Glorious
The adventurous catering solutions magazine | Issue 05
INSTILLING VIBRANCY AT THE VOX
Head Chef Aaron Johnson on what inspires him to go beyond the norm
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Welcome
•
As one of the busiest times of year for the exhibition, conference and live events
industries, the Amadeus team have excelled under pressure in recent months,
delivering quality catering and innovative solutions.
With awards season officially underway, the
Amadeus team are celebrating with a number of
industry wins and nominations – read all about
these in Innovation News (P6–9) along with more
bite-sized updates.
Read on to find out why we have pledged to
cut the amount of sugar in our foodservice
operation by 50% by 2020 (P16–18). In an
industry leading move, this commitment
goes much further than the Public Health
England recommendation to reduce sugar
by 20% over the next three years and we
are on track to reach our ambitious targets.
In this issue, we also reveal new pictures
of our fantastic in-hall catering offering
at NEC: The Edge (P20–24). Unlike
other exhibition venues, we
decided to develop an in-hall
F&B offering that would increase
customer dwell time within
the halls themselves, helping
exhibitors to maximise that
all-important face time with
consumers. In August, we
completed the second phase
of this multi-million project
and we’re thrilled that Neil
Ashton, our Executive Chef
and Paul Bate, our General
Manager at the venue, were recognised for this
project at the recent SLC Awards and Foodservice
Cateys respectively.
On pages 28–29 you can find out what our
Events Team has been up to this summer. They have
worked incredibly hard – in total, the team served
9,290 hospitality covers and travelled over 2,693
miles in the three months, catering at events
across the UK from Kingsbarns in Scotland to
Eastbourne in East Sussex!
Find out how Amadeus is inspiring the
next generation of industry talent through
our home-grown Masterclass training
programme (P33–36) while on pages 38–40,
see how the Amadeus team impressed
local businesses with a food-filled fam
trip at the East of England Arena
and Events Centre last month.
We hope you enjoy this
issue, packed full with our
most exciting updates and
industry innovations.
KEVIN WATSON,
MANAGING
DIRECTOR,
AMADEUS
Ellie Rance
Editor
info@amadeusfood.co.uk
0121 767 3329
amadeusfood.co.uk
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@amadeusfood
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AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 3
IN THIS ISSUE READ ALL ABOUT IT
Contents
Issue 05
Hot
topic
© VICTORIA SHIBUT | 123RF.COM
REGULARS
06
43
Food innovations
All the latest news and awards
from the Amadeus team
Calendar of events
Your guide to what’s taking place
during winter and into 2018
FEATURES
10
16
Instilling vibrancy at the Vox
Glorious speaks to Head Chef
Aaron Johnson about what inspires
him to go beyond the norm
Caterers with a conscience
How Amadeus aims to halve the
amount of sugar in its foodservice
operation by 2020
30
4 GLORIOUS
READ ALL ABOUT IT IN THIS ISSUE
16
20
28
30
33
38
Taking exhibition catering
to ‘The Edge’
Visitors at the NEC have more
choice than ever before thanks
to an innovative catering concept
Amadeus on the road
Celebrating one of the most
successful summers to date
10
Introducing the Amadeus
Innovation Hub
A platform to showcase
innovation in association with
EP Business in Hospitality
Amadeus Masterclass
The home-grown training
programme making the difference
Amadeus shows its wares
An exciting fam trip for conference
organisers held at the East of
England Arena and Events Centre
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 5
NEWS FOOD INNOVATIONS
Northern Irish favourites
featured in new menu pack
The Amadeus team in Belfast – catering for iconic
venues Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall – have
recently launched a brand new menu pack full
of new high quality innovative dishes created by
Executive Head Chef, Leo Small. Leo has designed
the menu pack to focus on:
Provenance – the menu pack is full of local
provenance and boasts many of Northern
Ireland’s favourite dishes. The Amadeus team in
Belfast is proud that 88% of the produce featured
in the menu is local and 53% of its suppliers are
small and medium enterprises. This highlights
Amadeus’ commitment to ‘Farm to Fork’ concepts
and also the importance of fresh, local produce
supporting the numerous high quality suppliers
in Northern Ireland.
Innovation – the pack brings to life Northern
Irish favourites such as the traditional ‘Ulster Fry’,
‘Irish Stew’, ‘Champ’ and many other dishes that are
available in Northern Ireland so that international
and national delegates are able to get a real feel for
what Northern Irish food is about.
Quality Q a y
– the
team are proving that
mass
producing food
od for
conferences nces
and
dinners
ners
does not mean that quality, presentation or
taste has to be compromised in any way, shape
or form.
Amadeus goes gluten free at the NEC
© RAWPIXEL | 123RF.COM
Following customer feedback
regarding the availability of
Gluten Free/NGCI products and
dishes, the Amadeus team at
the NEC has completed a menu
review to see how they could
better highlight their range of
Gluten Free and NGCI products.
This has been done through
highlighting existing dishes that
are suitable for customers with NGCI-related allergies on all menus at ‘The Edge’
– Amadeus’ in-hall catering offer at the NEC. The team has also tweaked certain
dishes on the menu in order to make them suitable for this growing audience of
customers, for example by substituting things like breaded chicken to grilled chicken,
as well as introducing some additional menu lines.
As part of this refresh, the team has added a NGCI Section on its EvViva Menu and
produced specific NGCI menus for the Oak Kitchen, Butcher & Grill and Made grab
and go retail concepts.
6 GLORIOUS
FOOD INNOVATIONS NEWS
Amadeus apprentice wins cook off competition
Shafakat Hussain, an Amadeus apprentice
currently working under Executive Chef
Simon Hellier at the ICC, won the apprentice
college cook off held in Mell Square, Solihull
on Saturday 30th September.
The competition was held as part of
Solihull’s first Food and Drink Festival taking
place across the town centre on 29th
September–1st October and featured
more than 60 food stalls and bars, live
music, cocktail and gin masterclasses and a
Kids’ Zone.
Shafakat was tasked to create a healthy
meal in 30 minutes and he beat off
stiff competition to take first place. The
competition was judged by TV star Hairy
Biker Dave Myers who is known for taking
his unique brand of cooking across the UK.
Amadeus widely acclaimed
at industry awards
The Amadeus team are thrilled that so
far this year they have won four industry
awards and have recently been shortlisted
for a raft of further awards.
Earlier this year, Annie Monnox, GM for
Amadeus at the Genting Arena won the
award for best Stadia/Event/Arena at the
Cost Sector Catering Awards 2017, and
this September saw the team scoop two
further awards at the SLC Awards 2017.
The awards celebrate sports and
leisure caterers taking food and beverage
to new heights in this fast-paced and
inventive industry.
The Amadeus team were awarded the
SLC Caterer of the Year title following a
record breaking year for the company.
The award-winning caterer delivered
an impressive year of growth which saw it
secure a record amount of new contracts
totalling over £30m.
Neil Ashton (below, left), Executive Chef
for Amadeus at the National Exhibition
Centre (NEC) also took home the Chef of
the Year Award.
Since joining Amadeus in 1998, Neil has
not been afraid to take on risks to make
Amadeus stand out as a challenger brand.
In the last year, he has pushed his team to
new heights, completely revitalising the inhall
catering offer available at the NEC.
Paul Bate (below, right), General Manager
for Amadeus at the NEC also won the
Catering Manager of the Year Award at the
prestigious Foodservice Cateys 2017.
Now in their fifth year, the Foodservice
Cateys celebrate contract catering employees
across the UK. They recognise and reward
those individuals and teams that work
tirelessly to make sure their business delivers
an exceptional service day in, day out.
Paul’s major success has been the
development of The Edge, boasting four
different restaurant concepts for visitors to
choose from when attending exhibitions.
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 7
NEWS FOOD INNOVATIONS
Mobile concepts
get customer seal
of approval
THE
Social
SCOOP
The NEC hosts over 500 events every year and welcomes 2.4 million visitors annually.
With each show – from the popular public events such as Crufts to the four-day Spring
Fair trade show that takes over every hall in the venue – comes a different profile, which
in turn creates varying demands for what the customer wants to eat.
In order to provide a flexible catering offering, Amadeus General Manager Paul Bate
also developed a range of mobile concepts following extensive research. The mobile
catering units are perfect for catering for massive spikes in exhibition attendance and this
allows the team to be flexible, providing bespoke catering solutions to each individual
show that matches the visitor profile.
The six pop up concepts in operation are:
Puor – healthy eating dishes using “superfoods” that support the body’s ability to
function at its optimum capacity
MADE – grab and go, featuring deli sandwiches and a range of scrumptious
desserts made fresh daily
The Big Cheese – a much loved classic combination of toasted bread and melted
cheese with a modern twist on flavours and cooking methods
Burrito Cantina – authentic flavours of Mexico, served in a Burrito, naked or with
tortilla chips
Carnivore Club – prime joints, marinated for a minimum of 48 hours before being
cooked and glazed ‘slow n’ low’ style
Taco Fusion – An eclectic range of flavours, cooking styles and ingredients served
in a Mexican inspired wrap
These concepts can be seen in operation at shows across the NEC now, and are proving
a bit hit with customers and clients alike.
