals the chance
to experience live events in a totally
new way; delivering a first-class
service and an exquisite dining
experience, you are able to take up
an annual membership which gives
exclusive access to premium tickets
and hospitality or book hospitality
on a show-by-show basis.”
Annie Monnox, Catering General
Manager, looks after both the hospitality
catering of Amplify and the retail side
in the Genting Arena. “We offer a range
of packages to suit the customer. Our
entry package, freestyle, includes
pre-show food and access to a private
bar area. Our Club package always
includes a champagne reception and
fine dining experience. And Air, our
exclusive live event package includes
a table in the private members’
restaurant, fine dining gourmet meal
and complimentary drinks.
The team tailor the menu packages
to each event; Club and Air for shows
such as Adele, Take That and Elvis in
concert with the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra, whereas Freestyle appeals
more to fans of Noel Gallagher and
similar artists. “We hold a monthly
meeting to decide the best options
and catering for each event. For some
we may serve all courses before a
show, for others the dessert is served
at the interval or the cheese course
is presented after the show. Our team
knows what the audience wants,”
says Annie.
The Freestyle menu may include
mains such as pot-roasted sage and
quince-glazed loin of pork, gratin
potato, honey-roasted chantenay
carrots and green beans. The gourmet
fine dining on the Air menu may
include one of the signature desserts,
8 GLORIOUS

FOOD INNOVATIONS NEWS
a chocolate melting bomb.
“It’s filled with freshly baked
brownies and home-made ice
cream. Customers are invited
to pour the hot chocolate
sauce over the bomb, which
melts away. It has been very
popular,” Annie explains.
Being able to provide both
retail and this level of hospitality
catering are what makes
Amadeus stand out. “We work hard
to ensure our retail team can handle
the large amounts of people coming
to shows,” explains Annie.
Amplify appeals to those wanting
to soak up the atmosphere of a
show and enjoy great restaurant
environments, hospitality and
food. “We want visitors
leaving saying the
concert was amazing and
that the food and service
matched it. We also try and do
something different to leave a lasting
impression. During the Bear Grylls
Endeavour Tour we dressed the
team up in army kits and served a
boot camp menu with crickets and
all sorts!”
Amplify took £48k for the Adele
five-night concert series – testament
to the hard work of the team. The
series was made up of 4,000 covers
served and the retail side alone took
£90k. Annie says, “We may have
one week with only two concerts,
but the revenue we take from those
two large events will be very high.
With our differentiating factors of
delicious food and hospitality
packages we go over and above
others – which makes guests return
again and again.”
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT
AMPLIFY PACKAGES PLEASE
VISIT AMPLIFY.CO.UK OR
CALL 0844 338 0333
SECURING THE ABBEY
Delapré Abbey is a historic gem
being brought back to life by
a major construction project led
by the Delapré Abbey Preservation
Trust. The property sits just one
mile north of Northampton and
with its Grade-II listing is entering
an exciting new phase.
Amadeus has been chosen as
the caterer at the site to help the
Trust work towards its goal of
becoming one of East Midlands’
Premier Attractions. With Heritage
Lottery Funding the “Building at
Risk” is undergoing substantial work.
Amadeus has successfully secured a
£3million contract over five years and
will run their new café and support
event catering needs.
Rachael Boyd, Director of the
Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust
said, “We have been impressed with
the quality of the catering Amadeus
delivers in other visitor attractions
and the high standards of food and
service for conferences, meetings
weddings and other events.”
She added, “It is important to us
that we recruit locally and also use
local suppliers, which is something
Amadeus is clearly passionate
about. We look forward to
working with them.”
To help the business thrive,
Amadeus will provide the best in
class services, tailored for Delapré.
By helping to preserve an important
historic site, which is surrounded by
extensive parkland – part of which
is a registered Battlefield Site – there
should be a great local patronage
to the café. Afternoon tea, meeting
“It is important to
us that we recruit
locally and also use
local suppliers”
Rachael Boyd Director of Delapré Abbey
Preservation Trust
and event rooms for weddings and
other events will all be available.
Along with event catering, Amadeus
will also be tasked with serving food in
The Conservatory Café, a destination
in its own right which is open to the
public all year round.
“It has been great working with the
Abbey on the designs of the kitchen
and café,” said Marc Frankl, Food and
Beverage Director. “We have already
engaged with some really special local
suppliers. When we recruit, we will be
looking for a team from Northampton
to fully support the venue and there
will be some exciting opportunities,”
The Abbey and museum will open its
doors to the public for the first time in
its 900-year history early next year.
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 9

DEVELOPING TALENT MEET OUR CHEFS
What I’m loving
this season
Leo Small joined Amadeus in April 2016 and in this short space of
time has built a team of top chefs with multiple skills and created
delicious, innovative menus. The highly motivated, experienced
and outgoing chef is now on a mission with Amadeus to put Belfast
Waterfront at the forefront of catering in Northern Ireland
Executive Head Chef Leo Small is new to
the Amadeus family, having only joined in
April 2016, but he has quickly settled in
and is already known for the first-class
food delivered from his hand-picked
catering team. He aims to set a new
standard of event catering in Belfast and
Northern Ireland. Leo is modest when
asked of his own achievements, and
instead focuses more on those around
him and why he has a desire to always
improve the catering experience.
“I’m a local lad who has been privileged
to work in some great locations
surrounded by good people. I started
my career at a very early age in
Newcastle and have worked at the
Savoy in London and several top
restaurants in Dublin.” In Ireland,
Leo joined Peacock Alley just
after it gained its Michelin Star,
opened Fitzwilliam Hotel and
worked his way up to Executive
Chef at Shanahan’s on the Green.
Following this, he was Executive
Head Chef at the Titanic Belfast,
one of Northern Ireland’s signature
tourist destinations. “My career has
spanned 20 years already and I’ve
even been lucky enough to have cooked for Her
Majesty the Queen at the Diamond Jubilee.”
During his time in great restaurants, Leo
has amassed a community of great chefs and
supporters and used this talented pool to
hand-pick his team of chefs at Belfast
Waterfront. “I have brought a lot of local Belfast
chefs into hospitality banqueting. They wanted
to come on board for all the obvious reasons of
working in this type of catering, but mainly
because they believe in what we’re trying to
achieve.” Leo and the team held a large
recruitment drive to attract more
talent into the company. The
chance to work with chefs who
are delivering adventurous
menus to tempt any
conference organiser
appealed to a wide
range of people. “I
made sure we have a
multi-skilled team,
so it’s not just chefs
who have worked
in Michelin-star
restaurants, although we
do have a couple of them
to make sure we have the
right balance. Amadeus
10 GLORIOUS

