Success is on the menu at the ICC & Vox

Anna Cosgrove, Head of F&B Sales

‘Great food is at the centre of every memorable event’ is a mantra for us all in the NEC conventions food and beverage (F&B) team. Imaginative, inspirational F&B is a key element in creating outstanding conferencing and meetings – feeding and fuelling mind and body with healthy, nutritious (and delicious!) refreshment, helping delegates remain hydrated, focused and motivated, and stimulating conversation and networking opportunities. Enjoying fine food together is such a great socialiser. That’s just for starters! Get your F&B right and you’ll make your events even more memorable, whetting your audiences’ appetite for return visits. It’s an essential ingredient of any event, and we work with you to help you make the most of your options, and budget.

When clients come to discuss booking our venues, we like to start by getting a clear picture of what they want to achieve. What their vision is, in terms of look and feel of the event, the itinerary, special requirements and so on – and how our catering can enhance it all.

Award-winning food and drink – and mouth-watering menus

Our culinary teams – with over 650 industry awards, and counting! - serve up mouth-wateringly inventive menus for events of every size and shape at our venues, from an intimate meeting for 10 to a conference for 2,500. Right through from breakfast and break times to post event receptions and banqueting, we bring Michelin-standard style, quality and flavour to everything we do.

We talk all the options through with our clients and their teams, working alongside them if they’ve already got something in mind, or opening their eyes and minds to the range of opportunities to make their event even more special.

Themed events, for instance, enable clients – and our chefs – to add some extra style and theatre to the occasion, creating lasting impressions and memories. Two recent imaginative events spring to mind: a brilliant, fun filled Bollywood theme, with Asian infusion style dishes, and Peaky Blinders - with flavours, names of dishes and presentation reflecting the era. The menus presented themed ‘takes’ on contemporary dishes, as part of an immersive and interactive experience.  Part of that experience can also be dishes cooked in front of delegates – bringing the fun and showbiz side of food to life.

Street food – a global taste sensation!

Our Street Kitchen Global Fusion concept enables clients to create  a ‘festival’ type feel, with a range of street food menus ranging from Yorkshire Pudding Burritos to the Oriental style Katsu Club. It’s an informal way of eating that many people love: but we can serve up traditional dishes in classic style, too, with multi-course banquets in a more formal setting, for instance for awards ceremonies and large convention dinners. Everything on our menus is designed, created, cooked fresh, plated and served in house – at the ICC from our central kitchens, with serving kitchens in each hall, and at the Vox from its central kitchen.

Each dish is individually designed by our highly-acclaimed executive chefs, Simon at the ICC and Aaron at the Vox, reflecting both their own personal styles and the personalities of our venues: the ICC classic with a modern twist and a touch of the theatrical, the Vox cutting edge and contemporary with an element of intrigue and surprise.

Fresh, seasonal and sustainable

Coming back to our new seasonal menus, spring and summer bring vibrant colours and flavours to the table, sourced from the finest local suppliers – and our ‘nose to tail’, ‘root to stem’, ‘farm to plate’ approach reduces food waste too. Sustainability is increasingly important to us all of course, and we always aim to support our organisers to achieve their aims and commitments.

‘Good for the planet, good for you’

We’re responsible caterers and thinkers, moving towards eco-friendly options like wild venison instead of beef – perfectly positioned for consideration of the food chain, conservation, biodiversity and the environment  - and plant based options, as alternative ways of delivering protein while driving down the carbon footprint. For single use and disposable items, which we might use with less formal items like snack boxes, we work with a company who provide organic, seaweed based and fully recyclable products. And all left overs are recycled too – we’re committed to zero waste to landfill.

‘Good for you’ is reflected in dishes with reduced sugar and salts, and a focus on fresh and nutrient packed ingredients. Food that’s healthy and tastes incredible: all the ingredients for successful F&B! There’s one more essential ingredient in our recipe for your success too: we add value to your events with careful consideration for your budget – not only ensuring that every pound you invest is well spent, but that it has optimal impact, and that delegates enjoy the occasion so much that they’ll be back for many more repeat visits.

If you’re at the planning or concept stage, why not talk to us about elevating your event with award-winning food and drink? Click here to get in touch here