8 GLORIOUS
FOOD INNOVATIONS NEWS
New management
team for Starbucks
at the NEC
ELECTRIC NEW BAR
FOR GENTING ARENA
Starbucks at the NEC has recently welcomed
a new management team which together
bring a fresh new attitude towards the
franchise café and what it stands for.
The team is headed by Emma Thomas,
who before starting with Starbucks
managed the Pasty Presto shop at the
NEC, alongside Assistant Retail Manager
Natalie Cope. Emma explains what the new
team hopes to bring to the NEC and why
they love working for the brand:
their daily duties. We have started to grow
our team through our recruitment of
handpicked candidates who live the values
that match the Starbucks brand and that
of Amadeus.
How do you hope to increase sales
and/or customer satisfaction at the
Starbucks store?
We aim to drive the whole team to
make it all about the customer experience,
engage and educate the customer
making every moment right. This will
work in line to grow sales through
average transaction value upselling
with the customer in mind and making
this a genuine connection. We aim to
maintain the efficient speed of service
with a quality beverage with in our
welcoming surroundings.
Electric Ave is the newest bar to the join
the eclectic range of food and drink on
offer at the Genting Arena.
Mark Charlampowicz, Catering
Operations Manager, explains why Electric
Ave was created: “The previous kiosks in
place had become a little outdated and
we were underutilising the space that was
available. So we decided to do the refresh
in order to enhance customer experience
and adapt to how people are moving
with their spending habits by introducing
a 100% cashless unit which will allow
people to be served more efficiently and
during peak times reduce the need for
long queues.
What will the new management
team bring to Starbucks?
Our management style is to create the
family unit by nurturing the team to
success. We have over 10 years of
Starbucks experience between us, having
been developed through the Starbucks
training programme and have gained the
following Starbucks qualifications, Coffee
master trained, Starbucks apprentice
programme level 3 in management and
NVQ in customer service and myself
being a retail manager trainer for training
franchise and license new managers
joining Starbucks. We aim to bring fun and
enjoyment to the team where they can be
recognised for going above and beyond
Why do you work so well as a team?
We have the same values and work
ethic that complement each other. Our
communication is paramount to our
success being open and supportive to
each other allowing us to manage our
business effectively. We enjoy continually
developing people to grow along with our
business and are always on the lookout
for the next potential manager as part of
succession planning.
What do you like most about
working at the NEC?
We like the support network that has
helped us settle in so easy to team NEC and
especially Amadeus, where everyone has
been so welcoming. We love the fact that
every day is different this keeps us engaged
and our energies high. The amount of
experience we have in the store provide
us with a solid base of which to build
upon the £1.4 million pound business that
Starbucks generates for Amadeus that we
are so proud.
“We combined two independent
units into one unit, doubling the counter
service space. We also looked at what
customers were buying and are tailoring
the offer from Electric Ave depending on
visitor profile. We reduced the number
of lines we sell opting for the most
popular products sold within the Arena
and introduced a Hong Kong street
food favourite of Bao Buns, in keeping
with the current trends for street food.
In addition, we reorganised the units
to provide a more positive face to face
experience and increased the number of
tills from four to six. Finally, we took away
the need for cash with this bar as year
on year we have seen a significant shift
telling us our customers want to pay
using contactless technology.”
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 9
DEVELOPING TALENT MEET OUR CHEFS
INSTILLING VIBRANCY AT
the Vox
•
The Vox celebrated its 200th event just before the summer this year and it has been a whirlwind
of excitement since it opened in 2015. The food offer has been crafted by adventurous young
chef Aaron Johnson who allows his personality to flow through the delicious menus. Glorious caught
up with the passionate Head Chef to find out what inspires him to go beyond the norm and how
he always matches the dishes to the cutting edge conference centre.
Aaron started his Amadeus career at the International Convention
Centre (ICC) and studied under Executive Chef Simon Hellier who
has been with the company since the early 1990s. It was obvious in
those early days that Aaron possessed the leadership skills, natural
cooking ability and a creative spark to be running an operation.
Simon’s experience helped unleash this talent and it therefore came as
no surprise to the Amadeus family that Aaron was chosen to head up
the newly created Vox. Aaron explains this powerful journey into the
technologically advanced, cutting edge conference centre in Resorts
World Birmingham, “We mobilised the new site in 2015 and I overcame
various challenges but enjoyed every single bit. We have been building
a reputation since day one and delivering a quality food offer to exceed
customer expectations. We ensure the food is kept fresh and current
and this is enhanced by first class service. The Vox is in many ways
the sister venue for the ICC so when we originally opened we kept
the same menus for around six months. It was important to set a solid
foundation stone on a proven offer and then start to build its own
identity. We brought on new chefs and as the team gelled we received
countless pieces of feedback from happy customers.
“I spent five years working at the ICC and this transition allowed me
to find my feet and it was reassuring to always have my mentor Simon
around in case I needed a helping hand. I grew during this process
and now I’m creating the Vox’s own identity through individual menu
packs and allowing my personality to shine. I will always be grateful
for Simon for his experience and wisdom. He encouraged me to
always improve and pushed me out of my comfortable zone many
times. I feel truly alive with the shackles off and the free movement for
menu creation makes all the hard work worth it.”
Aaron has developed creativity at the Vox by personalising the
menus and developing his own handpicked team. He thanks those
around him who have superb attention to detail and bring new ideas
all the time. Aaron now feels incredibly fortunate to be able to craft
his own food story at the leading venue. He writes all the recipes and
places his own spin on the dishes. Whether he’s selecting a certain cut
of meat, using a different cooking technique or sourcing local produce.
10 GLORIOUS
MEET OUR CHEFS DEVELOPING TALENT
Aaron also helped open Belfast Waterfront after Amadeus secured
a £16 million contract over five years for the Waterfront and Ulster
Hall in Northern Ireland. “I was newly married and doubted my own
abilities at being able to open such a prestigious venue. However
I went for it and I spent six months enjoying every single moment.
Overcoming every challenge that was thrown at me was thrilling.
My personal development was enhanced and I took immense
pride in opening the venue and bringing in a new team to lead
the operation under Amadeus. I have a very strong connection to
that part of the world now and still go over to cover holidays when
needed. It was fascinating to be over there because part of the
brief from the client was a need to support local suppliers – which
we all fully agree with – but also the very small ones. This is very
important but does take a lot more work in terms of sourcing them
and supporting where needed. I was used to larger contacts so it was
a bit of a shock but in a good way. We developed some delicious
enhanced menus working with these suppliers. I have certainly taken
this experience with me into the Vox.”
Aaron has always been around food. His parents owned restaurants
and he was cooking from the very early age of 13. His passions grew
for this world and after tireless efforts he worked at maze in Mayfair,
London. The renowned Gordon Ramsay restaurant was run by a
very inspiring, now household name chef. Aaron remembers his
early days, “Jason Atherton opened many restaurants globally for the
company and was an incredible person to be in the kitchen with.
He’s huge now and I remember cooking alongside him and learning
so much. Never have I seen someone so driven to perfection. He was
the nicest guy who could meet out of service, he’d help out anyone
if they needed it. But when that first check came in he became this
highly disciplined and passionate leader. But if you live and breathe
this world you know it all stems down to a hunger to be the best.
He really set me on a journey on what I wanted to achieve. But I
always strive to perfection in my own style. I always want to be as
close as possible.”
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 11
DEVELOPING TALENT MEET OUR CHEFS
Restaurants and foodservice are different areas of hospitality but
Aaron argues that the buzz and drive is always there in the right
kitchen. No matter if it’s a private dinner for 12 or a banquet for 800,
there is a need to provide the very best.
The Vox is, in many ways, still the new kid on the block. It’s forward
thinking and a highly creative conference centre. Aaron is supported
by knowing that the people around him are driven by the same
hunger. He explains, “We are fortunate to have an incredible Front
of House team at the Vox which is led by General Manager, Emma
Pattie. We both love to keep things fresh and she is just as passionate
as me when it comes to the customer experience. We joined around
the same time and so my achievements are strongly intertwined
with hers. Front and Back of House can at times be divided but we
are always communicating which is essential.” This relationship also
allows Aaron to bring out further creativity, safe in the knowledge that
The Vox team celebrating its 200th event
bespoke menus will be backed by quality service. “Recently we held
a sporting event which was all about table tennis. We created food to
match the sport but also used lots of props and different settings to
really provide an all-consuming experience. We always trying to push
boundaries and today I’m confident the food offer is always the best
so now we need to break into other dimensions.