Only the finest: The ingredients are sourced and handled with care
at Belfast Waterfront to create a range of spectacular seasonal dishes
encourages development and recognition and
I’m a big believer in helping people move up the
career ladder and supporting everyone. I’ll ask
the kitchen porter to help cut vegetables and
move them on to bigger jobs. If they get the
catering bug, we help them progress.”
Building the team is helping Belfast
Waterfront offer a dynamic and different
catering option in their spaces. This includes the
2,000-seat auditorium, two interconnecting
multi-purpose halls, 380 seat studio, 17 meetings
rooms (for 10-200 delegates), exterior terraces
and their own restaurant. Leo is bringing his
experience and pushing the boundaries of fine
dining at the venue and has developed a range of
innovative menu packages to suit every type of
“I made sure we have a multi-skilled team,
so it’s not just chefs who have worked in
Michelin-star restaurants”
Leo Small Executive Head Chef
Mini marvel: Hand-made petit four are
available with optional personalisation
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 11

DEVELOPING TALENT MEET OUR CHEFS
Local cheeses served
up as large sharing
platters are on the menu
at Belfast Waterfront
event. “We can provide everything from canapés
to fine dining, gourmet three-course dinners
and multi-sensory dining chef experiences.” All
menus include local ingredients for a fantastic
food experience.
“We always source the best produce. We’re
honest and realistic to make sure customers
get exactly what they want and we’ll never
compromise on the quality of food – creating
bespoke menus, sourcing local, seasonal
products with full provenance wherever
possible. We are blessed to be just a stone’s
throw away from St George’s Market which
is full of local and artisan producers.”
The market – built between 1890 and 1896 –
is one of Belfast’s oldest attractions and has won
many awards for its fresh, local produce and
great atmosphere and holds a weekly Friday
Variety Market, City Food and Craft Market on
Saturdays and Sundays. “I always go there for
inspiration and innovation; it’s a special place. If
we find a supplier we really like, we’ll get one of
our main four or five large suppliers to support
them, so we can then use their produce.”
At every stage of the food delivery, Leo and
his team believe that integrity and passion is
crucial. Amadeus conducts extensive research
and development to really understand what
the customer wants and this allows them to
constantly deliver great food and service. “We
find that older cuts are really popular – Jacob's
ladder which has been marinated and braised
over six hours, which we like to call low and slow,
or a fillet beef Wellington with organic celeriac
and local dauphinoise potato. We use lots of
Abernethy butter, which is handmade in churns
in the traditional way by artisan producers. It’s as
far removed from mass produced butter as
possible and is sold at Fortnum & Masons and
used by Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck.
We are privileged to have some of the best dairy
in the UK and Ireland on our doorstep.”
While confident, and providing a great dining
and overall experience, Leo has overcome
challenges since Amadeus took over the venue.
“Mobilising a new site is all down to time. It’s
a big venue and we’ve had to come in and work
with the existing team to ensure they are part of
the Amadeus family and understand the ethos.
This is never easy, but we have gone from
strength to strength working alongside each
other. With it being such a big site, we are also
working hard to ensure Front of House
employees match the catering offered. We work
with a number of agencies, so it’s important we
hire those who understand the Amadeus style
and level of customer experience we expect.”
Guests at Belfast Waterfront can experience
corporate banqueting, restaurant experiences,
live chef theatre and a Chef ’s Table event. The
market in Belfast is very competitive with two
Michelin-star restaurants helping to secure the
capital’s place on the culinary map. The top
city centre restaurants and their coveted
Michelin stars are very much a part of
an exciting food scene happening in
Belfast. “There are some great
chefs doing amazing things.
We have recently been
joined by the Head Chef
“We’ll never
compromise on the
quality of food –
sourcing local,
seasonal products with
full provenance
wherever possible”
Leo Small Executive Head Chef
12 GLORIOUS

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A truly personal service from initial
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DEVELOPING TALENT MEET OUR CHEFS
of one of these Michelin-star establishments
– Ox Restaurant – which will only help us
further on our culinary journey. We are pushing
ourselves to provide a fine dining experience on
a large scale in a banqueting environment. We
know we are on the right lines because the
Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and
Industry recently said we are ‘changing the
dining experience for corporate banqueting’,
which we were delighted to hear. It’s been a
tough and enjoyable first six months, but to
receive this sort of recognition is brilliant.”
For Leo, he loves nothing more than going
around markets checking out what produce is on
offer, looking into the latest trends and what the
customer is craving. “I am always somewhere
near food. Whether it’s online, in the kitchens
here or cooking at home for friends and family.
I live and breathe this industry that I love, and
feel privileged to be paid to do my hobby.”
Innovation in the kitchen is always something
Leo keeps a close eye on. “We do take on board
new cooking techniques – whether curing our
own salmon or using smoking techniques
in-house. Although we are realistic about what
we take on, we only use modern techniques
that will improve the process and create an
even better experience for the customer.”
Being in front of the customer is something
Leo strongly believes in and encourages
this almost old-fashioned value, which can
often be overlooked.
“The latest innovation is great, but nothing
beats meeting the chef who will look after your
catering during an event. When people want to
book here, I want them to have a menu tasting
with one of our chefs. The chef can chat to the
client about the menu, talk about their own
experiences and describe what goes into each
dish. The same chef is at the event, and will
come out and say hello and make sure everything
is running well. It builds confidence on both
sides and is all part of the personal delivery,
which for us is the most important thing.”
As well as creating a rapport between the
client and the caterer, Leo also believes in
keeping dishes simple and delicious. “I will have
no more than five or six movements on a main
course – this is the number of elements you will
find on a plate. The sauce, potato, garnish –
nothing is there to be pretty and less is more is
very much the case. This approach does make
the menus stand out and for the customer, they
appreciate the delicious meal and hopefully the
hard work that goes into each dish.”
At this time of the year, visitors to Belfast
Waterfront can expect hearty, warming meals.
“I like to use truffles, celeriac, game – especially
venison but also goose, mallard, hare, rabbit and
much more. Some of these can be challenges to
introduce in banqueting, but we have a few ideas
for the future which we’d like to try. I’m really
looking forward to it.”
Try this winter warming recipe from Leo
alongside a mulled wine with cinnamon and
cranberry cocktail, as pictured on the cover.
TO FIND OUT ABOUT
BANQUETING FACILITIES OR
UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE
BELFAST WATERFRONT,
VISIT WATERFRONT.CO.UK
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)
4 x wild mushroom ravioli
4 x 1oz slice foie gras
6 tbsp veal and truffle dressing
15-20 small girolles mushrooms
4 x 12oz certified Irish Angus beef fillets
4 x tbsp celeriac purée
Truffle shaving to garnish
Sprigs of chervil to garnish
FOR THE WILD MUSHROOM
RAVIOLI
1 x recipe of basic pasta dough
10oz mixed wild mushrooms, cooked
1 tsp of truffle oil
Salt and milled pepper
Roll out pasta dough using a pasta machine
until you have a long, thin strip of pasta.
Cut the pasta in half and place small balls of
the mushroom mixture evenly apart on one
half of pasta, drizzle with truffle oil. Place the
other sheet of pasta on top and then using
a pastry cutter, cut out rounds, with your
fingers pinch the edges together to form
ravioli. Blanch in boiling salted water for
2-3 minutes, then plunge into iced water.
Once cool, place on a tray, drizzle with
olive oil set aside until later.
14 GLORIOUS

