Spooooky Treats at the National Army Museum!

We are very excited for Halloween and the treats are flying out of the Base Café at the National Army Museum... literally!  

'Marshmallow Monsters', 'Chocolate Bats' or 'Phantom Doughnuts' anyone??

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Happy Halloween!!

Meet Team Creative - Lindsay Atkinson

Name...  Lindsay Atkinson

Job Title... Venue Manager

Venue... Olympia

Favourite Drink... Amaretto and coke, with a splash of lime

Favourite Meal... It varies, but generally anything with cheese in it or on it

I started working for Creative...  in 2005 whilst studying for my degree. I started out at the NEC in Birmingham working as bar staff, and loved how easily I could save money whilst having fun with my friends. I worked my way up the Creative ladder working in almost every role available!

In a nutshell my role is...  managing and maintaining our catering operation, and maximising opportunities whilst ensuring clients, the Venue and customers are all happy.

On an average day... there is always something to learn and take on board. No two events and organisers are the same and each one requires a different approach to make it successful.

My most rewarding moment...  is this moment right now. I have been given a great opportunity in my new role and I am proud of myself and what I have achieved over the years to come this far.

My most challenging moment... It’s hard to pinpoint one moment as each event provides its own challenges, whether it be developing the right food offering for the crowds at Chelsea Flower Show, ensuring that stock is planned accordingly for an Example concert or maintaining a high level of customer service on the shop floor during a busy run of exhibition events. As we all do in event catering I relish the challenges- it ensures the job never gets boring!

I can't be doing with... people that have no passion and don’t try.

I couldn’t cope without...  a latte every morning!

Best piece of advice... Never let your standards slip.

RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

Another event video for you today... and this time it's of the operation at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show where for the third year running Creative, along with The Fine Food Co, managed all the retail catering offers.  We could not have asked for more beautiful weather to set off such a fantastic location! If you haven't already been to the show then we hope this will encourage you to get your tickets for next year!  

Brooklands Museum Wedding Show

Over 90 brides, plus family and friends enjoyed a great day at Brooklands Museum at the venue’s first ever Wedding Show last weekend.  Crystal Blush Events selected a wide range of suppliers, from the traditional to the not so traditional, with retro themes including Bettie Bangs - suppliers of retro make up, hair styling and vintage tea parties.  

Entertainment came with wonderful music from Sugar Town - Sinatra / Rat Pack entertainers and in Brooklands tradition, guests enjoyed tours of Concorde, museum car rides and trips on the Routemaster bus in all its wedding glory. Even the Museum’s Sinclair C5 was adorned with a white ribbon for the occasion – forget arriving by horse and carriage!

The Bluebird Room was dressed beautifully showing off the wonderful spaces for both ceremonies and receptions and the hospitality was flowing with a delicious selection of canapés and bubbles to toast the weddings to come!  

We are happy to say that after the huge success of the event we have already planned the next one for 23rd February 2014 - so if you or a friend are planning your nuptials and looking for inspiration we look forward to seeing you there!

Creative Taste Wins Greenwich Park Catering Contract

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Creative Taste has been awarded a 5 year contract to provide catering at Greenwich Park's cafés and kiosks.

From 7th November, Creative will be operating The Pavilion Café, The White House Bakery and three kiosks in the oldest enclosed Royal Park which dates back to 1427.

Along with complete makeovers which will include improved lighting and seating, all areas will benefit from a new focus on fantastic British catering and local produce at its best, with abundant displays of delicious food changing throughout the day to suit the customers needs.

Having had the pleasure of working with The Royal Parks previously at a number of events in Regents Park and Hyde Park, where this Christmas brings our 7th year at Winter Wonderland, we are really looking forward to the prospect of growing our relationship over the coming years.  

We look forward to welcoming you all to Park in the next few months!

'In the Picture' at Dulwich Picture Gallery

A beautiful, dry evening set the tone for a fantastic night at Dulwich Picture Gallery last week where Creative Taste celebrated the success of our new partnership with the Gallery.  The Café, which was relaunched in June after its makeover (see previous blog!) has already seen a 60% increase in sales against the two previous years.  

Guests at 'In the Picture' enjoyed plenty of our Chapel Down English Sparking wine and seasonal cocktails, wonderful canapés served on picture frames, music from the Wandering Hands Trio and speeches from both Ian Dejardin, Gallery Director and our own John Uphill, Operations Director.

After an exclusive tour of the current exhibition 'A Crisis of Brilliance', guests even had a chance to create some of their own art whilst enjoying a delicious selection of savoury bowls from our autumn menu.  A raffle which raised money for Dulwich Helpline provided the opportunity to win some fantastic raffles prizes including a much-coveted Mulberry handbag.  

The event was wrapped up with a stunning artists palette dessert - with edible paintbrush to dip into colourful tasty paints and goody bags to take home with samples from some of our local suppliers.

Thanks to all who came and made it such a success - enjoy the photos and some of the great press below!!


http://foodandeverythingdaily.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/dulwich-picture-gallery-and.html?spref=tw

http://www.catererandhotelkeeper.co.uk/articles/13/9/2013/349890/creative-taste-sees-public-catering-revenue-up-60-after-picture-gallery-caf-re-launch.htm

Supplier Profile - High Weald Dairy, West Sussex

Alex, our Group Head Chef and Bruce our Procurement Manager took a trip out of the office last week to catch up with one of our cheese suppliers, the High Weald Dairy, on their farm in West Sussex.  The family run cheese dairy craft a delicious range of award winning British cheeses from organic cows' milk, organic sheeps' milk and more recently organic goats' milk. The cheese is made in a modern dairy just 20 metres from where the cows are milked. They are certified by the Soil Assocation and are members of the Specialist Cheese Association and A Taste of Sussex.  Have a look at their website http://www.highwealddairy.co.uk/.