“This can be as simple as the display equipment which is at times
forgotten about. We hold events which include street food offers
and go beyond the traditional dish. For example we may provide a
Mexican or Japanese station for event attendees. I work closely with
the Front of House team to ensure they know exactly what everything
is and why it’s displayed in a certain way. I then place a chef behind
the station so they can inform the guest and bring more theatre to the
experience. This is important because often chefs in foodservice may
not see what they have created. It’s passed onto the waiting team
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DEVELOPING TALENT MEET OUR CHEFS
and so they never witness the guests delight in the food. If you’re
heart and soul goes into something, you do need that interaction.
“I’m always researching the latest trends and eat out a lot to taste
and sample what’s in the market. It’s important to read and observe
what other chefs are doing and quite a few post about it online
and on social media. I also have chefs approaching me to ask about
the dishes I’m sending out and the equipment I’m using. That’s always
highly rewarding to know your pushing the boundaries and its
being recognised.”
For the future Aaron wants the Vox to remain as one of the market
leaders and always enhance contemporary food offers with the
latest food trends. “I’m avoiding all restrictions to guarantee a quality
experience for the customers. We always want to be one step in
front of the market and raise the bar. I firmly believe that you also
eat with your eyes and so that’s always important for us – whether
through props, secret twists or the overall dining environment. It has
to be exciting.”
14 GLORIOUS
MEET OUR CHEFS DEVELOPING TALENT
A WARMING WINTER
Fillet of Beef
•
Pair a media-rare fillet of beef with potato dauphinoise, salt baked celeriac,
horseradish cream, coffee, roasted carrots and meat jus for the perfect winter dish
Fillet beef
Method
Place the fillet beef in a hot frying pan. For
medium-rare, about 4 1 /4 mins each side
(cooking times for a 4.5cm thick fillet steak).
Rest at room temperature for at least 10
minutes, before serving.
Potato dauphinoise
Ingredients
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• Fresh thyme
• Butter
• 450g/1lb potatoes, thinly sliced
(such as Desirée, or King Edward)
• 300ml/ 1 /2 pint whipping cream salt and
freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 170˚C/325˚F/Gas 3. Bring
the cream, garlic and thyme to a boil, till the
cream is infused and slightly thickened. Rub
a gratin dish with the garlic and butter. Layer
the potatoes into the dish, making sure each
layer is seasoned. Pour over the infused
cream and cook in the oven for 1 1 /4 hours.
Turn up the heat to 200˚C/400˚F/Gas 6 and
cook for a further 15 minutes until the top
is golden.
Horseradish cream
Ingredients
• 1 /2 cup whipping cream
• 1 /2 cup crème fraiche
• 2 teaspoons of horseradish sauce
• 2 tablespoons chives
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
In a medium bowl, whisk whipping cream
until thickened, but not yet at soft peaks.
Fold in crème fraiche, horseradish, chives,
lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate for
30 to 60 minutes before using.
Salt baked celeriac
Ingredients
• 1 large celeriac, 110g/4oz free-range
egg whites
• 700g/1lb 8oz table salt
• 5 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 110ml/4fl oz olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 190˚C/350˚F/Gas 5.
Peel and cut the celeriac, to the cubes. Place
the celeriac into a roasting tray. Mix the egg
whites, table salt and rosemary together in
a large bowl until the mixture forms a paste.
Cover the celeriac in a thick layer of the salt
paste, ensuring there are no gaps. Bake in
the oven for 45–50 minutes. When the saltbaked
celeriac has cooked, remove it from
the oven, place on a tray and smash the salt
crust, take out the baked celeriac chip away
the salt crust and add a splash of olive oil to
the celeriac, then season, to taste and serve.
Coffee roasted carrots
Ingredients
• 1.5 lbs carrots
• 2–3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 1 /2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 /2 tsp. salt
• 1 /2 tsp. pepper
• 1 /4 cup brewed coffee beans
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Method
Pre-heat your oven. Trim the greens off
the carrots, leaving about 1-inch at the top
if desired. Peel and wash the carrots. If the
carrots are large, you can cut them in half
lengthwise. On a large rimmed baking sheet,
toss the carrots with the thyme, olive oil, salt
and pepper. Transfer to your pre-heated
oven and roast for 10 minutes. While the
carrots are roasting, prepare the glaze. In a
small saucepan, bring the coffee, balsamic
vinegar and maple syrup to a boil. Cook
until the glaze is reduced to approximately
half, about 5 minutes. Remove the carrots
from the oven and pour the glaze over
the carrots, tossing to coat. Then return the
carrots to your oven for an addition 10-12
minutes, stirring once halfway through the
cooking time. The carrots are done when
they are tender, but not yet completely soft.
Remove from the oven and serve while still
warm. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight
container in the refrigerator for 1–2 days.
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 15
RESPONSIBLE CATERING REDUCING SUGAR
Caterers
WITH A CONSCIENCE
•
Kevin Watson, Managing Director of Amadeus, explains how the caterer aims
to halve the amount of sugar in its foodservice operation by 2020.
Public Health England have recently
challenged businesses to cut sugar by 20%
by 2020.This announcement was made
following a report from the government
body that found children are consuming
three times more sugar every day than they
should, leading to weight gain and obesity.
Currently, one in five children are overweight
or obese when they start primary school and
by the time they start secondary school that
rises to one in three.
It’s clear that not only manufacturers, high
street retailers and school meal providers,
but also commercial foodservice caterers
like ourselves, need to play a part in tackling
the growing health crisis – not only when it
comes to children, but consumers at large.
That’s why Amadeus has pledged to reduce
the amount of sugar in our foodservice
operation not by 20%, but by 50%, by 2020.
This will equate to removing seven tonnes of
sugar, or 30 million calories, from our food
chain in the next three years.
How will we do this? In a range of different
ways – from revising our procurement
policies to looking at our product offering
across our diverse catering portfolio which
includes catering for four million visitors
a year as part of the NEC Group, over 30
external venues and at hundreds of events
every year.
As of June this year, we began a process of
revising all of our menus across the different
venues we cater for, looking at ways in which
sugar could be reduced or substituted in
meals without compromising on flavour. So
for example, we will be using natural sugars
like honey and dried fruit instead of artificial
sugars, but also reducing natural sugars
where we can.
Moving forward, all new menus and
recipes will be devised by our chef teams
to strict sugar reduction guidelines. Some
of the recent catering concepts we’ve
launched such as our Pure brand, can not
only be considered low sugar, but focus
on ‘super foods’ that support the body’s
ability to function at its optimum capacity.
The menu features foods with slow release
energy, which are high in omega 3 and low
16 GLORIOUS
RESPONSIBLE CATERING REDUCING SUGAR
“Industry must go further
i”
and faster when it comes
to sugar reduction –
foodservice caterers like
ourselves must share the
responsibility of tackling the
rising obesity crisis
in cholesterol such as noodle soups, salad
snack pots and vegetable smoothies.
Earlier this year, the International
Convention Centre became the first
conference venue to gain ‘Food for the
Brain’ accreditation due to a menu we
developed specifically to support mental
well-being, concentration and performance.
Accreditation from the educational charity is
only given to organisations that also support
employee training and communications to
sustain a culture of nutritional awareness.
Along with reducing sugar in products,
Public Health England also recommended
that businesses should focus on reducing the
portion size, and/or the number of calories
in single-serve products as part of their
report. So with this in mind, we’ve tasked our
chef teams to look at where this might be
possible across our portfolio.
Of course, creating great tasting meals
that achieve our sugar reduction targets
starts with procurement and using suppliers
that we are proud to feature on our menus.
When engaging with manufacturers and
suppliers we first want to know what is their
approach to reducing sugar and we want
to work with companies that share our
dedication to the issue.
Another – and arguably one of the most
integral recommendations to come out of
the Public Health England report – was for
those in the food industry to look at ways in
which they can shift consumer purchasing
patterns towards lower or no added sugar
products. We have approached this task by
testing promoting lower or no added sugar
products over those with a higher sugar
content – in this way, we are not dictating
what customers should consume, but we
are employing tactics that will help to enable
customers to make healthier decisions
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 17
RESPONSIBLE CATERING REDUCING SUGAR
Marc Frankl, Food and Beverage Director for Amadeus,
talks to Glorious about devising deliciously healthy menus
when it comes to choosing what to eat
and drink.
For example, we recently ran a trial
at one of the arena venues we provide
catering services for, the Genting Arena in
Birmingham, where we removed soft drinks
with high sugar content from view in our
fridges and on our tariff boards in favour of
lower or no added sugar options. The higher
sugar content versions of the products were
still available to customers who wanted
them, however, customers would have to
specifically request for the product from staff
as it would have been placed out of view.
During the trial, we did not experience
any complaints or negative feedback from
customers and there is no doubt that
removing the visibility of the higher sugar
products led more people to purchase
lower sugar, and therefore healthier, versions
of the same product. Due to the success
of this trial, we will be looking at rolling
the approach out across all our venues
moving forward.