Certified Irish Angus
Beef f illet with ravioli
This Irish Angus beef fillet with wild mushroom ravioli
is perfect on a cold winter’s day, with celeriac purée,
girolles mushrooms and veal and truffle dressing
FOR THE CELERIC PURÉE
250g celeriac, chopped
½ pint milk
½ pint full cream
Salt and milled pepper
Place the chopped celeriac into a medium pot,
add the milk and cream, season with salt and
pepper and bring to the boil. Cook until tender
and then pour into a food processor and blitz
until smooth, then pass through a fine sieve.
TO COOK FILLET OF BEEF
Season the fillet of beef with salt and pepper,
heat a sauté pan and drizzle with olive oil.
Add the beef and sear on all sides until golden
brown. Place in the oven and cook for 8-10
minutes (52°C) for medium rare or keep in oven
for 15 minutes if you like your beef more cooked
to medium (55°C). Remove from oven and
allow to rest for 3-4 minutes, keep warm.
TO PLATE DISH
Heat the celeriac purée and veal and truffle
dressing. Sauté the girolles and foie gras
together in a pan. Put the ravioli back into the
boiling water for 30 seconds to heat up, remove
from water and keep warm.
Spoon some celeriac purée into the centre of
the plate and place the fillet on the top. Then
place the foie gras and ravioli on top of the
fillet of beef, sprinkle the plate with the girolles
and drizzle some of the veal and truffle
dressing around the plate. Garnish with
sprigs of chervil and truffle shavings.

OUT AND ABOUT STONELEIGH ABBEY
The secrets of
STONELEIGH
ABBEY
Stoneleigh Abbey is the archetypal English mansion.
The fine Grade I-listed building sits among green lawns with
its imposing façade and romantic features. All private and
commercial hire is managed by Amadeus and its status as a
best kept secret is exactly what makes the venue appeal most
In rural Warwickshire, Stoneleigh Abbey
has lived many lives. With humble
beginnings as a Cistercian monastic
house in 1154, it was converted at the
Dissolution into a family home. As one of
the seats of the Leigh family, Stoneleigh
has played host to several people of note,
including King Charles I, Queen Victoria
and novelist Jane Austen.
There is no on-site team at the venue for
commercial events so all enquiries are handled
by the Amadeus sales team, only a short
20-minute car ride away. The marketing, selling
and delivery is all handled by a team headed up
by Sales Manager, Katie Cabrera. Stoneleigh
Abbey is comprised of two halves – the first,
made of red sandstone, is a fine example of a
Jacobean country house. The second, the
West Wing, was designed by famous architect
Francis Smith of Warwick in the Baroque style.
“The grounds and the external view from the
Abbey impress me the most,” says Katie, who
as well as managing the Stoneleigh contract,
looks after the portfolio of Amadeus venues
that are event-led.
Events held at the Abbey are for both the
corporate and leisure market, including many
weddings. “We can hold events of up to 500
guests in a marquee on the lawns and up to 350
inside, in the Riding School,” explains Katie.
The Riding School is a timber-beamed Victorian
Banquet Hall that has now been converted into
an ideal event space. Other spaces at Stoneleigh
Abbey include the elegant and ornate Saloon
in the West Wing, which overlooks the
picturesque Grade II-listed parkland and the
Orangery with its stunning riverside location.
The private nature of the venue is what makes
it so appealing for couples and companies alike.
Katie explains, “We are out of the eye of the
public at Stoneleigh. So for companies, they
can hold a secret car launch, or product launch
and will have exclusive use of the venue and
grounds. We never hold two events on the
same day and purposely turn down some events
to ensure this remains the case. There are
around 20 residents who live within the grounds
who are proud to support Amadeus. They
STONELEIGH ABBEY
OFFICE 01926 858535
WEDDINGS 0121 767 3329
STONELEIGHABBEY.ORG
22 GLORIOUS

STONELEIGH ABBEY OUT AND ABOUT
DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT STONELEIGH ABBEY?
Jane Austen family history
Novelist Jane Austen is known primarily for her
six major novels, which interpret, critique and
comment upon the British landed gentry at the
end of the 18th century. She visited Stoneleigh
Abbey in August 1806 and took inspiration
from the property for her book Mansfield
Park. A close cousin of their family, the Rector
Thomas Leigh, inherited the Abbey, but had to
hurry to ensure he claimed his inheritance as
the will was likely to be disputed. Jane and her
mother happened to be staying with Thomas
and so they all travelled together. Jane would
go on to write about how impressed she was
about the Abbey in both letters and books. Her
imagination was awakened by the property
and in Mansfield Park she mentions constant
reflections on the Abbey.
In film and on TV
• Stoneleigh Abbey has most recently
been featured on BBC’s Countryfile in a
Shakespeare special. They discussed the
magnificent ancient “Shakespeare Oak”
in the grounds and filmed alongside the
River Avon.
• Another BBC television series –
The Land Girls – was also filmed in the
Stables at Stoneleigh Abbey. The location
represents the main house stables in
the show.
• The film Nativity 3 with Martin Clunes and
My Kitchen Rules were also both recently
filmed at Stoneleigh Abbey.
We are out of the
eye of the public at
Stoneleigh. We never
hold two events
on the same day
understand that to ensure the Abbey is
preserved and enjoyed by so many, funds
need to be brought in from the successful
commercial business Amadeus runs.
“Being there selling the venue and
providing lovely events really helps in
maintaining the area. We always ensure that
if a wedding takes place on a Friday and
Saturday in one weekend, we will not have
another on Sunday. Stoneleigh Abbey also
runs a tea room, which opens from Easter to
Halloween, and visitors can come and learn
more about the venue on certain days.”
The ‘off the radar’ status is supported
by not being associated with English
Heritage or similar associations. Katie
believes this, along with its exclusivity, really
provides a unique appeal to all markets.
“We never want to become a wedding
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 23

