Spice

Breaking
tradition
In today’s Masterchef age, delegates are more
interested in and educated about food and
beverage than ever before. As a result, chefs are
required to keep abreast of the latest trends and
continually update their offering to meet guest
expectations. Gone are the days of uninspired
buffets, and in comes a wave of interactive food
stations, fresh-from-the-farm produce and
customisable menus.
Here, Peter Haycroft, executive chef at Melbourne
Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC); David
Pugh, executive chef at Brisbane Convention &
Exhibition Centre (BCEC); David Martin, executive
chef at RACV Healesville Country Club in Victoria
and Gavin Berrecloth, executive chef at Luna Park
Sydney share insights into how food and beverage is
evolving to meet the needs of modern delegates.
“It’s a great way to interact and get the chefs out
the front so they can answer questions and deliver
more customer service to our clients,” says Haycroft.
Delegates also want the ability to customise their
meals, which has led to more build-your-own food
stations at conferences and exhibitions. From taco
bars and salad stations to dessert grazing platters,
this style of catering is an effective way to give
delegates complete freedom and customisability in
their meals.
The dietary revolution
Ask most chefs and they’ll tell you dietary
requirements are not a fad, they’re here to stay
and they’re growing fast. With large volumes of
delegates, comes large numbers of both medical
allergies and dietary requirements, which come in
1. Bao from MCEC’s
Eat Stations
2. BCEC executive
chef David Pugh
3. Luna Park executive
chef Gavin Berrecloth
4. MCEC executive
chef Peter Haycroft
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5. RACV Healesville
Country Club executive
chef David Martin
Goodbye boring buffets
With delegates’ expectations higher than ever, chefs
are tasked with reinventing traditional catering
styles to provide new, memorable food and beverage
experiences. As an alternative to a standard buffet
offering, MCEC recently launched an interactive
new catering format, dubbed Eat Stations. Inspired
by the bustling street food stalls of Asia, the concept
combines food and technology to create a lively,
sensory experience on the show floor.
“We have to come up with new, creative ways
to deliver large-volume events where delegates
are here for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea,
which is very unique to convention centres,” says
Peter Haycroft.
“We see buffets as a little bit old fashion, so we
were looking for something new and interactive that
really stands out.”
MCEC’s Eat Stations range from Hawker-style
dumpling bars and Bloody Mary cocktail gardens
to a raining charcuterie station where cured meats
hang from the ceiling and “literally fall onto your
plate”. The stations feature customisable digital
signage, colours and lighting to create maximum
impact. Chefs are also on hand to interact with
guests and answer questions about the food.
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