While foodservice caterers do have a part
to play in educating people about healthy
eating and nutrition, I would argue that this
responsibility rightly sits with our educational
intuitions. As large-scale commercial caterers,
I believe our main contribution to help
tackle the issue is by aiding individuals to
make positive food and drink choices that
benefit their health through the catering
offering we provide, whether that be by
reducing portion size, including nutritional
information on products or working with
conscientious suppliers. Our pledge to tackle
sugar consumption head on underlines our
commitment to this. Right now the, industry
needs to go much further and much faster
when it comes to sugar reduction – only
when all sectors of our industry step up
to the plate and make changes will we
start to see a real difference.
“As a team, we are motivated by devising innovative new menus and catering concepts
that are both healthy and delicious. When we design dishes like those showcased
below, we look at ways in which we can reduce sugar without impacting on taste or
the overall customer experience.
“Examples of great tasting, healthy menus we’ve recently launched include our ‘Food
for the Brain’ accredited menu at the ICC, which has been designed to aid conference
delegates by boosting mental well-being, concentration and performance and our
PUOR catering concept at the NEC that focuses on ‘super foods’ that support the body’s
ability to function at its optimum capacity.”
• Steamed salmon fillet, lemon grass
infused broth, shiitake mushrooms,
bok choi
• Thyme roast butternut squash and
pumpkin, sunflower seed salad
• Tender poached chicken, roast tomato
and pepper sauce, fresh basil
• Smooth shots – celery and apple/
beetroot and raspberry/spinach and kiwi
• Mini wholemeal banana and
honey muffins
18 GLORIOUS
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THE EDGE CUSTOMER DRIVEN CONCEPTS
TAKING EXHIBITION CATERING TO
‘The Edge’
•
Visitors attending events at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) now have more choice than ever when it
comes to choosing where to dine thanks to an innovative catering concept.
The Edge was developed by Amadeus in
a bid to transform the in-hall catering offer
available at exhibitions and sees four new
catering offers bought together under
one umbrella brand. The team undertook
extensive research into current catering
trends and collated visitor feedback on food
preferences to help inspire the new customerdriven
concepts which include the EvViva
Italian restaurant, Made ‘grab and go’ deli,
The Oak Kitchen, serving British classics, and
the man vs. food themed Butcher and Grill.
Launched in three of the NEC’s 20
exhibition halls in 2016 (halls 1,3 and 4), The
Edge is currently delivering 15% growth in
spend per transaction and has contributed
to the caterer’s most successful trading year
in its 40-year history. Due to its phenomenal
success, Amadeus has now launched The
Edge in a further four exhibition halls (halls
17-20), with plans to roll out to a further four
halls in 2018.
Paul Bate, Amadeus’ General Manager
at the NEC, said: “The NEC hosts over 500
events every year – each and every one of
these attracts a different visitor profile. One
of our major challenges was working to
create an in-hall catering solution that would
be popular with a wide range of audiences
and demographics. With the development
of The Edge we have raised the bar for
exhibition catering across the industry –
instead of having a limited range of products
to choose from, visitors are now greeted
with four fantastic catering concepts with
distinctive brand identities that wouldn’t look
out of place on today’s high street.”
The development of The Edge represents
the biggest investment in catering facilities at
the NEC in the venue’s 40-year history, with
£3.5m spent on renovating the amenities
to date. As part of the upgrade, the catering
units were completely redesigned to aid
customer flow and wayfinding while also
maximising speed of service. Following
feedback from customers that there weren’t
enough places to sit and eat saw the team
increase seating capacity by 30%.
Kathryn James, Managing Director, NEC
Group Exhibitions and Conferences, said:
“Over the last 12 months we have invested
significantly in enhancing the customer
experience at the NEC.
“Customer satisfaction is in no small part
down to the food and beverage offer
available at the venue and the development
of The Edge further differentiates our offer in
an increasingly crowded marketplace.
“Seven of our 20 exhibition halls have now
been upgraded to include The Edge and
we are thrilled at the response from visitors.
The investment is part of a venue wide
refurbishment and improvement programme
which has seen spend channelled not only
into improving the catering offer, but a
lighting upgrade and toilet improvements.”
20 GLORIOUS
CUSTOMER DRIVEN CONCEPTS THE EDGE
Amadeus has taken exhibition catering
in a completely new direction with the
development of the EvViva concept –
inspired by fresh and healthy ingredients;
this brand sources, prepares and serves a
range of tasty Italian food.
This full-service restaurant brand offers
a range of freshly cooked pasta and pizza
dishes as well as meatballs and ice creams.
The signature dishes include a traditional
Margherita, topped with torn Buffalo
mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and sun
blushed tomatoes as well as the Polpette
Arrabbiata, which is a braised beef and pork
meat balls dish served with spaghetti and a
spicy tomato and red pepper sauce.
The menu is well priced and is constructed
to encourage bundle deals and associated
purchases. This is a down-to-earth Italian
family restaurant that is both welcoming and
accessible to all and is the perfect place for
visitors to take a break and rest their legs
during a busy day!
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 21
THE EDGE CUSTOMER DRIVEN CONCEPTS
The Oak Kitchen is an extremely flexible retail
brand that services hearty and ethical British
food with a twist. From breakfast, brunch,
lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, The Oak
Kitchen champions real British ingredients
– dishes on the menu include the British
ale battered deep fried cod, British potato
fries with Maldon sea salt and malt vinegar,
crushed minted peas and homemade tartar
sauce or the Sweet potato and spinach
curry served with steamed rice, a garlic and
coriander naan and crispy poppadum.
As the name suggests at its roots this retail
brand celebrates British food, ingredients
and cooking. It has a strong focus on natural
and ethical ingredients sourced exclusively
from British farms and ensuring that all food
categories are properly accredited. This
approach to food service is summed up in
iconography of the English Oak, representing
heritage, history and the natural countryside.
The Oak Kitchen concept has proved
extremely successful for Amadeus since its
launch. As well as featuring alongside newly
created brands in The Edge, Amadeus utilises
this concept in many of the venues it operates
in, including Dudley Zoological Gardens and
the International Convention Centre.
“We are proud to say all our
beef is 100% British; our
potatoes are all sourced
from British soil and even
our bacon is from a British
supplier. After a series
of blind tasting sessions
our chefs selected award
winning sausage from
a company based in the
Cotswolds.
When looking at ideas
for our menus we had to
make sure that the food
offering would appeal to
a global audience. Our
customer base is extremely
varied; we not only cater
for the general public
but a large percentage
of our customers are
international, attending
exhibition shows or
conferences at our
home venues
Marc Frankl
Food and Beverage Director, Amadeus
22 GLORIOUS
CUSTOMER DRIVEN CONCEPTS THE EDGE
The Butcher and Grill is a wholesome
and value for money grill option which
mirrors many of the modern food concepts
establishing themselves in the market.
Amadeus’ ‘man vs. food’ offering based at
The Edge offers a range of proper burgers,
great British bangers as well as other great
grill options.
The meat-lover’s menu was devised over
several months during which the Amadeus
team tested every possible combination
of burger, brioche bun, relish and garnish
they could think of! Each grilled meat dish is
sourced and cooked with integrity meeting
all of the ethical standards you would expect.
The meats at the heart of this menu are all
Red Tractor approved and hand reared.
With research undertaken by the team
showing that customers wanted greater
choice when purchasing, with food cooked
quickly to order to suit their personal tastes,
Amadeus devised a menu with customisation
at its heart. Visitors can customise their
burger with one of Amadeus’ delicious
toppings including smashed spiced avocado,
smoked cheddar cheese, lollo blonde
lettuce, sliced beefeater tomato or even its
own smokey “Edge” mayo.
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 23
THE EDGE CUSTOMER DRIVEN CONCEPTS
The MADE handcrafted café concept lives
and breathes the principles of freshly
made food and quality beverages. It was
developed by the Amadeus team following
research into the grab n’ go sector, currently
one of the fastest growing market segments
in the UK.
The team found there was a growing
demand for healthy and fresh products that
were quick and easy to eat on the go, and
so set about producing a delicious menu of
breakfast ciabattas, freshly baked pastries,
deli sandwiches, warming coffees and
speciality teas.
Everything is made from scratch –
sandwiches are made using freshly baked
bread, the cakes are always handmade and
Amadeus even has its own MADE blend
of coffee beans, which has been specially
selected and is only served freshly ground.
What’s more, everything is made to the
customer’s specification!
The team are passionate about supporting
British farmers and growers and believe
it’s important to minimise negative impacts
on the environment by using 100%
biodegradable packaging.
“ We like to encourage
”
our
We don’t like to tell people
what to eat but we like
to look after them by
reducing salt and sugar in
all our food and all of our
snacks will be as healthy
as we can make them.”
younger visitors to eat
more fruit and will give
a piece of fruit free to
children when they eat
with us.
