Conference Centres of Excellence hosted the 16th annual Chefs’ Challenge Competition on Saturday 25th October 2014.  

The event invites chefs who work in any of the nationwide CCE centres to take part in a cook-off competition where their skills are put to the test with specific criteria for their menu.  For this year’s competition in the kitchens of Milton Keynes College (Bletchley Campus), the chefs had to prepare a 3 course meal suitable for a conference banquet, using game for their main course.  

The competition again included a Food Service Skills award, to encourage food service staff to take part and support their chef colleague, and saw 6 entries into this team element of the challenge.

The competition has proved to be a stepping stone for young chefs to go on to higher profile competitions nationwide and is endorsed by the British Culinary Federation.  Each Chef receives a certificate and one year’s free membership of the BCF.

The Judges for the cook-off competition were:

• Graham Crump, Executive Chef Warwick Conferences

• Jim Eaves, Chairman British Culinary Federation

• Fergus Martin, Head Chef, Darwin College Cambridge

• Jerry Toth, Executive Chef, Sundial Group 

• Stephen Lambert, University of Brighton

• Graham Day, Food and HS Manager, University of Warwick

The 10 Finalists, shortlisted from their detailed menus were:

• Ashley Harrison, College Court

• Iain Ramsay, The Beardmore Hotel and Conference Centre

• Jennifer Chaudhuri-Goff, Maple House

• Matt Wiltshire, Ashorne Hill

• Ashley Holt, Wellcome Trust – supported by Cydney Nicholson-Ray for Food Service Skills

• Claire Willett, Wyboston Lakes – supported by Josh Spence for Food Service Skills

• Jason Turton, College Court – supported by Richard Augustus for Food Service Skills

• Keith Tayler, Scarman Warwick Conferences – supported by Kimberley Tayler for Food Service Skills

• Kieron Toner, Wyboston Lakes – supported by Linda Zilberta for Food Service Skills

• Robert Gossage, Burleigh Court – supported by James Geary for Food Service Skills

The Awards Dinner was this year held at one of the founder members of the Conference Centres of Excellence consortium, Cranfield Management Development Centre.  The dinner was attended by just under 100 guests from CCE member centres, including a number of the conference industry’s leading figures. 

The event was supported and sponsored by:

• British Premium Meats

• Tchibo Coffee International

• Wilson Vale

• Kent Frozen Foods

• Elior UK

• Savona

Plus the following CCE Centres:

• Ashorne Hill

• The Beardmore Hotel and Conference Centre

• College Court

• Warwick Conferences

• Wellcome Trust

A raffle took place during the Awards Dinner, raising £725 for the “Meeting Industry Meeting Needs” charity.

The winners of each Award category were:

• Best Hygiene:   Claire Willet, Wyboston Lakes

• Best Starter: Keith Tayler, Warwick Conferences

• Best Main Course:  Keith Tayler, Warwick Conferences

• Best Dessert: Claire Willett, Wyboston Lakes

• Best Food Service Skills: James Geary, Burleigh Court

• Chairman’s Award for Best Team Work: Linda Zilberta and Kieran Toner, Wyboston Lakes

• Bronze:   Matt Wiltshire, Ashorne Hill

• Silver: Robert Gossage, Burleigh Court

• Gold: Keith Tayler, Warwick Conferences

The Gold award winner, Keith Tayler of Warwick Conferences presented a menu of :

Starter 

Seared Filllet of John Dory

Razor Clams and Crayfish served with a Butter Sauce

~~~

Main 

Roast Loin of Red Stag

With Forest Mushrooms, Celeriac Purée, Butternut Squash and Parsnip