OUT AND ABOUT STONELEIGH ABBEY
Showy, prestigious
and romantic – it’s the
whole aspect, from
coming up the drive
and then seeing
the spectacular
West Wing
factory where every day of the week an
event is held. Our guests can enjoy sole use of
this stunning estate,” adds Katie.
Amadeus can provide all sorts of catering for
events at the venue. From Michelin-inspired fine
dining to international cuisine, guests are able
to have exactly what they want. “We fully
understand how important a wedding or civil
partnership is, it’s one of the most special and
important days in a couple’s life. Therefore, our
menus are perfect for the big day and for
corporate events, the menu range includes
à la carte, bowl delicacies for a buffet with a
contemporary twist, finger buffets, fork buffets
and even barbecue menus, which are very
popular in the summer,” says Katie.
“Showy, prestigious and romantic,” are
the words Katie hears most when couples
explain why they chose Stoneleigh Abbey for
their big day. “It’s the whole aspect, from coming
up the drive towards the Gatehouse and then
seeing the spectacular West Wing. Every time
we take guests around the property, they always
gasp when they walk through.” The Abbey has
Above The West Wing is a stunning backdrop
Below The original features are breathtaking
the advantage of appealing
to both leisure and corporate
events. The latter are given the
option of a historic tour and often they
request more details on the history of the
property for their attendees to enjoy.
Guests to the Abbey can feel transported
back in time and can picture the monks going
about their day-to-day activities. They can
also see where the Leigh family added to the
property with their family home but were
careful not to remove any parts of the
original Abbey. “We really love this aspect to
the venue,” says Katie. “When Amadeus
started working here we were thrilled that
historically nothing has been taken away or
added for a very long time, it makes it feel
very special and unique.”
REPTON’S BOOK AND WALKS
Humphry Repton was born in 1752 at Bury
St Edmonds, Suffolk. He grew up in Norwich
and was eventually set up in business by his
father. When his business failed Humphry upped
sticks and moved his family to the countryside.
At the age of 36 he embarked on a new career
as a landscape designer.
A talented writer and a skilled amateur artist,
Humphry had a working knowledge of plants
and the countryside and a skill for forging
contacts. His first commissions came from
local landowners. But over the years he began
to receive prestigious engagements
for important estates.
Humphry presented his recommendations to
clients in his trademark Red Books, named for
their red Moroccan leather bindings. The
books would flatter the clients and note
the attractions of the existing gardens
as well as the defects. In 1809 he
created one for Stoneleigh with
improvements to the approach,
the park and the pleasure
grounds. These
improvements
were accompanied
by watercolour
illustrations with
overlays to allow beforeand-after
comparisons.
The Red Books functioned as
plans, advertisements and souvenirs.
Over 100 still exist and the Red Book
for Stoneleigh Abbey can be seen on display
at the Abbey.
Work is now being completed at Stoneleigh
to ensure the walks are available as Repton
recommended. The Repton Walk takes guests
into the woodland, where bluebells, snowdrops,
deer, and many other native species thrive.
It was the preference of Repton that the
alterations to the estate should enhance natural
beauty rather than tame it, so guests can
experience an idyllic woodland setting unlike the
manicured lawns at some other country houses.
It also features spectacular views of the house
from across the River Avon.
24 GLORIOUS

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MOBILISATION FOLLOWING THE BRIEF
The need for
SPEED
Glorious speaks to Tony Baldock, Operations Director and
Marc Frankl, Food and Beverage Director on the speed needed
to mobilise a project from inception to delivery
Mobilisation takes place in the period of
time following a contract being awarded
and before the service is delivered. The
client puts their trust in Amadeus to
deliver a new or improved catering offer.
A well-executed mobilisation means that
Amadeus will get everything in place to
start hitting targets for the new operation,
for both parties. The period of time for
each mobilisation can vary depending on
the needs of the client and Amadeus has
in the past taken just three days to initiate
the mobilisation of a new venue.
Timing can make all the difference and
Amadeus always matches the client’s desires,
whatever the speed needed. An experienced
team and effective system ensures everything is
achieved in the agreed period. Tony Baldock,
Operations Director, explains, “The usual
timeline is 12 weeks, but this is sometimes
shorter – eight, four, sometimes even two weeks.
We are governed by the client and so work to
their specifications. If they move the date we
have to be agile and able to adapt to reflect this.”
Speed is the key ingredient for a successful
mobilisation process. During the tender, where
Amadeus bids for a project, all elements of the
process are set out. There are 12 main elements
including marketing, human resources and
finance, each including sub-categories and
action points. Once the bid is won the action
begins, which Marc Frankl, Food and Beverage
Director, drives. “I’m the process person. I look
after all the physical aspects of the mobilisation
process and look after all the teams.”
Engaging the client from the get-go is
essential for an effective mobilisation process.
“We usually incorporate the client’s own
mobilisation plan – if they have one – to ensure
the process is as streamlined and as simple as
possible,” says Tony. “We have a great system
where we include tasks, duration and start and
finish times. This is ideal and very useful when
we meet with the client. It’s a process that
begins with monthly meetings and moves to
weekly as deadlines approach.”
Amadeus has an experienced team set up to
mobilise for big sites. During the process, checks
28 GLORIOUS

MOBILISATION FOLLOWING THE BRIEF
We never want to just give
our clients what they want
– that’s too mundane. We
want to push boundaries
and ensure the client is
driving forward with us
From inception to delivery: the early sketches
were transformed into reality in the café at
Cadbury World – true mobilisation in action
are included to ensure everything is operating as
it should be. Tony explains, “We never want
to become complacent – whether in the
mobilisation process or later in the relationship
with the client. It’s important that we continue
to be innovative. We never want to be in
a position where we just give our clients want
they want – that’s too mundane. We want to
push boundaries and ensure the client is driving
forward with us. If it’s a five-year contract, we
want the last year to be just as good as the first.
“I pride myself on the fact I’ve never lost a
piece of business and I believe this retention is
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 29

