Let’s be honest: even at the most stimulating conferences, we all breathe a sigh of relief when it’s time for a coffee break. A tasty nibble and a hit of caffeine can do wonders to stave off jet lag and help us recharge for round two.
But aside from providing sustenance, food can make all the difference between a show-stopper and a snooze-fest. Which are you most likely to remember in a year’s time: the keynote address on ROI, or the edible light bulbs during a coffee break…?
Keeping business delegates engaged during and after an event is a constant battle, and increasingly, it’s a fight that’s being won with culinary innovation. Here we round up some quirky F&B themes spotted in hotels around the region.
PLAYFUL PRESENTATION
Haute couture is the eye-catching theme of The Mira Hong Kong’s “Fashion Plate” option. The food station is transformed into a designer studio, complete with mannequin, accessories and a 20 per cent off retail sign. Tasty treats such as the spicy Oh La La lollipops dangle from hangers, while other couture nibbles are stacked neatly on the shelves.
At Bangkok’s Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers a mad scientist’s laboratory awaits with a zany science-themed coffee break. Expect test tubes loaded with mini fruit salads and measuring cylinders filled with sweet treats. You can even get involved in the experiment by transferring wasabi onto your salmon and avocado sushi rolls via pipette, or using syringes loaded with a spicy Sichuan dressing to transform your pan-fried scallop tartlets.
Truly artistic creations can be found at Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei with paint-and-easel-inspired desserts, paintbrush-shaped sweets and miniature edible works of art. A DIY station is also on hand to create your own cupcake masterpiece with multicoloured icing sugar.
BLOCKBUSTER MOMENT
Movie-themed events are always a favourite, adding an instant touch of glamour to proceedings. The Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich takes this to another level with its Blues Brothers party package – it’s not just the wait staff sporting a black-and-white dress code; the food is also strictly monochrome, with a musical riff for good measure. From the “rock star” mini burgers in black buns and ink-stained ravioli to the white chocolate fountain and dark chocolate guitars, this is one stylish spread.
At Pullman Bangkok Hotel G the superhero genre is a firm favourite – particularly with a younger crowd. In the Marvel-themed coffee break, you’ll be reaching past the Hulk’s fist or Captain America’s shield to retrieve a range of power-boosting drinks from Red Bull to Lucozade. Alternatively, you might fall down the rabbit hole into the whimsical world of Alice in Wonderland. This fantastical setup features oversized candy canes and toadstools guarded by the White Rabbit, while guests can indulge in a variety of brightly coloured savoury treats one would expect at the Mad Hatter’s tea party.
TASTE OF CULTURE
A sad fact of business travel is that often the closest we get to experience new cultures is whatever is presented in the airport, hotel or meetings we attend. On the upside, a number of business events are now focusing on themed breaks that offer an authentic window into local culture.
Hong Kong’s famous street food is celebrated in style at Hotel Icon, with delicacies such as fish siu mai, Hong Kong-style French toast and curried fish balls. Popular dim sum such as barbecued pork and shrimp dumplings are also wheeled in for delegates on traditional dim sum trolleys that hark back to the old teahouses. Alternatively, Cordis Hotel, Hong Kong brings the flavour of Mongkok to its coffee breaks, allowing guests to immerse themselves in a typical local environment with stalls depicting a cha chaan teng (Hong Kong-style café), herbal tea shop, flower market and goldfish corner, serving up local delicacies from egg tarts to milk tea.
Over at the Sheraton Grand Macau, the unique Portuguese-Chinese culinary fusion is ready to be tasted with a variety of Macanese dishes such as pork chop buns, almond biscuits and serradura pudding. Meanwhile, at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, event-goers can enjoy local flavours with a funky, innovative twist. A light foam made from archetypal tom yum ingredients (kaffir lime leaves, chilli, lemongrass, galangal, lemon and sugar) with a splash of Bacardi is dipped into smoking liquid nitrogen at -196˚C. The result is a frozen-solid, tom yum-flavoured edible cocktail that is as wonderfully bizarre as it sounds and a definite talking point to aid in networking…
Other hotels are using food themes to transport guests to a different location entirely. Pan Pacific Orchard Singapore has a Penang-themed coffee break option, with ingredients, spices and sauces sourced directly from Penang to offer up special Malaysian delicacies such as sweet, strong “Kopi Ö” coffee, char kway teow (stir-fried noodles) and five-spice chicken loh bak.
MEALS ON WHEELS
A popular trend increasingly cropping up at events is the effortlessly cool presence of an onsite “food truck”. The juxtaposition of retro vans serving up gourmet foods has been snapped up by hip venues looking to offer a more casual vibe. The Garage Bar in Cordis Hotel, Hong Kong is one such location, which has two refurbished vintage Citroën vans from the 1960s and 70s. One is dedicated to serving up a fusion of Western and Asian flavours, while the other has become a craft beer truck, with almost 40 local and international brews on board.
As part of its new “Work and Play” focus, the Kerry Hotel Pudong Shanghai has also added two mobile food trucks to its offering – playfully named “Beauty” and “Beast”, to offer a more flexible and fun approach to events.
Meanwhile, on Hainan Island The Ritz-Carlton, Sanya goes one step further, not only presenting food trucks at events, but also a real boat filled with a range of locally themed delicacies from coconuts to seafood.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
Wellness is an increasingly popular theme in all aspects of life, so it’s unsurprising to see a number of health-conscious F&B options popping up at corporate events. Mandarin Oriental, Sanya’s Eat Healthy, Feel Healthy themed coffee break offers a wide range of wellness options, from wheat grass juice shooters to dairy-free strawberry smoothies.
At Grand Hyatt Singapore, you can expect menus packed with organic, low-fat and plant-based options following the total revamp of the F&B packages last year. This includes brown lentil shepherd’s pie, vegan-friendly spelt-grain chilli, gluten-free muffins and an organic salad bar – the perfect accompaniment to a meditation session or sun-salutation yoga, which are also becoming increasingly popular as accompaniments to event breaks.
What’s the best F&B theme you’ve seen on your travels? Tell us about it on our forum businesstraveller.com/forum