Marc Frankl
Food and Beverage Director, Amadeus
24 GLORIOUS
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AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 23
EVENTS TEAM ON THE ROAD
AMADEUS ON THE ROAD –
a summer of success
•
Amadeus’ Events Team caters for hundreds of events every year from ‘greenfield’ events such as
international sporting tournaments to standalone events including weddings, conferences, receptions,
meetings and banquets for corporate clients. Led by General Manager Sam Bates, the team this year
celebrated one of their most successful summers to date.
Amadeus celebrated a summer of success
earlier this year which saw the Events Team
cater for nearly 40 events in June, July
and August.
The experienced team bought their unique
style of catering to a range of different events
including weddings, banquets, corporate
dinners and five internationally renowned
sporting championships. In total, the team
served 9,290 hospitality covers and travelled
2,693 miles in the three months, catering
at events across the UK from Kingsbarns in
Scotland to Eastbourne in East Sussex.
Highlights for the team included catering
at the Lawn Tennis Association’s Aegon Open
Nottingham (10th–18th June), Aegon Classic
Birmingham (17th–25th June) and Aegon
International Eastbourne (26th June–1st July)
where Amadeus worked with dieticians to
provide menus to help players compete at
their optimum ability. In July, the team catered
for over 50,000 visitors at the Aberdeen
Asset Management Scottish Open (13th–16th
July) at Dundonald Links in Scotland, where
they worked with artisan local suppliers to
create innovative menus of local provenance.
August then saw the team cater for the
IMG Ricoh Women’s Open Golf (3rd–6th
August) for the twelfth consecutive year in
a row, having worked with the tournament
organisers since 2005, and previous
sponsors of the tournament from 1997.
Over the five major sporting tournaments,
the Events Team served 11,240 players
and their entourages, 12,601 marshalls and
volunteers, 4,105 ball boys and girls and 3,375
members of the media.
Sam Bates, General Manager for Amadeus’
Events Team (pictured right), who has
worked for the business for 22 years, said:
“Amadeus does not believe in a “one size fits
all” mentality, so whether we’re catering for
the public at a live event or for a fine dining
banquet, we look to provide a tailored,
quality solution for each and every client.
“Although we operate all year round, the
summer months are when the team is at
its busiest. We share a long history with the
Lawn Tennis Association, European Tour and
Ricoh Women’s British Open having worked
with them for many years and understand
the audience profiles for each event inside
out. To keep things interesting we always
look to push the boundaries of creativity,
providing bespoke menus and working with
local suppliers to keep our offer authentic.”
Kevin Watson, Managing Director of
Amadeus, said: “Sam and her team deliver
great quality catering on grand scales year after
year. The team takes Amadeus’ passion for
creativity and innovation out of the kitchen and
on the road, delivering catering for standalone
business or greenfield events across the
UK and internationally. They have enjoyed
a record summer and are already working
towards next year’s calendar of events.”
Last year, Sam’s team delivered +135%
revenue above their target set for standalone
events while also providing best of class
catering for a number of major events. Here’s
a taster of the events the team has catered at
over the last year…
28 GLORIOUS
EVENTS TEAM ON THE ROAD
Event name: Midland Met Hospital – Topping
Out Ceremony
Event date: 14th July 2017
Event type: Formal opening
Number of people catering for: 100
The brief: To cater for this VIP topping out
ceremony for the new Midland Met hospital, the
client required Amadeus to deliver our catering
service up on the ninth floor of this still active
building site. Catering to include, a drinks reception
with canapes for 30 minutes, followed by a second
drinks reception accompanied with a finger buffet.
Event name: Lawn Tennis Association’s Aegon
Classic Birmingham
Event date: 17th–25th June 2017
Event type: International sporting event
Number of people catering for: over 2,500
people for each day of the eight-day tournament
The brief: provide a food and beverage offering
to a range of different groups including general
admission ticket holders and VIP corporate
hospitality guests alongside tournament staff,
volunteers, media and the players themselves.
Event name: Catering for JCB at Bauma 2016 –
the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Construction,
Building Materials Machines, Mining Machines,
Construction, Vehicles and Equipment.
Event date: 8th–14th April 2016
Event type: International exhibition
Number of people catering for: Approximately 5,000
people across the customer café and hospitality area.
The brief: Provide a customer café and VIP
hospitality offering for those visiting JCB’s exhibition
hall within the Bauma 2016 event, as well as staff
and event catering.
Event name: IMG Ricoh Women’s Open Golf
Event date: 3rd–6th August 2017
Event type: International sporting event
Number of people catering for: over 40,000
visitors over the four days
The brief: To provide a food and beverage
offering to a range of different groups including
general admission ticket holders and VIP
corporate hospitality guests alongside tournament
staff, volunteers, media and the players themselves.
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 29
INNOVATION HUB SUPPORTING NEW IDEAS
INTRODUCING THE
Amadeus Innovation Hub
•
This year, in association with EP Business in Hospitality, Amadeus created a brand new Innovation Hub to
find and support new concepts and businesses in and around the hospitality sector. The Hub hopes to
provide a boost in confidence for younger companies who are looking for more recognition and acts as a
platform to showcase innovation. In the modern world, there is a great need to find and nurture talented
ideas and Amadeus is putting itself at the forefront.
Entrepreneurs dream of making a difference
to the market and their industry. They bring
a new concept or solution to a pre-existing
problem which can add value and support
a business. Whether through enhancing the
customer experience or simply making life
easier, these concepts and businesses can
provide a dynamic difference.
This winter Amadeus and EP are hosting
a round of pitches for entrepreneurial
companies who have entered the Innovation
Hub. The strong set of finalists will present
their businesses and explain their brand. It is
an important milestone for Amadeus as they
have always supported innovation but now
have a recognised platform to explore new
entrepreneurial ideas that may help their
business. The prestigious accolade for those
entering is the chance to work with Amadeus
in one or a number of their sites around the
country. The whole experience also provides
an opportunity to meet other inspirational
entrepreneurs and receive valuable feedback
from business leaders.
Kevin Watson, Managing Director
at Amadeus said, “At Amadeus, we are
passionate about supporting growing
businesses – large and small, up and down
the country. We want to celebrate individual
success stories that make up Britain’s vibrant
business community and are looking for
entrepreneurs to take part in the Innovation
Hub that can make a difference to our
hospitality business.
“The ultimate aim for this Innovation Hub,
created by EP and backed by Amadeus,
is for it to continuously run each year and
become an established platform to showcase
entrepreneurial successes in the hospitality
industry and beyond.”
Chris Sheppardson, Managing Director
at EP Business in Hospitality said, “The
Innovation Hub is a call to the best and
brightest entrepreneurial talent to enter
and get the recognition they deserve.
EP possess an Entrepreneurs Club and
working with both them and companies,
we can see the need to bridge the gap
between these worlds. We argue that
that this gap between corporates and
entrepreneurs has never been greater. It is
almost like two universes operating next
to each other but gradually growing apart.
Amadeus are the ones approaching this
differently and are proven at investing in new
ideas that improve the customer experience.
We are proud to work with them on this
exciting journey.”
Amadeus isn’t just throwing weight behind
these new ideas to fulfil business ambitions,
it’s also to make a substantial contribution to
the UK economy. The award will hopefully
change perceptions in the industry and
other companies will follow suit. There is a
fantastic calibre of talent on the fringes of
the hospitality industry and more businesses
must take stock of what is happening. If they
don’t, they may get left behind.
Applicants in the Innovation Hub will
be assessed on the basis of the strength
of their business concept, its readiness for
development and, in cases of more established
businesses, the quality of the offer. Those
entering submit their business plan, how they
deliver their concept or product and reasons
why it would work well for Amadeus.
The Innovation Hub is a hotbed of fresh
thinking and initiative, determination and
business savvy. With EP’s experience in the
development of entrepreneurial ideas and
business models, Amadeus hope to embed
the winning idea into their business plan in
order to make real changes. In uncertain
economic and political times, it is essential
to embrace skilled entrepreneurs and work
with them to make the ideas a commercially
minded reality.
PLACING
INNOVATION
CENTRE STAGE
All of this activity crystallises the
hard work being done by growing
smaller businesses. Find out how the
entries did in this year’s Innovation
Hub in the next issue of Glorious.
© ALPHASPIRIT | 123RF.COM
30 GLORIOUS
INNOVATION HUB SUPPORTING NEW IDEAS
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 31
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NURTURING TALENT MASTERCLASS
Amadeus Masterclass:
THE HOME-GROWN TRAINING
PROGRAMME ‘MAKING THE DIFFERENCE’
•
Glorious meets the makers of the Amadeus Masterclass series and joins a practical session
to find out how the business is approaching training differently
It’s no secret that hospitality leaders have
struggled to retain the talent the sector needs
– that’s why figures indicate over 900,000
workers need to be recruited in the next
five years to sustain the growing industry.
Amadeus – like all other large scale caterers
– is in constant need of new blood, with the
correct work-ready skills, in order to help the
company thrive.