~~~

Dessert 

Dark Chocolate and Orange Mousse

With Praline, Hazelnuts and Basil Ice Cream

~~~

Val do Xuliana Albarino

Cotes-du-Rhone Arbuse

Domaine du Mas Neuf Muscat de Mireval

Madingley Hall won a Silver Award at the University of Cambridge Catering Managers Committee (CMC) Environmental Awards held on Tuesday 21 October 2014.

The CMC Environmental Awards help to promote environmental and ethical awareness across Cambridge College catering departments, encouraging more sustainable activities and improving the environmental impact of catering provisions. 

The competition is judged by Cambridge Carbon Footprint and Transition Cambridge. 

Rebecca Burgess, Sales Manager at Madingley Hall commented on the win: "We won a Bronze Award in 2013 so this improvement shows a real commitment to environmental and ethical issues from the Catering Team and across the Hall Operation.”

Madingley Hall is a sixteenth century country house, owned by the University of Cambrdidge since 1948 and situated about 3 miles west of the city.The venue provides conference and seminar rooms for up to 100 delegates, with 62 ensuite bedrooms all within seven acres of spectacular gardens and grounds, designed in the 18th century by ‘Capability’ Brown.

For more information call 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

Wyboston Lakes Appoints New Commercial Director

Karen Evans has been appointed to a new role of Commercial Director at Wyboston Lakes, the UK’s largest privately owned single site specialist conference and training centre.  She took up her position on 22nd September.

For the past eight years Karen has been Vice President, Business Development EMEA for BCD M&I.  Previous to this role, Karen spent 16 years in the travel and events industry and brings with her a real understanding of venues from the client and agency world. 

Karen’s new role carries commercial responsibility for the entire company managing a team of 15, and will encompass the day to day sales function optimising all sales opportunities, business development and leading the team whilst representing the company’s Values and Principles.  

Karen said: “I am delighted to join Wyboston Lakes as Commercial Director.  My experience in this industry will allow me to develop further the excellent facilities and flexibility Wyboston Lakes offers all its customers.  It is truly a unique complex”.

Mark Jones, Managing Director added: “We warmly welcome Karen into the Company. Karen’s attitude, professionalism, integrity and energy are entirely in keeping with the way in which we achieve success. I have the good fortune to have great colleagues - and Karen will inspire total confidence in our customers for what Wyboston Lakes can deliver.”   

Wyboston Lakes recently completed a £5 million facility investment and offers sector leading IT infrastructure across its two speciality conference venues.  High-involvement leisure dimensions for corporate away-days and team-building events are available on site together with serviced offices, branded spaces, a hotel with a luxurious spa and an 18 hole golf course.

For more information call 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

Wyboston Lakes achieve AIM Gold accreditation

Wyboston Lakes, northern Europe's largest privately owned single site conference and training centre, has had both of its conference and training venues, The Executive Centre and Training Centre, awarded the Gold Accreditation In Meetings (AIM) standard by the Meetings Industry Association (mia).  

The accreditation is awarded for its first class facilities and high levels of service that are reflected throughout the meeting and conference experience. 

To achieve the AIM Gold standard a venue must demonstrate that it has attained continuous, exceptional standards against the most stringent quality assurance criteria, including rigorous assessments focusing on a venue’s facilities; service and processes, compliance with codes of conduct and corporate social responsibility.

Receiving the accreditation, Wyboston Lakes’ managing director, Mark Jones commented: “To be awarded AIM Gold is a significant achievement for any meeting and events venue. It demonstrates, from the outset, that our business proposition, facilities and service are exceptional, we are very proud of this recognition.”

Jane Longhurst, mia’s chief executive, says: “Wyboston Lakes AIM Gold Accreditation sends out a very clear message to meetings and events buyers/planners about their commitment to delivering a high quality product, professionalism throughout every event and integrity. Equally, the venue has secured itself an advantage within their competitors.”

AIM is the UK’s only nationally recognised standard for accredited venues and service providers in the meetings, conferences and events industry. There are around 500 accredited venues and suppliers at entry level of the scheme and 29 are at the Gold standard. 

AIM is endorsed by Visit Britain, Visit Wales, Meet England, ABPCO, MPI and HBAA. 

For more information call 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk

Warwick Conferences’ father-daughter duo team up for CCE Chefs’ Challenge

A father-daughter team from Warwick Conferences have earned their place in the finals of a highly competitive culinary contest.

Keith Tayler will be partnering with daughter Kimberley Tayler in the final of the CCE Chefs’ Challenge—a competition run by Conference Centres of Excellence to find the best chefs serving the UK conferencing industry.

Having been selected based on a detailed menu presentation to the panel, Keith—head chef at Warwick Conferences’ Scarman venue—will now face the nine other finalists in the bid to become the CCE Chefs’ Challenge 2014 champion. The final will see the talented chefs compete to produce the finest cuisine while adhering to a strict set of specific criteria for their menu.

Kimberley will be participating in the Food Service Skills award, which encourages food service staff to take part and support their chef colleague. As a pair, Keith and Kimberley will also compete for the Chairman’s award for best team.