MOBILISATION FOLLOWING THE BRIEF
because we have a cycle of innovation. I have
always strived to drive.”
The relationship between client and caterer is
essential for a successful process. “People really
do make the difference,” says Marc. “The team
around the table meeting the client will look
after the whole process. We have a high degree
of confidence in our mobilisation process
because we have delivered it many times before
for different clients. We’re a small, dedicated
team and are open, honest and have commercial
minds. There are no hidden margins and we
truly believe this integrity comes across.”
Speed, real value and teamwork were all
essential when Amadeus mobilised for Belfast
Waterfront, Northern Ireland’s only purposebuilt
conference and entertainment centre.
The team were able to set-up in just three days
following the client signing a letter of intent,
which is a stunning achievement given the
amount of time involved. Another example is
Cadbury’s World which was relatively quick too.
Marc explains, “We were given free rein by the
client with a brief of ‘wanting to be wowed’. We
turned the café from ‘the café at Cadbury’s
World’ into part of the whole experience. We
have grown sales by 10% with an extension
of covers, an improved food offering mixed with
clever design and creativity. The client viewed
the finished offering and was holding the original
designs in their hands – these were the sketches
we had created to showcase what we were
aiming to achieve. It was great to see them look
between the sketches and the real thing because
of how close we had achieved the vision. They
were overjoyed with the finished transition
because we have given them a café to only add
more value to the experience and had achieved
exactly what we said we would.”
Marc explains how the end of the process is
his favourite part of mobilisation, but not for
the reasons expected. “I enjoy the end, not
because of it being nearly over, but because of
the feeling of a well-executed job. I get a real
buzz from that first pound hitting the till.
There’s no denying it’s a complex process, so it’s
great when we complete everything. I work
backwards and always picture the look of joy
when customers enter a space and know they’re
viewing an improved offering which beats their
expectations, and it’s achieved in such a quick
time. Those last few days before a site is opened
is when we all roll our sleeves up and job titles
I enjoy the end, not
because of it being
nearly over, but because
of the feeling of
a well-executed job
disappear. It’s a great bonding process and real
relationships are formed from the mutual
experience. We can all say ‘I had a part to play’.”
The team is now in the process of mobilising
four further sites in Belfast following The
Waterfront. The sheer size of this would
intimidate many, but the team are not fazed
by the work involved. “Not one single member
of the team is worried. We have the plans and
skills to deliver what makes the client and
customers happy. We also take great pride that
they are usually wowed when the mobilisation
is finished,” says Marc.
Being adventurous has made Amadeus
stand out among the rest. Mobilising a site and
improving the catering offering is second nature
for the experienced team. With Marc and Tony
leading the line, sites have been completed in
a matter of days at times and the largest of
challenges have been overcome. There will only
be more great mobilisations to come.
30 GLORIOUS

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THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONFERENCE HOW WAS IT FOR YOU?
The event from
every angle
An insight into the team behind The Conservative Party Conference
Over 12,000 delegates from across
the UK descended on Birmingham
from 2-5 October as the International
Convention Centre (ICC) hosted
The Conservative Party Conference
for the fifth time since 2008.
The Conservative Party Conference utilises
all ten halls and ten executive rooms of the
purpose-built conference centre to stage their
conference sessions, exhibition, media centre,
fringe sessions, broadcaster centre and VIP
Lounges. The ICC’s location in the heart of
Birmingham also enables delegates to explore
the vibrant city for themselves and provides
a platform to demonstrate all that Birmingham
has to offer. As part of the conference, more
than 300 fringe events took place in the venue
over four days. On an annual basis, the ICC
stages over 350 events in total, so this truly
demonstrates the complexity of the conference
and skills of the talented team that deliver such a
high volume of events in such a short period.
Catherine Newhall-Caiger, Business
Development Director for the ICC said, “We
have a core team of people who have worked on
the four previous Party Conferences and their
experience is invaluable for this event. Everyone
looks forward to the conference as there is
always a real ‘buzz’ in our venue as we welcome
the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, delegates,
exhibitors and the media to the ICC. Our
dedicated team – from catering to technical
and event management to security – have been
planning this event for nearly a year and work
extremely hard to deliver the best possible
conference. It is very rewarding to see
everything come together and a credit to our
team that the Conservative Party chooses to
return to our venue.”
This year’s conference is the first of a
three-year deal that will see the Conservative
Party return to the ICC in 2018 and 2020.
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THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONFERENCE HOW WAS IT FOR YOU?
How was it for you
Craig Hancox
Craig Hancox is the Amadeus General Manager at the ICC
Birmingham. The team starts planning 12 months before and Craig
shares a behind-the-scenes view of what happens during the event
What was the planning process for such
a large event?
Planning started 12 months ago with a debrief
from The Conservative Party Conference
(CPC) team. They fed back to us on the last
conference and any new initiatives they wanted
to incorporate this year. As CPC is one big event
with many smaller events within – we host over
300 fringe events in the four days – it can be
a pretty hectic time. To put this into perspective
we host around 350 events as a venue on
an annual basis.
We also provide catering for
retail, VIP lounges and a business
day dinner, which had a beautiful
menu created by Simon Hellier.
To manage the volume of fringe
events, from a catering perspective,
we created a specific menu pack
based on the food that was popular in
previous years. This was available on
the ICC website, so delegates could use
their unique fringe event ID number to
directly order what they wanted.
The bulk of the 300 events ordered in this
way, but 50 of them worked directly with us
on bespoke menus. This was mainly when
clients were looking for themes to
complement their event. As you can imagine, an
event of this size takes a lot of co-ordination, so
the ICC is split into zones, each with a different
colour. We assign catering managers to each
zone, and as enquiries came through, I could
co-ordinate so the correct zone manager
could pick it up.
About a month before the event, we start
finalising the details and chasing outstanding
orders. We needed everything to be in place
“We host over 300 fringe events in the
four days – to put this into perspective
we host around 350 events annually”
“I’m lucky to be able to tak
a step back and look over
experienced team and ma
sure they are happy and
two weeks before the event so we could start
the final planning and food ordering.
Outside specific events, what food was
on offer across the venue for delegates?
I was always conscious of the retail catering
areas because the feedback previously was that
more healthy options should be available. We
took that into consideration and installed two of
our popular concepts in the exhibition area,
which is the main part of the conference all
delegates visit. We chose our new healthier
eating concept, PUOR,which we launched in
April, and our café concept MADE which
focuses on hand-crafted, home-made food so
delegates had options. We also added a gelato
bar which was quite quirky and proved popular.
The Conservative
Party Conference
officially opens at
the Symphony Hall
How did you work around the security
of the event?
Security is very high around this event so each
member of staff working in the venue during the
four days needed to be accredited in advance.
In total, we had about 250 staff accredited. To
manage the schedules we created spreadsheets
so we could filter each area by zone and from
that we could organise the rotas– we actually
gave out coloured wristbands to match each
zone so we could keep track of who was
working where.
Our Executive Head Chef Simon Hellier has
to wait until the last possible moment before
placing food orders, but this time we had to
take into account additional security checks
for deliveries. We had fresh deliveries each day
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 35