Once staff are recruited, the challenge for
employers becomes how to ensure staff go
on to succeed in the hospitality industry and
enjoy long, rewarding careers. More than
ever, businesses need to take proactive steps
to keep staff within the business – outlining
clear progression strategies for individuals in
order to retain talent and make them
feel valued.
At Amadeus, Mark Charlampowicz,
Catering Operations Manager, and Lorna
Hendey, Live Events Catering Operations
Manager, have created a unique solution to
this issue: the Amadeus Masterclass.
Mark explains, “We find that people
coming out of school and college these days
are often lacking in basic skills such as how to
interact with people effectively. These are vital
skills needed to work in the catering industry,
and many staff are simply expected to learn
what is required of them on the job.
“Amadeus works across a wide range
of venues – in the NEC Group home
venues alone, we deliver conferencing
and banqueting catering at the ICC and the
Vox, retail at the NEC and in our two Arena
venues, along with hospitality event catering.
We need individuals who are versatile and
understand the nuances of different types
of catering, so we designed the Amadeus
Masterclass to get our staff to this level
of expertise.
“I hope people will feel out of their
comfort zone when learning about other
areas of the business – that’s why the
Masterclass was created, to learn and support
each other.”
The Amadeus Masterclass aims to enhance
the skills of the workforce with six key
modules covering retail and customer service,
bars and hospitality and conference and
banqueting. Staff get paid for this voluntary
training which provides them with one on
one sessions with industry experts – both
in live environments and in the classroom
– helping them to gain in confidence and
enhance progression opportunities.
During the Retail and Customer Service
session students will learn vital skills such as
dealing with customer complaints, how to
‘wow’ the customer, building professional
relationships and effective upselling.
When it comes to the Bars and Hospitality
Restaurants course students will be taken
through relevant licensing laws, weights and
measures, different categories of alcoholic
products and wines, restaurant layup
and confident service. The final session –
Conference and Banqueting – will teach
students different banqueting lay ups and
service, napkin folds, how to box a table and
how to give an effective brief.
Students are also taught how to use
Voyager, the mobile POS hospitality system,
whereby staff can take orders for customer
on a tablet device. The introduction of
Voyager across the business has significantly
increased spend per head by process
improvement, replacing the traditional
notepad and pen being used for orders.
It also means staff spend less time walking
between the kitchen and the table,
meaning they can spend more time with
their customers.
While these are the core skills students will
take away from the course, Lorna explains
the wider benefits of taking part in the
programme: “This is a unique opportunity for
staff to gain exposure to the wider Amadeus
business and the opportunity to meet
different staff from across the group’s venues
which consequently will increase staff’s
versatility and ability to work across different
parts of the business, helping progression
opportunities. Students will get personal one
to one training with industry experts and will
even get paid their contracted hourly rate
while taking part in the sessions!”
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 33
NURTURING TALENT MASTERCLASS
FROM THE CLASSROOM
TOP TIPS:
When directing guests to the appropriate tea
or coffee station hold the flat of your hand out
with the thumb tucked in rather than pointing
•
Always say “have a lovely day”– you may only
have 20 seconds with a guest to make
a lasting impression
•
Be engaging when providing staff with a
catering brief and make sure the staff know
you are approachable
“New points that I learned
included understanding how
to deal with complaints with
more empathy and learning
more about Amadeus’
standards across the core
venues and how health and
safety and laws affect
the business.
Sundas Sheikh
Zero Hour Multi-Skilled Operative/
Trainee Team Leader
34 GLORIOUS
NURTURING TALENT MASTERCLASS
TO THE MAIN EVENT
“I feel like the Masterclass
benefited me because it took
me out of my comfort zone
and really made me see the
importance of why we do
certain things within our
roles. One of the main ways
it impacted me was helping
”
me to progress on my skills
of waiting into supervising/
managing part of the
restaurant.
Kia Fitzgerald
Zero Hour Multi-Skilled Operative/
Trainee Team Leader
TOP TIPS:
When serving tea and coffee to a large
amount of guests, make sure all tea bags are
taken out of their packaging to save time
•
Line up the crease in the table cloth with the
middle of the table so it looks as neat
as possible
•
There’s always a better word than ‘no’ when it
comes to customer service
•
If you’re not happy with the standard of the
table at a banquet – don’t accept it!
•
Customers aren’t as scary as you think they
are – you are a customer at some point also
•
If you don’t know the answer say you don’t
know – but make sure you find out!
•
When carrying three plates at the same
time at a banquet make sure you keep
your thumb flat
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 35
NURTURING TALENT MASTERCLASS
We speak to the creators behind the Amadeus Masterclass series to find out
what they hope to achieve from the course
Name: Mark Charlampowicz
Job title: Catering Operations Manager
Venue: Genting Arena
Why is the Masterclass series important to Amadeus as a business?
It’s really important to invest in our staff and to get them operating
at the quality that Amadeus expects as a business. As managers, we
have high expectations – but we need to give our staff the skills in
order to perform at the standards that we want them to.
What do you hope students will take away from the sessions?
I hope it breaks down the barriers within our business and shows
that working at the different venues Amadeus operates in isn’t a
scary thing – we find that a lot of our staff get comfortable working
at one venue and they decide to just stick with that type of catering.
The Masterclass series opens up the door to meet with the different
managers and different areas of the business in order to develop staff
and build confidence.
Is this different to how other caterers approach training?
Yes – we can’t consider ourselves like other caterers, we’re very
unique in everything that we do! We’re very forward thinking as a
business so from a training perspective no I don’t think other caterers
do it like us and we are very unique in pushing this training forward.
Why do you love your career in catering?
The people, the energy, the passion and the pace… such a great
environment to work in, such a buzz and where if you love what you
do and want to succeed, you can. I have been very lucky to work
with some amazing people. I started at 16, pot washing in a pub while
doing my GCSEs – and the rest is history!
Name: Lorna Hendey
Job title: Live Events Catering Operations Manager
Venue: NEC
Why is the Masterclass series important to Amadeus as a business?
It’s so important because we’re giving back to our staff. We’re giving
them the training they need to do the job, because nowadays so
many people are coming out of school and college without the right
skill set and then go straight into the industry. Through the Masterclass
series we teach them the basics – not only how to do the basic job
but also how to speak to people and how to change your approach
to the range of different customers we have.
What do you hope students will take away from the sessions?
As long as everybody takes at least one new thing from the session
then we’ve done our job!
Is this different to how other caterers approach training?
I believe we’re one of the only caterers investing in our staff in this
way. The difference between this training course and others is that
it’s made by the operators for the people in the business, rather than
by anybody from a HR or learning and development team. All of the
training team are operators – and we have created the course from
our experience of working in the business.
Why do you love your career in catering?
I began working in catering at 16 in pubs, and it loved it! I love
dealing with different people every day. At the NEC, I love that every
day and every event is different when you work for 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 is really special and unique.
36 GLORIOUS
Photo Experiences & Creative Events
CONFERENCE CATERING FAM TRIP FEATURE
Amadeus shows its wares
AT EAST OF ENGLAND ARENA AND EVENTS CENTRE
•
The 21st September saw the East of England Arena and Events Centre and their catering
partner Amadeus, organise a fam trip for conference organisers.
The purpose of the trip was to showcase the
refurbishments made at the venue and the
new catering opportunities on offer based
upon the partnership with Amadeus. The
East of England Arena and Events Centre has
recently been the subject of over £4.5m of
investment in refurbishing its infrastructure for
exhibitions, conferencing and banqueting. The
partnership with Amadeus now brings its F&B
offering into line with the fabric of the venue.
Over 50 people attended from local and
regional businesses, charities, members of
the city council and a number of local figures
in commerce and industry, clearly intended
to position the venue as the gateway to the
East of England, an economically prosperous
region that has a mix of high tech industries
such as biosciences and a thriving food
production economy.
Having local produce easily to hand is
something that fits the ethos of Amadeus
and allows the venue to deliver low
environmental impact catering to a very
high quality. The trip highlighted that there
was no longer a need to go to London or
Birmingham for such facilities and, when
it comes to exhibitions, conferencing,
banqueting and corporate events, they are
available in an out of town venue that is also
easy to reach from the city.
During the day visitors were able to
review all of the conference and meeting
rooms which included the newly refurbished
Peterborough Suite and Cambridge suite,
400m 2 and 600m 2 respectively.
The event began with a sparkling welcome
reception in the Peterborough Suite, set up
in a banqueting format to show one option
as to how the room could be used. There
was time for guests to network before they
moved on to presentations in the newly
refurbished Cambridge suite starting with
Jason Lunn, general manager of the venue.
His presentation touched upon how the
new name of the venue is reflective of
the extensive changes it has undergone,
repositioning it as an important step for
the business – now the venue’s profile is
increasing and it is attracting new business.
