The Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre
(SCEC) has demonstrated just how unconventional a convention centre can be, staging a jaw-dropping dinner event for 80 international and Australian meeting buyers.
Delivered in a chic all-white setting, the event saw buyers wearing personalised aprons as they moved between three illuminated cooking bars to enjoy gourmet food and wine prepared by teams of the Centre's award-winning chefs and sommeliers.
While all the buyers remarked on the creativity of the concept, many commented that the biggest surprise of the night was the realisation that every element - from the themeing and audio visual to the catering - was produced inhouse at the Centre.
Drawn from key meetings markets including the United Kingdom, United States and Asia, the buyers attended the event last week during a hosted visit for the annual Australian Business Events Expo, held at the Centre July 22-23.
Senior Account Executive at the Canadian meeting planners Debut Global, Shelley Sparrow, described the event as unique.
"I deal with convention centres a lot and I have never seen anything so creative. It was fun to talk with the chefs and I loved rotating between the bars and learning about the local food and wine. I would never have expected it from a convention centre - Sydney is definitely pushing the envelope in terms of their ideas," Ms Sparrow said.
World Events UK Account Director Laura Taylor agreed. "I go to buyers' events around the world and normally they involve either a formal sit-down dinner or a stand-up buffet so the Centre's format was fantastic. It was so professionally produced that I was amazed to find out everything was done inhouse - what a great way to show off the Centre's skills."
Another appreciative guest was Gartner Operations Manager Events Stuart Frank who said the evening showcased the expertise of the Centre's culinary team as well as its creativity.
"As a client of the Centre, I thought I knew what it could achieve but they still managed to really surprise me," Mr Frank said.
Centre Director of Marketing and Sales Amanda Anker said several of the meeting planners at the event had already asked the Centre to replicate the concept for their clients.
"The Centre prides itself not only on its professionalism but also its creativity, so we're thrilled by the response we've had from the buyers," Ms Anker said.
"Our goal was to showcase the Centre's many skills and let buyers know that Sydney can create events that surpass anything they have experienced elsewhere in the world, and the feedback shows that we clearly achieved that."
Image: SCEC Executive Sous Chef Uwe Habermehl and guests at the ABEE event
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