Graham Crump, Group Executive Chef at the University of Warwick, comments: “We’re delighted that Keith and Kimberley have been selected as finalists for this year’s CCE Chefs’ Challenge. To have a father-daughter team enter and be shortlisted is very unusual but a love of cooking up and serving good food appears to run in the Tayler family!

“It’s a real achievement to have made the top 10—especially with so many talented chefs and service staff in the industry. Keith and Kimberley make a brilliant team and we’re thrilled that together they will represent Warwick Conferences in what is a longstanding and important competition for the sector. We wish them the best of luck for the final.”

Conference Centres of Excellence is the leading national consortium of specialist conferencing venues. 2014 marks the 16th edition of the annual competition, which sees outstanding chefs in the conferencing industry battle it out head-to-head. 

The final will take place on Saturday 25 October at Milton Keynes College, followed by a celebratory awards dinner.

imago achieves AIM Gold for Burleigh Court and Holywell Park

imago has achieved the highest level of venue accreditation for its flagship venues - Burleigh Court and Holywell Park – AIM Gold. 

Kay England, Chief Executive

Kay England, Chief Executive of imago, comments: “Achieving AIM Gold puts imago in an exclusive group of the highest quality meetings venues in the country. It sets us apart from other venues and is a unique point of differentiation. As a result, we believe it will help us attract more business both nationally and internationally. A huge amount of work has gone into achieving this award and I would like to congratulate all our staff for their contribution, particularly the working group, as they have all played a part in helping imago achieve its aim of excellence within the meetings industry.” 

AIM Gold is the only industry recognised mark of excellence. Achieving the standard places Burleigh Court and Holywell Park, both located in Loughborough, Leicestershire, amongst a select group of the very best venues in the country. 

Burleigh Court and Holywell Park underwent a rigorous audit process which examines all elements of the business including planning and the customer environment and service levels.

Kay continues: “The audit process provided us with some valuable lessons which will enable us to continually improve our business and we will work to ensure these are embedded in our processes as we go forward.” 

Jane Longhurst, mia’s chief executive, says: “To attain AIM Gold is a truly fantastic achievement. It is a hallmark of excellence showing bookers and planners a venue’s exceptionally high levels of service across the board. As such, it is an invaluable indicator of high quality for all those involved in the procurement of meetings and events. I offer my congratulations to Burleigh Court and Holywell Park as they continue to meet and exceed client expectations.”

The announcement was made on the same day Holywell Park was once again awarded the BDRC Continental VenueVerdict Gold Standard for the end of Q3 2014. This is given to properties recording a twelve-month Net Promoter Score of +70 or higher from 40 or more Business Event Host responses in the twelve month period October 2013 to September 2014. 

Kay adds: “imago has built a reputation based on providing our guests, whether they are here for business or pleasure, with the best possible service. Our success demonstrates our ability to deliver excellence to customers and this is something we collectively strive to achieve.” 

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand, providing high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation along with excellent sports and leisure facilities. Imago’s portfolio of venues includes Burleigh Court, Holywell Park, Loughborough University’s conference and events facilities and The Link Hotel. 

For more information call 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline,co.uk

Gold Standard Accreditation demonstrates independent venue excellence

Conference Centres of Excellence member venues have once again achieved a significant number of BDRC Continental’s VenueVerdict Gold Standard Accreditation at the end of Q3 2014, based on a customer’s ‘likelihood to recommend’ using feedback across a number of key areas.

Conference Centres of Excellence is delighted that a number of member venues consistently achieve the top level Gold Standard Accreditation, demonstrating the high standards required by the membership group to provide excellence in service and facilities for all customers.

Just under 22,500 individual pieces of feedback were collated to determine the VenueVerdict results, providing a completely independent assessment of experience. In choosing a venue where customer feedback and in particular the ‘likelihood to recommend’ has been measured in this way, customers can rest assured that they are in safe hands.

Five Conference Centres of Excellence member venues have achieved the BDRC Continental VenueVerdict Gold Standard Accreditation following ongoing assessment of customer feedback during the year from September 2013 to October 2014.

The Conference Centre of Excellence gold accredited venues are:
• Farncombe Conference Centre, Cotswolds
• Woodland Grange, Warwickshire
• The Møller Centre, Cambridge
• The Beardmore Hotel and Conference Centre, Glasgow
• Imago – Holywell Park, Loughborough

Amanda Stacey, Marketing Manager of Conference Centres of Excellence commented:
“We are delighted to see a number of our members achieve Gold Standard Accreditation with BDRC Continental’s VenueVerdict. As a consortium which measures quality standards in terms of dedicated facilities, exceptional food, superior staff expertise, and overall event experience, these independent accreditations support our own quality criteria to ensure that customers have the very best experience when using a Conference Centres of Excellence venue.”

For more information call 0845 230 1414 or email info@cceonline.co.uk