He added that the inward investment into
the Peterborough area allows the venue
to attract a new clientèle that may not have
considered coming to the area before,
enhanced by additional benefits such as the
partnership with Virgin trains and the coach
link to the venue, making it even easier for
people to attend. Partnerships with local
38 GLORIOUS
FAM TRIP FEATURE CONFERENCE CATERING
“My favourite aspect of the
”
i”
day was the food sampling,
the display of the dishes
and different types of food.
I also loved learning about
Amadeus and the provenance
of the food they used within
the dishes.
“It was great being able to
have a taster and try lots
of different food. The waiters
were very attentive which
was great.
“Really enjoyed the food
tasting. Loved how it was
presented and feel Amadeus
showed a lot of different
food types.”
hotels at discounted prices also provide
making the offer more attractive.
Another theme of Jason’s presentation
was the combination of the indoor and
outdoor space and it’s inherent flexibility. The
team can work with organisers to do almost
anything they want: one company wanted to
demonstrate pipe installation in the ground
outside, something not possible with a
traditional exhibition hall. Jason rounded
off the presentation by citing the Amadeus
partnership as a game-changer for the
venue, representing an important part of its
future ambitions.
The next presentation was from Annie
Monnox, Amadeus’ general manager at
the venue, who introduced Amadeus to
the audience, explaining that the company
delivers catering solutions to venues and
event organisers who want to provide
visitors with a unique and memorable food
experience. Annie recounted how Amadeus
differs from its competitors, by being able to
draw on 40 years’ experience operating in
venues, and creating events, as part of the
NEC Group. Amadeus serves around four
million visitors per year at the group’s home
venues (the NEC, ICC, Vox Conference Centre,
et al.), and provides hospitality services to
a growing number of prestigious external
events and venues including Coventry
Cathedral and The Scottish Open.
Annie also mentioned how Amadeus
provides retail catering solutions for a number
of high profile visitor attractions too, including
Cadbury World, Library of Birmingham and
Dudley Zoo. With more than 1,000 staff
and over 100 chefs, the Amadeus team
has won more than 650 awards for quality
and innovation in catering. The catering
services that Amadeus is bringing to its new
partnership with East of England Arena and
Events Centre are backed up by its formidable
experience and expertise.
Annie also spoke about how Amadeus
offers a menu at the ICC in Birmingham
which has been accredited by educational
charity ‘Food for the Brain’, which focuses
on foods to help delegates stay alert and
perform at their optimum ability during a
long day.
After the presentations Amadeus
demonstrated their catering capabilities
with a delicious selection of meals served
as a circulation of hot and cold bowl foods.
Desserts were served from theatre stations
manned by Amadeus chefs serving both
savoury and sweet options.
The day wrapped up with a series of
entertaining networking activities devised
and delivered by Gable Events. And, a final
farewell was made to guests with an awards
ceremony and refreshing drinks served from
the Pimms Bar.
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 39
CONFERENCE CATERING FAM TRIP FEATURE
The Menu
Cold tasting table
Lemon and thyme marinated chicken with Caesar salad
Roasted lime and coriander salmon, Fenland asparagus salad, lime crème fraiche
Szechuan pepper breast of duck, Asian herb and noodle salad
Bocconcini with marinated tomatoes and rocket and basil salad (v)
Hot bowls
Theatre station
Slow cooked Bricksworth lamb with smoked paprika, roasted bell peppers and gnocchi
From the kitchen
Coriander, garlic and lemon marinated chicken, tikka masala sauce,
braised basmati rice and mini poppadoms
Mini beer battered cod, twice cooked chips, baby caper and parsley mayonnaise served in fish cone
Roasted thyme and garlic butternut squash, pea and mint risotto, rocket and basil pesto (v)
Onion bhaji, Asian vegetable samosa and spinach pakora with masala raita (v)
Desserts
British pudding club
Sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce
Steamed jam sponge with vanilla custard
Theatre station
Eton mess with Lutton Farm strawberries, raspberries, meringue and strawberry coulis
40 GLORIOUS
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AMADEUS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS • PUBLIC AND TRADE
The comprehensive guide to the upcoming shows and events this season
21•11
James Blunt
24•11
Enter Shikari
29•11
Stone Sour
2•12
Gorillaz
20-24•12
Peter Pan - Christmas
in Neverland
www.thenec.co.uk
www.barclaycardarena.co.uk
www.gentingarena.co.uk
CALENDAR OF
EVENTS
GENTING ARENA
NOV
17–18
Little Mix
25
James Arthur
27
Elvis in Concert live
on screen with the
Royal Philharmonic
Concert Orchestra
29
Vitality Netball
International Series
– England Roses v
Malawi Queens
DEC
3
Phil Collins
5
Michael Ball
& Alfie Boe
James Arthur is a British singer and songwriter who won the ninth
series of The X Factor in 2012. His debut single, ‘Impossible’, was
released by Syco Music after the final and debuted at number one.
25 NOVEMBER
James Arthur
9
Steps
10
Harry Potter and
The Chamber of
Secrets in concert
with full live orchestra
15
UB40
16
I Love Reggae
21
André Rieu
29
Let’s Have a
Rock & Roll Party
JAN
14
Paramore
20 JANUARY
The Arenacross
Tour 2018
World Class Indoor Motocross Racing & Freestyle Motocross returns
to the Genting Arena for the ultimate, dirt-filled night of craziness!
20
The Arenacross Tour 2018
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 43
CALENDAR OF EVENTS AMADEUS
<
GENTING ARENA
FEB
1
Lady Gaga
9
Kendric Lamar
15
The Script
24
Imagine
Dragons
25
The X Factor
Live Tour 2018
27
Morrisey
MAR
1
Stereophonics
2
Paul Weller
3
Elbow
8–11
Crufts 2018
and Best in Show
15
All Time Low
16
Joe Bonamassa
Stereophonics have released nine studio albums, including six UK number one albums, their latest album being 2015’s ‘Keep the Village Alive’.
Don’t miss the hotly anticipated gig.
17
40 Years of Disco
21
Paloma Faith
22
Flight of
the Conchords
24
Jason Derulo
28•3–1•4
Disney on Ice
presents Worlds
of Enchantment
ARENA
BIRMINGHAM
NOV
17
Deep Purple
18
Royal Blood
1 MARCH
Stereophonics
Paloma Faith will release her long-awaited fourth album, ‘The Architect’, 17 November. Paloma
will embark on a UK arena tour in support of the album next year, with a stop at the Genting Arena.
21 MARCH
Paloma Faith
25 MARCH
Flight of the
Conchords
Grammy Award-winning folk comedy duo Flight of the Conchords (aka Jemaine Clement
and Bret McKenzie) will be headlining their first UK and Irish tour in over seven years.
44 GLORIOUS
CONSISTENCY
HIGH QUALITY OF STAFF
RELIABLE SERVICE
temptribe.co.uk or
hello@temptribe.co.uk
CALENDAR OF EVENTS AMADEUS
< ARENA BIRMINGHAM Heavy metal’s Stone Sour have announced a major UK tour this winter, and will be hitting Arena
Birmingham 29 November, with support from The Pretty Reckless.
19
Depeche Mode
21
James Blunt
23
Bananarama
24
Enter Shikari
25–26
The 2017
Birmingham
International Tattoo
29
Stone Sour
30
Queen +
Adam Lambert
DEC
1
Steps
2
Gorillaz
4–7
Heaven on Earth
8–9
Kasabian
10
DreamWorks
Animation in Concert
12
Liam Gallagher
16
Queen +
Adam Lambert
17
Five Finger
Death Punch
20–24
Peter Pan –
Christmas in
Neverland
21 NOVEMBER
James Blunt
29 NOVEMBER
Stone Sour
2 DECEMBER
Gorillaz
James Blunt returns with the Afterlove Tour – the first tour for James
following his extensive Moon Landing Tour, which saw him perform
over 140 shows across the world over the course of twelve months.
‘Humanz’, their first new studio album in seven years, has launched to widespread critical acclaim
and the world’s most successful virtual act will be descending on Arena Birmingham this December.
46 GLORIOUS
AMADEUS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS • PUBLIC AND TRADE
The comprehensive guide to the upcoming shows and events this season
JAN
19–21
Strictly Come
Dancing Live
25
Chris Rock
28
BBL Cup Final 2018
31
Lady Gaga
25 JANUARY
Chris Rock
FEB
23
Professor
Brian Cox Live
MAR
1–4
IAAF
World Indoor
Championships
Birmingham
2018
14–18
Yonex
All England
Open Badminton
Championships
21–22
2018
Gymnastics
World Cup
29
Thirty
Seconds
To Mars
Grammy and Emmy Award winning comedian, actor, director, writer and producer, Chris Rock,
has announced The Total Blackout Tour marking the acclaimed comedian’s first U.K. tour in ten years.
Chris Rock is one of our generation’s strongest comedic voices.
