January 2019 - Page 6 of 6

3rd January 20197th January 2019

The Official Convention, Event and Tourism Organisation ‘Wonderful’ Copenhagen

Copenhagen is not only a front runner with its sustainable solutions it has one of the worlds most ambitious climate policies. A goal of being the first carbon-neutral capital city by 2025 and has never been so accessible offering non stop flights from more than 183 international destinations. Copenhagen Airport has easy access to and from every continent and all major European cities.

Paul Barke recently visited the city on a fam trip with Scandic Hotels Group and had this to share on the city and what it can offer for meeting and event planners…

A city with plenty to offer

With the City Centre being only 13 minutes by metro, Copenhagen has seen a massive hotel boom with approximately 8,500 hotel rooms being built over the next four years. This equates to more than 40% increase in the city’s capacity with Greater Copenhagen on track to reach nearly 30,000 rooms by 2021.

For something unique for your next meeting, consider the Copenhagen Opera House – it has a beautiful auditorium and spaces to cater for large dinners and meetings.

What’s next?

Recent openings includes the brand new 4* Scandic Kodbyen which opened on the 8th September with 370 bedrooms in the trendy Meatpacking District.

Coming soon:

August 2019: 4* Scandic Falkoner with 335 and an auditorium for up to 2000 delegates.
January 2020: 5* Hotel Posthuset with 390 room – located in the historic building of the Old Post Terminal.
5* Hilton Copenhagen City with 400 bedrooms due later that year.

Getting around the city

Its compact city centre makes walking between meeting venues, hotels, sights, restaurants and shopping areas a matter of minutes. Or join the locals and go by bike.

Perfect for foodies

Nearly 70% of the hotel rooms in Copenhagen are eco-certified. Gastronomic hotspot: Guide Michelin Nordic Cities 2018 has awarded a total of 19 stars to 15 restaurants in Copenhagen. Geranium tops the list as the only restaurant in Denmark with three stars, while AOC and Kadeau hold two stars. Whether you wish to try Michelin-starred Nordic food or are into other cuisines from around the globe it is all here. Get ready for a unique dining experience!

Massive thank you to John and Tanja from the Scandic Hotels Group for the Copenhagen fam trip, amazing. Lovely people, country and great hotels.
Paul Barke

Thank you Scandic Hotels Group - group photo

2nd January 20193rd May 2019

Grosvenor hotel to rebrand as Amba Victoria

The Grosvenor hotel at London’s Victoria is to be re-branded under GLH Hotels’ Amba brand following its refurbishment, the 345-bedroom property, which is at the moment operating under the Guoman Hotels brand, is currently undergoing a redesign ahead of relaunching under the group’s four-star brand. The project is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2019.

The refurbishment will be phased, with the Grosvenor Arms restaurant and Tea Lounge already complete. The hotel’s bedrooms, meetings and events spaces, and additional food and beverage outlets will be fully refurbished throughout next year.

Amba Victoria will join two other hotels in the brands in Marble Arch and Charing Cross.

2nd January 20193rd May 2019

Boxpark Wembley now open

Boxpark Wembley is now open with more than 20 food and beverage vendors, the North West London site is the largest to date for the Boxpark team.

Boxpark Wembley also features a 20,000 sq ft dedicated events space and a year-round schedule of entertainment. The cultural strategy for the area includes artist studios run by Second Floor Studios & Arts, a public art programme and cultural programming and events.

2nd January 20192nd January 2019

The challenges of today’s menu planning

How to handle delegates with special dietary requirements for menu planning

by Katharine Jordan, Marketing Director, Trinity Event Solutions

We are all experiencing more special dietary requests from attendees at our events, so I’ve taken a look at some ideas of how to handle them to create that perfect menu choice.

There are increasing numbers of people who have special dietary needs such as specific food allergies or intolerances or a health condition. An allergy can be caused by the immune system reacting to an ingredient and an intolerance is a reaction to the food or certain chemicals. It’s thought that around 20% of the UK population is living with a food allergy and 600,000 (1 in 100) with coeliac disease. There isn’t a cure for a food allergy or intolerance so the only way to manage the condition is not to eat the food. The Food Standards Agency has said that more adults are having allergic reactions to food because of the peer pressure to try different cuisine, take risks with foods they are unsure about, and not admit to known allergies due to embarrassment.

Many religions and cultures follow food customs and laws. Meat is often avoided and these preferences can often be catered for with good vegetarian or vegan options.

More people a choosing a special diet for health and environmental reasons. Animal welfare has always been a concern and we are all used to vegetarian menu options. In 2018, 168,542 people signed up to Veganuary and it is estimated that there are more than 3.5 vegans in the UK. For ‘clean-eating’ reasons people are cutting food groups from their diet and this is a growing trend.

Menu innovation

The Wellcome Collection’s conference centre has announced that it is trialling an innovative new allergen system to offer inclusive dining for all. Delegates will be able to view allergen guides on the digital screen and upload menus to their phone via a QR code. They can then browse menu items and discover more about each dish, including the all-important allergy information without having to ask. This will ensure that the food they choose meets their dietary requirements.

For meetings and event planners, special dietary requirements present significant challenges when planning a menu. So, here’s our checklist of four things to consider when discussing food choices with hotels and venues.

Don’t cause kitchen chaos

You may think that a varied menu for 600 guests will avoid some of the possible dietary issues, but you also need to consider what impact it could have on the kitchen. If guests see a dish being carried to a nearby table of something they’d prefer, it’s amazing how quickly they remember a forgotten meat allergy, just so they can switch to their favourite sea bass. At a hotel or venue, the catering staff have to treat everyone the same so if somebody says they’ll be ill if they eat a certain dish, that must be believed and dealt with accordingly.

Leave it to the experts

The advice from Executive Chefs is to select the best possible menu for the majority of your guests and don’t worry about the CEO who doesn’t like mushrooms or is gluten free. An experienced catering team will handle individual exceptions professionally, leaving you to focus on creating the right impression with exciting food for the majority.

Give the responsibility to the guests

Ensure that you’ve done everything within your power to communicate to guests that, should they have a food allergy, they can discuss it in private with a senior member of the catering team or make staff aware with the use of a table card. Ideally, you want to focus on medical requirements rather than food preferences and be aware of the sensitivities of early-stage pregnancies. If you’re planning a buffet, all foods will need to be labelled clearly with the correct dietary information.

A tip from the trade

Most venues prepare for the unknown by catering for an additional 10% of guests who change their mind or reveal food allergies. Check this with your catering team and increase it if necessary. If someone has a serious allergy to an ingredient such as gluten or nuts, their meals will need to be prepared in a completely separate area of the venue or bought in from the outside. It is safer to assume that the kitchen is already contaminated.