It’s been another show-stopping year for Zafferano – in fact, it’s been one of the busiest yet. From stick-on-moustaches to vintage vinyls, we asked the team at Zaff HQ to choose some of their memorable moments of 2016 and to look forward to another year of fabulous events.
Amy Smale – Event Producer
“I loved working on the Midsummer Night’s Dream party with the incredible Fait Accompli. It was such an amazing, stylish event with so much thought behind every detail. The pictures are phenomenal but don’t even scratch the surface of the sheer flamboyance and romanticism of the evening. Our enchanted dessert stall was incredible – watching our pastry chef weave the chocolate nests was something I won’t forget in a while.”
Ambition for 2017? – Stepping into my new role as Event Producer and having fun with my lovely venues – they know how to party!
Ed Holdcroft – Event Producer
“I seem to have spent a lot of my year at the Cutty Sark producing some really exciting events. We were honoured to be asked by Lord Owen to cater a ’50 years in politics’ celebration dinner – running one long table immediately under the hull of the ship has to be one of the most spectacular dinner settings in London. Being a keen sports fan, it was incredibly exciting to cater the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Official Launch presented by Moët and Chandon a couple of weeks ago. Earlier in the year, I also realised my dream of having a seafood stall in a boat, under a boat! It looked fantastic, but took an awful lot of ice to fill … and empty at the end!
Plans for 2017 – Building my portfolio of Sports venues and brands.
Mac Mallari – Pastry Chef
“Seeing Candice Brown, the winner of 2016 Bake Off, tucking into my “Kiss’n’Tell” dessert at the inaugural OK! Magazine Beauty Awards at the Banqueting House. A pair of luscious rose and raspberry lips complete with an edible chocolate lipstick – it’s as if it were specially created for her!”
Greatest foodie wish for 2017 – That the world will move on from Macarons – I see them in my sleep!
Joanna Moody – Creative Director
“Hooking up with Fisher, arguably the best production company in town, to co-host their Summer venue’s party. This year’s theme was “Carnivale Abnormale” and boy did we have fun with the twisted circus vibe. We created an amazing Victorian jelly parlour – I don’t often get the opportunity to include taxidermy rats or pickled snakes in my food stall designs and it was liberating! I was so proud of how the staff looked. Our barmen were in stripy Victorian bathers, the girls were tattooed and corseted strumpets and even our own dear MD donned a ginger moustache, bowler hat and got his guns out for the night!”
New party trend you can’t wait to sink your teeth into … “We’re becoming known as the go-to experiential caterer here at Zaff HQ, and I’m excited about creating more and more 3 dimensional, multi-sensory events.
Julian Saipe – Managing Director
“In the year of Brexit, we joined EPCAS, European Party Caterer Association and I attended two inspiring conferences in Dubai and Porto, where I met European counterparts and discussed Food Trends, Business Opportunities, Best Practise and sampled some incredible hospitality, including a Champagne tea in the Atmosphere Lounge of the Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building. Awesome! Although not quite as awesome as meeting my childhood idol Pele, at a Mall Galleries reception in his honour. I’m seldom lost for words but that night I was”
Hopes for 2017… taking our party caterer’s creativity and innovation into other food service markets.
Laura Roberts – Event Planner
“… Hand-delivering 250 Olympic ring doughnuts to our favourite venues. We dressed in “Team ZB” T-shirts and went out on the road. It was fun to see the fruits of our endeavours all over Twitter and Instagram later that day. There was also a box left at the end which I enjoyed whilst watching the action from Rio…”
Most looking forward to in 2017 – Stepping into my role as Zafferano’s wedding planner. I’m a romantic at heart and can’t wait to get my teeth into a really juicy wedding or 2!
Kate Bendall – Sales and Business Development Manager
“… Setting my sights on a 1000 person dinner at The Roundhouse Being a newbie, it was my first big event for Zaff, and as a nod to the venue, the entire evening had a really fun rock’n’roll theme. I’ll never forget seeing 100 vintage vinyls, swathed in twinkling fairy lights and full of gorgeous Petit Fours being presented to a darkened Roundhouse. It was my idea and I was so excited that it worked and looked so magical. I get goose bumps just thinking about it”
Most excited about for 2017? – For the first time we’re exhibiting at the Summer Party Show which will be exciting, although slightly weird thinking about the Summer in January!
Simon Denton – Operations Director
“It may sound corny but we’ve had so many defining moments in 2016. The thing that I’m most proud of are the credentials of our team and the exceptional milestones we’ve reached internally this year – we must now boast one of the strongest teams in the industry and I’m incredibly proud of them.”
New Year’s Resolution for 2017 – Continuing our mission to work with some of the best food producers in the UK, championing British produce and putting fabulous flavours above all else.