start o
when we’re at
t! We work on what
uld do differently the next
HOW WAS IT FOR YOU? THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONFERENCE
“Simon is very conscious of the
food being the best it can be and
checks absolutely everything
before it reaches a plate”
and all vehicles went through a comprehensive
search before they were allowed on site. We
worked closely with the police on ensuring
everything was safe and got in on time.
Simon is very conscious of the food being
the best it can be and checks absolutely
everything before it reaches a plate.
How do you get so many food orders
to the plate in time?
Simon doesn’t get involved until we have the
final confirmations of menus, which is about ten
days prior to the event, so there is no confusion
when it comes to ordering the produce.
Menus and number of delegates can change
quite radically from the first conversation
with the client to the
final details.
He just knows he is
going to have four or five
very busy days and makes
sure his team are in place
to cope with the demand,
which includes a team of
chefs who work through
the night to ensure all
food is prepped ready for
the next day. A Head Chef
is then allocated to each
of the zones to work
closely with the catering
manager and event team.
This helps with
communication, as each day they
know what they need and everyone
is on the same page.
Another element is making sure that we had
enough equipment in each zone to actually serve
the food. Our back of house manager did an
incredible job, which included a comprehensive
equipment list of everything from knives and
forks to glasses for each zone and each event.
Did you face any challenges
during the conference?
The volume of delegates,
particularly on the second
day, was quite high as the
conference was extremely
popular this year, which
caused big queues at
our Starbucks.
It’s close to the
entrance and also near the
cloakroom, so it’s what
people see when they get
into the venue. To try
to ease the queue, we
decided to install a pop-up counter as close
to Starbucks to sell tea and coffee and give
delegates another option if they didn’t
have time to wait.
What were your highlights of the event?
I had two actually. The first was that our
Catering Operations Manager Wayne Hall,
would send an email before he headed home to
everyone in the team.
He would talk about what had happened in
the day and he gave everyone in the team fun
nicknames. It can be a demanding few days, so it
was great to wake up to something each morning
that was light-hearted, informative and made
us all laugh.
The second is that we haven’t had one
single complaint across every service we
provided about anything related to the food.
That is a fantastic testament to the whole
of the ICC team.
36 GLORIOUS

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HOW WAS IT FOR YOU? THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONFERENCE
How was it for you
David Comerford
David Comerford is the Head of Conferences for the
Conservative Party and recently worked directly with
the International Convention Centre (ICC) Birmingham
for The Conservative Party Conference 2016
“A
only
job an yo
What were the objectives for the event?
We have an annual conference to engage with all
Party members and to announce policies
through key speeches. It’s also a good
opportunity for the Party to get involved with
charity and commercial organisations who want
to promote their brand, get a particular message
across or engage with Conservative ministers.
We do this through the means of an exhibition
in the ICC’s largest flat space – Hall 3 – and
throughout the main Mall, as well as through
over 300 fringe events that take place across the
four days of the event.
Who attended?
12,000 delegates came to this year’s conference
at the ICC. The delegates were a mix of Party
members, ambassadors, High Commissioners,
MPs, Lords and then obviously the Cabinet and
the Government. We then had commercial
visitors – FTSE 100 CEOs, charities and
not-for-profit organisations. Many come to
attend fringe events to engage on policies.
From an international view, there was a lot more
attendance media-wise which was expected
following the Brexit vote – it was good to get so
many people to Birmingham.
Why did you choose the venue?
It’s very important for us to be in Birmingham as
we have to engage with people from across the
country and, as the city has excellent transport
links, it makes it easier for people to travel to the
venue. The redeveloped Birmingham New
Street Station looks absolutely beautiful, it’s
like a work of art, and the investment in the
city is really starting to show. It’s a great city
for our delegates to arrive into.
The venue itself is also a big draw – we love
the ICC. It has enough halls and additional
space to accommodate everything we need.
There’s so much versatility in this venue. The
team can cater for the little breakfast meetings
for 10 people right up to fringe events for 600,
and the space can be configured to just what we
need. The team are fantastic to work with as well
– there’s just nothing that they can’t do; they are
so flexible. We started planning around a year
ago and they have worked with us to
accommodate everything we need. This is the
fifth conference we have held at the ICC, so we
wanted to adapt and try new things, which the
team have really helped us with by making
unique and exciting suggestions – their input is
invaluable to help us reach our event vision.
The catering has been amazing too. My team
always says the ICC food is up there with
the best for conference food, and
I agree. The food is delicious every
time we are here. The team
overall are so helpful, they can
always be reached and
despite everything they
have going on and all the
other events throughout
the year, they still make us
feel special and answer all
of our requests – no
matter how big or small.
They are completely
focused on our event
and are a great team to work
with. With events like this we have to work with
other partners too, such as the adjoining Hyatt
Hotel, the West Midlands Police, security firm
G4S and Symphony Hall. We meet regularly in
the planning process and issues are resolved
quickly because the communication is so good.
It doesn’t feel like we are working separately; it’s
one big team and we all help each other to make
the conference a success.
What was the programme of events?
This year, we started on Sunday, 2 October,
opening with our members-only session for the
National Convention, which is all the senior
volunteers throughout the country. Our
exhibition and fringe programme opens at 12pm
and the Conference officially opens with the
Party Chairman’s speech in Symphony Hall at
Fresh and vibrant, the
plated menu looks as
good as it tastes
38 GLORIOUS

THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONFERENCE HOW WAS IT FOR YOU?
OVER THE FOUR-DAY EVENT…
20 miles a day will be walked by each
of the 30 catering managers
A 24-hour-a-day catering operation ran
throughout the conference
s a chef, the limits are
what you put into the
8,000 sandwiches were served
45,000 coffees were served each day
Over 300 fringe events took place
d whatever you put in,
u will get back”
“The catering has been amazing too. My team
always says the ICC food is up there with the
best for conference food, and I agree”
2pm. The theme of each day is dictated by the
speeches in the auditorium in Symphony Hall.
The first day was focused on Brexit and for the
first time, this year we heard from the Prime
Minister on the Sunday, which generated a lot of
interest. We also heard from the Department of
Exiting the European Union, the Department
for International Development and the Foreign
Office, all of which set the tone for the first day.
We had the Chancellor’s speech on Monday, so
it was very much focused on the economy. The
theme for Tuesday was home affairs, health and
culture and on the final day we had the keynote
speech from the Prime Minister. We used all ten
halls and ten executive rooms in the ICC, plus
the auditorium in Symphony Hall, as well as
some areas of the Hyatt Hotel, which connects
to the venue via bridge link making it really
convenient for our delegates and guests.
Did you face any challenges?
In previous years, we have enjoyed quite a long
tenancy of the building, but this year we reduced
it by more than half, meaning we had shorter
build and breakdown times. We also changed
supplier and the structure within our own team,
so we were a bit apprehensive about a narrower
build. However, we were assured by the ICC
team that it would be possible and it would all
get done. We were very much led by the ICC
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 39

HOW WAS IT FOR YOU? THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY CONFERENCE
Fresh ingredients are
a must in creating
the ICC’s menu
The ICC welcomes
the Conservative
Party Conference
team and relied on their experience and
knowledge. We really worked together as one
team and as promised, it was all done in time.
The communication was very clear and
everyone was focused on making the event
a success. We have full trust in the ICC team.
Was return on investment measured,
and if so, how?
This year’s Conservative Party Conference
allowed us to set out our driving mission to build
a country that works for everyone, not just the
privileged few. We also wanted to make sure that
we engaged with Birmingham as the host city.
Through our media briefings and work with
Marketing Birmingham, we demonstrated to
residents that the Conference has a very
positive impact on Birmingham.
Finally, we looked at what the members get out
of the conference and to see numbers in
attendance increase year on year. This year, we
“No day is the same for me. I
be working on a wedding, orga
the food for a golf event, arr
menus for a 300-person func
“This year’s Conservative Party Conference
allowed us to set out our driving mission to
build a country that works for everyone,
not just the privileged few”
had more party members in attendance than
ever before. There was a real buzz around the
city and venue; it’s been very positive and in
good spirits. Everyone in Birmingham was so
friendly and welcoming. We had a great event
in 2014, so to keep up that momentum two
years on is a real testament to how great the
event has been at the ICC.
What was the feedback from attendees?
This year is the first time we are conducting
formal feedback from delegates to get a feel for
how they felt about this year’s conference and to
understand what they liked, or would change –
we will then feed this into the planning for
our next event.
Anything else to add?
This was the first Conservative Party
Conference since I stepped up to be the Head
of Conferences in 2015 and the team structure
has changed. This time round, I worked directly
with the ICC so for everything to have gone so
well is just amazing. The ICC has been so
supportive and we have been led by their
immense experience on putting on great events
within their venue. We are looking forward to
more successful conferences in 2018 and 2020.
40 GLORIOUS

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AMADEUS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS • PUBLIC & TRADE
The comprehensive guide to the upcoming shows and events this season
24•02
The X Factor
Live Tour
03•02
Donny
Osmond
23-25•03
Olly Murs
17-18•03
Russell
Howard
07•06
Elton John
www.thenec.co.uk
www.barclaycardarena.co.uk
www.gentingarena.co.uk
CALENDAR OF
EVENTS
JAN
12-15
Autosport
International, NEC
12-15
Performance
Car Show, NEC
20-22 JANUARY
Strictly Come Dancing
Live, Barclaycard Arena
13
Avenged Sevenfold, Genting Arena
13
Comedy Central Impractical Jokers,
Barclaycard Arena
15
Basketball Cup Finals 2017,
Barclaycard Arena
21 JANUARY
The 2017 Monster Energy Arenacross Tour,
Genting Arena
A mix of world-class indoor Motocross Racing, high-flying
Freestyle Motocross and a show to rival any music festival.
15-16
Trophex 2017,
NEC
20-22
Strictly Come
Dancing Live,
Barclaycard Arena
22-24
Beta
International, NEC
22-25
January
Furniture Show,
NEC
Celebrating its tenth anniversary, Strictly is taking to the road with some of the stars of the
current series (the line-up is yet to be announced), reliving some of the magical moments
from the TV series, all performed on a supersize dance floor. With fabulous dance routines,
celebrities and professional dancers set to dazzle, plus the judges, it’s a night out not to miss.
21
The 2017 Monster
Energy Arenacross
Tour, Genting Arena
21-22
Asian Bride Live,
NEC
23-25
Great Hospitality
Show, NEC
25
A Day to
Remember,
Barclaycard Arena
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 43

CALENDAR OF EVENTS AMADEUS
24 FEBRUARY
The X Factor Live Tour, Genting Arena
Now in its 12th year, The X Factor takes to the road with the acts that got down to the final eight, with 5 After Midnight, Emily Middlemas, Four of
Diamonds, Matt Terry, Ryan Lawrie, Saara Aalto, Sam Lavery and Honey G all performing classic hits and viewers’ favourites from the TV series this
year. With two shows – a matinee and evening performance – it’s a great day out for fans of the show.
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
18
Müller Indoor Grand Prix,
Barclaycard Arena
19-21
Moda, NEC
20
Kings of Leon, Genting Arena
25 FEBRUARY
Kaiser Chiefs, Barclaycard Arena
After the release of their new album Stay Together in
October 2016, which includes the single Hole in my Soul,
the Kaiser Chiefs are back on the road for a UK-wide tour.
3 FEBRUARY
Donny Osmond,
Genting Arena
Legendary singer, performer and actor Donny Osmond
is on tour for the first time in four years, performing
classics from his 50 years in show business.
22-23
Drake,
Barclaycard Arena
24
Pet Shop Boys,
Barclaycard Arena
24
The X Factor Live
Tour, Genting Arena
25
Kaiser Chiefs,
Barclaycard Arena
25
Vitality Netball
Superleague Super
Ten, Genting Arena
26
Jack Whitehall,
Genting Arena
44 GLORIOUS