THE NEC
NOV
16–18
The Skills Show
16–19
Festive Gift Fair
18–19
MCM Birmingham Comic Con
18–26
Motorcycle Live 2017(public and trade)
22–23
Occupational Therapy Show (trade)
22
Academies Show Birmingham
2017 (trade)
22–23
Therapy Expo (trade)
23–26
Antiques for Everyone Winter Fair 2017
24–25
National Engineering and Construction
Recruitment
25–26
Warley National Model
Railway Exhibition
30•11–3•12
BBC Good Food Show
DEC
1–5
World of Duty Free – Airport Sale
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 47
CALENDAR OF EVENTS AMADEUS
The BBC Good Food Show is heading back to the NEC this winter for four days packed
with top UK chefs cooking LIVE, great shopping from a huge range of independent
producers.
11–14 JANUARY
Performance Car Show
30 NOVEMBER–3 DECEMBER
BBC Good Food Show
Leading marques and manufacturers will be on display in the Performance Car Show.
With iconic brands like Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin and Porsche.
<
THE NEC
1–23
Vivid Christmas
parties –
Manhattan
2–3
Baby To Toddler
8–17
The Beast –
The World’s Biggest
Bouncy Castle
9–10
Ladies Kennel
Association
14
Jewson Live
27
Toy Collector’s Fair
JAN
11–14
Autosport
International
(11 and 12 Jan Trade)
11–14
Performance
Car Show
(11 and 12 Jan Trade)
14–15
Trophex ‘Live’
2018 (Trade)
20–21
National
Running Show
21–23
Beta International
2018 (Trade)
21–24
January
Furniture
Show (Trade)
18-19 NOVEMBER
MCM Birmingham
Comic Con
FEB
4–8
Spring Fair 2018
11
Toy Collector’s Fair
16–18
British Shooting
Show (Trade)
18–20
MODA UK
18–20
CHSI Stitches
(Trade)
20–25
The Caravan,
Camping and
Motorhome
Show 2018
MAR
17–18
MCM Birmingham
Comic Con
14–17
The Big Bang Fair
2018
17–20
The Photography
Show
21–22
British Tourism
and Travel Show
22–25
The National
Homebuilding and
Renovating Show
30•3–2•4
Insomnia62 –
UK’s Biggest
Gaming Festival
There’ll be special guests, sci-fi, comic books, cosplay, anime, games and movies galore when MCM
returns to the NEC for the first Birmingham Comic Con of 2018! Brought to you by the team behind
London Comic Con, the UK’s biggest comic convention, MCM Birmingham Comic Con is a two-day festival.
LISTINGS CORRECT AT
TIME OF GOING TO PRINT
48 GLORIOUS
Kitchen Solutions
Catering Solutions Available to Hire or Purchase
01
02
03
01
02
03
04
Temporary Kitchens for hire
KitchenPods
Food Cubes
Space Station
04
Contact us to find
about our NEW
Podules - A mix and
match catering solution
T: 01242 663000 E: postbox@pkl.co.uk W: www.pkl.co.uk
TEAMWORK MOBILE CATERING
Amadeus
MADE MY DAY
•
Glorious speaks to Teresa Gohil, Catering Manager for the Mobile Catering Division at the NEC.
GREG SMOLONSKI ABIPP, PHOTOVIBE
the delicious food prepared by our chefs
was centre stage. Working with various
teams we reorganised the seating, service
points and changed our displays to focus
our customers attention to the great food
choices. The outcome was brilliant with our
average spend per transaction increasing
by 14% and our Mystery Shopper scores up
10% on previous years.
Today, I am delighted to run the Mobile
Catering Division team that involves logistical
movement, set up and operation of modular
catering equipment builds. We operate
our feature café and concept food areas
and at the same time continue to develop
management structure and team leader
groups of supervisory staff.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The most gratifying part of my role is being
able to mentor and develop my newly
structured young and dynamic team. As
the Operational Catering Manager for the
Mobile Catering Division, I manage all nonfixed
catering units at the NEC. My team are
passionate and hungry to do well and I work
closely with them and development chefs
to create, launch and operate new branded
catering concepts.
What draws customers to the mobile
catering units you operate?
The units are the perfect place for our
customers to meet their clients or friends for
a cup of coffee, breakfast or lunch during an
exhibition. We are located right next to the
exhibitors stands so it’s easy access. Using
our insights, we provide bespoke food and
drink offers depending on each individual
exhibition. Matching the visitor profile is
essential because it’s important to keep the
customers fuelled for their busy days.
How has your journey been with Amadeus?
I joined Amadeus in October 2012 as an
hourly paid multi-skilled operative. I worked
hard and Amadeus saw my potential and I
was quickly selected for team leading duties.
In less than a year I was promoted to the
position of Deputy Catering Manager. It
provided me with many opportunities to
learn from my senior colleagues and I was
able to take these lessons and apply my
own instincts and understanding of the
customer’s needs.
In 2014 I was encouraged to take on a
Catering Manager position in the largest
and busiest hall in Hall 5 at the NEC. I gained
experience working with The Oak Kitchen
restaurant and really enjoyed working with
the culinary team and also the marketing
team. The objective was always making sure
How does the mobile catering support
the fixed catering offer?
The mobile catering team is a part in the
large NEC Amadeus family. We work with
the fixed catering teams to deliver great
customer experiences every day. The
mobile catering units are perfect for large
volume exhibitions because we can cater
for massive spikes in exhibition attendance
which is essential during the busy but short
lunch period.
As a recent finalist of the ACE Robyns
Awards, how was this experience?
It has been an absolute honour being
shortlisted for the 2017 awards. It means a
lot being recognised at such a prestigious
level, considering that my career in this world
only really started only few years ago. It has
motivated me even more to help develop
young talented people using my own
experiences.
50 GLORIOUS
TEAMWORK PEOPLE
The special
INGREDIENT
•
Managing Director of Amadeus, Kevin Watson, recently delivered a keynote
speech to over 200 people at the EP Hospitality Insights Conference.
In November 2017 Kevin presented “The
Special Ingredient” to a full room of people
from across the hospitality industry. Kevin’s
presentation focused on how it may be one
thing to recruit good people but how do
hospitality businesses keep them engaged?
How do they build long careers with their
companies and how can businesses make
their people thrive?
Kevin explained, “It’s not fancy marketing,
big budgets or new-fangled technology,
the truth is foodservice is all about people.
It always has been and always will be”. The
Hospitality Insights Conference included
discussion and debate on balancing
commerciality with value, cutting down on
red tape, promoting healthy lifestyles and
much more. Kevin argued that none of that
matters and none of it will help you succeed if
you haven’t got the right people around you.
Kevin presented a slide with the results
of a recent British Social Attitude Survey by
National Centre of Social Research. It found
the top three things that matter most to
employees are; job security, having a job
they consider interesting and have good
opportunities for advancement. The bottom
three were working independently, high
income, deciding own days and times of
work. Kevin explained that it is therefore
essential that businesses create a motivated
workforce which is less about monetary
rewards and more to do with management
style – building cultures of trust, openness
and security.
There are a few great examples of
companies doing people engagement well, in
a style that works for them. Kevin showcased
the likes of Sir Garry Hawkes, “who rewarded
1,000 of his top leaders when his company
Gardner Merchant was sold to Sodexo in
1995, giving them a sense of security in a
period of change” and also mentioned Ben
and Jerry’s motto “If it’s not fun, why do it?”.
These examples showcase that all of these
businesses wanted to invest time in people
engagement and when they did staff satisfaction,
happiness and productivity went up.
Kevin shared his experiences on how
Amadeus have just experienced its most
successful year to date. “After a lot of trial and
error we seem to have hit upon a recipe that
is working. As people engagement takes
time and commitment to really work, we
have been building comradery and resilience
which helps us to pull together when the
going gets tough. We celebrate success and
create an environment where people feel
able to take on risks, innovation and aren’t
afraid to fail.”
Amadeus inspires and engages its
workforce in a number of ways. It’s ‘Service
that Sells’ initiative recognises and rewards
positive staff behaviour on the spot by
awarding employees with shopping vouchers.
In addition, the company promotes a culture
of saying thank you through it’s ‘Brilliance’
platform whereby employees can be
awarded points that can be redeemed for a
range of benefits. Long service anniversaries
are also recognised with awards and special
dinners held for people that have been with
the business for many years.
Kevin talked about how he places a lot
of emphasis on training and development
and every staff member has a progression
plan that empowers them to gain the skills
they need to broaden experience. The team
has also recently launched the ‘Amadeus
Masterclass’ – a real industry first. Amadeus
found staff often became comfortable in one
style of catering and they were reluctant to
move around the varied portfolio of venues
the business caters for, and so designed a sixmodule
course to upskill the workforce. Team
building and communication is also a key part
of Amadeus’ people engagement strategy,
with the board also keen to listen to feedback.
Kevin’s lasting comment was, “We’re united
by our hunger to deliver results and of course
have fun. Work life balance is important and
more than ever – with the recruitment and
retention issues we face as an industry – we
have a collection responsibility to nurture that
special ingredient.”
AMADEUSFOOD.CO.UK 51