RECEPTION Catering Diary 10850 views
Former opera singer Julian Saipe, now MD of party caterers, Zafferano, gives WeddingPath a glimpse behind the scenes of what it is like to run a glitzy reception at a top London venue.
Here’s the countdown...
16.00 hours... arrive at venue, check in with security, all electrical equipment tested by the venue’s in-house technician.
16.30 hours... gain access to ‘back-of-house’ areas. Our back-of-house manager supervises porters and sets up areas to clear ‘dirties’ glassware, china etc. Ice bins used to chill drinks, ‘field kitchen’ set up.
17.00 hours... event manager and waiting staff arrive at the back-of-house.
17.30 hours... staff briefing. A dinner for 300 may have two managers, two head waiters, two bar managers, one back-of-house manager, six porters, 30 waiting staff, twelve chefs. Waiters and porters get ready with tables, chairs, glassware, linen etc.
18.00 hours... the venue closes to the public.
18.05 hours... the venue’s operations manager gives a signal that the Museum’s front-of-house areas are clear
18.06 hours... we are granted access to the venue. Bar areas and areas for warming food in hot containers or plating food are protected with rubber drugget or blue flooring carpet depending on floor surface. Speedy but safe assembly of bars, dining tables, occasional tables and table settings. A reception for 300 people will require 300 chairs, 30 tables, 350 items of linen, 2,700 pieces of glassware and china.
18.30 hours... guests arrive.
Welcome... to the world of high-profile catering at any of London’s most famous and prestigious venues, including the British Library, Tate Britain, the Imperial War Museum and Somerset House as well as world-famous attractions like the London Dungeon and the London Eye, and even HMS Belfast. More than sixty of these venues, handled 
by Unique Venues of London are great for wedding receptions but leave the caterers with quite a challenge. An overriding consideration is that the venue will almost certainly be open to the public. Consequently none of the caterer’s personnel or equipment can be moved into the venue proper until the last member of the public has departed. It’s perfectly likely that the time-window you have for setting everything up will be barely half an hour. And that really does mean ‘everything’: all the food, all the drink, all the glassware, cutlery, flowers, props for themed parties, furniture you are bringing in, carpet covers, the sound system, special lighting, and anything else you might need. There are strict requirements and regulations for everything, even extending to the electrical equipment you bring in. Everything has to be done absolutely as it needs to be done, which means properly and according to Cocker.
And after the last dance...?
23.00 hours (or later).... the last guests get into their carriages. And the entire military operation that got the party underway now takes place in reverse. All equipment, all rubbish, all everything, must be removed with the venue left ‘as found’. Even a single misplaced coffee granule will be deemed a bad 'clear-down' and can get the caterer into the venue’s bad books.
24.00 hours... all the caterer’s vans, fully laden, should be leaving the venue about now and heading back to the caterer’s premises or various suppliers’ premises to be unloaded. Personnel involved with unloading will often work through the night to have everything back and ready in place for the next working day. Ready for a party anyone?
To find out more about Zafferano go to zafferano.co.uk or call 020 8905 9120
Posted in category: Reception