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS AMADEUS
23-25 MARCH
Olly Murs, Genting Arena
One of Britain’s best live performers, Olly Murs is back with his eagerly anticipated fifth album 24 HRS in November, the follow up to the million-selling
Never Been Better, and featuring the hit You Don’t Know Love. His last tour in 2015 sold out on all 27 dates as fans made the most of the opportunity to
sing along to all his hits. His energetic and enthusiastic performances continue to attract fans in search of a fun night out.
MAR
1-5
Cirque du Soleil Varekai: Tales of the
Forest, Genting Arena
4
Brit Asia TV World Music Awards,
Barclaycard Arena
7-12
Yonex All England Open Badminton
Championships 2017, Barclaycard Arena
7-12
Yonex All England Open Badminton
Championships 2017, Barclaycard Arena
13
The Weekend, Barclaycard Arena
17-18 MARCH
Russell Howard,
Genting Arena
Part of his second and biggest world tour, funnyman
Russell Howard is stopping off in Birmingham for two
nights. Acclaimed by Time Out as a ‘Comedy Superstar’,
the topical and observational style of TV’s Russell
Howard’s Good News has earned him a legion of fans.
17-18
Russell Howard,
Genting Arena
23-25
Olly Murs,
Genting Arena
24
Craig David,
Barclaycard Arena
25
A R Rahman,
Barclaycard Arena
46 GLORIOUS

AMADEUS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS • PUBLIC & TRADE
The comprehensive guide to the upcoming shows and events this season
APRIL
1-3
Optrafair, NEC
12 MARCH
The Who,
Barclaycard Arena
6-9
Good Mourning Mrs Brown,
Genting Arena
12
The Who, Barclaycard Arena
12-16
Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years
of Magic, Genting Arena
14
Harlem Globetrotters, Barclaycard Arena
15
E3UK Live, Barclaycard Arena
After over 50 years and multiple hits, The Who are back to perform a brand new set,
incorporating all their hits as well as a revised acoustic version of the rock opera Tommy.
Considered to be one of the most influential groups of the 20th century, they have sold
over 100 million records worldwide and are renowned for their live performances.
1-5 MARCH
Cirque du Soleil Varekai: Tales of the Forest,
Genting Arena
This newest creation from Cirque du Soleil tells the story of
Icarus, whose wings melt when he flies too close to the sun,
sending him crashing into the mysterious world of Varekai.
24 MARCH
Craig David,
Barclaycard Arena
In his first arena tour in 15 years, Craig will be joined
on stage by singer-songwriter Lauren Faith to perform
songs from his latest album Following My Intuition.
18 MAY
Ariana Grande,
Genting Arena
Multi-platinum-selling and Grammy Award-nominated
artist and pop princess Ariana Grande is back in
Birmingham as part of the Dangerous Woman Tour.
20
Frankie Valli and
The Four Seasons,
Genting Arena
22
Diversity
(extra matinee
performance)
Barclaycard Arena
24
Bruno Mars,
Barclaycard Arena
27
2017 Betway
Premier League
Darts, Barclaycard
Arena
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 47

CALENDAR OF EVENTS AMADEUS
MAY
5-6
Take That, Genting Arena
12
Professor Brian Cox Live,
Barclaycard Arena
12 MAY
Professor Brian Cox Live,
Barclaycard Arena
15
Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s
Stone, Barclaycard Arena
18
Ariana Grande, Genting Arena
19
The Vamps, Genting Arena
21
Iron Maiden, Barclaycard Arena
26
The Specials (Outdoor concert)
Plus special guests: Toots and the Maytals,
Genting Arena
27
Slam Dunk Festival Midlands, NEC
5-6 May 1-3 JUNE
Take That, Genting Arena
Professor Brian Cox OBE will take his audiences on a journey through space and time in
this new stage show. Delving into ‘high science’ and freewheeling on the edges of the
known cosmos, whether you’re an avid science reader or a total novice, Professor Brian Cox
Live will test the limits of your knowledge and make highly complex ideas accessible to all.
7 JUNE
Elton John,
Genting Arena
JUNE
1-3
Take That,
Genting Arena
7
Elton John,
Genting Arena
The UK’s Most Successful Live Act, Take That, are set to
bring their fans yet another unmissable live experience
with Wonderland Live following the album launch in March.
This will be pop icon Elton John’s 36th concert in the
city as part of his worldwide Wonderful Crazy Night
Tour. Taking to the stage, Elton will perform songs from
his latest studio album of the same name as well as his
most-loved hits from his stellar career.
48 GLORIOUS

TEAM WORK EVENT MANAGEMENT
made my day
Lorna Hendey, Live Events Catering Operations
Manager for NEC Group talks to Glorious about her
role and what ‘Live Events’ really are
What does a Live Events Catering
Operations Manager do?
I run all the catering for any show that isn’t an
exhibition, so ‘live events’ includes anything and
everything that isn’t! Conferences and
banqueting make up the main events but there is
lots of variety even within that. The role was
newly created when I joined Amadeus two years
ago and it’s been a great learning curve where
I’ve implemented new processes and different
standards for the events. I have no home or base
as I go into whichever hall the event is booked in,
so I’m always in different environments.
How did you get into this?
I was working in Conference and Banqueting at
Alton Towers Hotel before I joined and have
also worked at hotels up and
down the country. Everyone
in the team has always
been so helpful. For me
it’s all about the
people and despite
being here for two
years I still feel very
new. There are so
many departments to
get to know, which is
great fun, but it’s a big
place that takes a little
while to fully discover.
What is a successful
day for you?
A happy client and a smooth
running event! Getting
all requirements achieved on time and exceeding
expectations marks a successful day for me.
If delegates and clients are pleased then it’s
been an effective day. Sometimes you
have a curve ball thrown
at you or a tiny
hiccup to solve,
which means you
have to be able
to think on your
feet but we run so
many events that we
can deal with pretty
much nearly everything.
Which events stand out
in your memory?
‘Vivid Christmas Parties’ was
a really fun and stimulating series
of events for us. We had 2,000
guests attending each night for two
and a half weeks! We’re used to massive
volumes and handle them all the time, but
this was so long that it really stands out. It
was a monumental time in my life during that
period. Our team did so well, it was a great
experience to be a part of. Last year we also
did our first sit-down dinner for 2,500
guests – we had four kitchens with over 100
chefs and nearly every manager involved
and it went really well. It’s always great to
see our spaces transformed from big blank
halls into amazing themed experiences.
Recently we created a family-style Mexican
restaurant within one of the halls and
produced all sorts of delicious Mexican
dishes. 1,000 people attended but it still
felt very intimate, which shows how well
the space can be used.
What’s the best thing about
working for Amadeus?
Every day and every event is different at
Amadeus. We strive to provide bespoke
events and can handle our clients’ specialist
needs – whatever they may be. The things
we create and the way we deliver it really is
special and unique.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT
MORE ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES
AT AMADEUS GO TO NECGROUP.
CO.UK/WORKING-FOR-US
50 GLORIOUS

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