Traditional perceptions of venue catering have ranged from the uninspired to the downright depressing. There was a time when coming to an event meant that you could only expect to eat fast, heavy food or ‘sad’ sandwiches.
At Excel, we believe that such an approach is fundamentally wrong. Great food enables great event outcomes - customers who eat well are likely to arrive earlier, stay longer, network effectively and are inspired to return. In short, great food enables organisers to deliver more successful events.
As a venue we feel that we have a responsibility to offer food that not only tastes good but makes everyone feel good too. With one of the world’s best culinary capitals on our doorstep, Excel has a duty to present our customers with inspired menus, dishes for a healthy diet and a huge choice to suit all palates and dietary requirements.
Here are some of the new developments:
More than mass catering:
We believe that venue catering is no longer about feeding the masses. Our innovations allow organisers to be able to offer a unique, often high-end experience, on a large scale, which fits with their brand.
International flavours:
Excel visitors are spoilt with choice, being able to feast on flavours from around the world. They can enjoy freshly-made street food from Viva Burrito, hand-baked pizzas, pastas and paninis from Pummaro, Asian dishes and fresh sushi from Chozen Noodle and a Moroccan inspired buffet upstairs in the E16 Lounge.
Healthy eating:
We recognise that the right balance of ingredients and menus can have an extremely positive impact on visitor’s ability to concentrate and participate, enhancing their motivation throughout the day. At Chop’d, visitors can order tasty salads, soups and wraps made-to-order.
An artisan coffee shop and bakery:
Bread, cakes and pastries are baked fresh every day at our onsite bakery E16. On a typical event day, the bakery makes up to 1,000 croissants and brioche buns and 3,000 brownies. We have also developed our own blend of artisan coffee.
Dietary requirements:
We are very conscious of dietary requirements and believe that just because an event has taken you away from your daily routine it should still be easy to eat well. Our retail offer includes items to cater for vegetarians and vegans, as well as those who require gluten-free, dairy-free and halal options.
Collaboration with celebrity chefs:
World class chefs have aligned their brands with ours to deliver new food concepts.
Need to book a business lunch?
With our stylish restaurant, The Bridge, visitors can enjoy table service and a menu of American classics. Alternatively, visitors can catch up over craft beer and home-cooked food in The Pyramid.
The importance of breakfast:
We recognise that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Many of our eateries are open from 8am, so visitors can join us for breakfast.
Packages for exhibitors:
In addition to our visitors, we want to ensure that exhibitors have the best possible experience at Excel. We have developed a variety of options to help make an exhibitors’ life easier ranging from a morning delivery of coffee and pastries to fully staffed entertainment experiences. To help exhibitors avoid the queues at lunchtime, they can also pre-order food direct from our boulevard and get it delivered direct to their stand.
