In an ever-changing digital world, with AI exploding and hospitality businesses seeking new ways to drive customer experience and business efficiencies, digital transformation was the obvious topic for Arena’s Autumn Event. As the leading foodservice agency, we jumped at the opportunity to catch up with industry friends and contacts, whilst getting to hear from innovative events catering company Freemans Event Partners and Jeremy Blain CEO of Performance Works International, not to mention the chance for a sneaky peak behind-the-scenes at Lords Cricket Ground.

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After a short hiatus for a worldwide pandemic, the Universal Cookery and Food Festival was back with a bang this year. With the location set appropriately in the Garden of England (Kent) the imposing big top at Loddington Farm played host to a wide range of brands, along with a trends and debate stage and The Staff Canteen Live. Not only was the event, dubbed Glastonbury for chefs, awash with food and drink, it also offered farm and foraging tours for those up for braving the elements and getting back to nature.

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There is one ‘gong’ that everyone in hospitality covets. From hoteliers to chefs, restauranteurs to mixologists, the iconic ‘lady holding a clamshell’ is frankly the equivalent of an Oscar when it comes to hospitality. So, I was hugely honoured to be invited to attend this star-studded night by Jacobs Media, publishers of The Caterer magazine and hosts of the Cateys. As a leading food and drink agency with over 37 years in foodservice and hospitality (six years longer than the Cateys have been running!) we have been proud to work with many Cateys’ award winners and sponsors over the years. So, it was wonderful to witness another cohort of winners receive their well-deserved awards.

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We Brits take our pubs and bars seriously, from our beloved locals to splashy one-off ventures, right through to the well-known group operators that are always a safe bet. Heading to the pub for ‘one’, or perhaps a few more, as often ends up being the case, is a pastime so embedded within our culture that it’s practically in our DNA.

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The Public Sector Catering Awards were held last week at the Hilton London Metropole and as a leading foodservice agency we were of course there to celebrate these amazing caterers. These awards are the benchmark for excellence in public sector catering, a sector which, despite its size, can often be overlooked in favour of the more glamourous profit sector. Be it catering in education, hospital catering, care home catering and even catering for the military and the prison service, public sector catering is the oft-unseen force that keeps Britain running.

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HRC, (Hotel, Restaurant & Catering) was back at ExCel for 2024 as part of Food, Drink and Hospitality Week which also hosts IFE Manufactoring, IFE, The Pub Show and International Salon Culinaire. And as the leading food and drink agency we were there in force, exploring the exhibition hall and supporting our wonderful clients.

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Burger fanatics, talented chefs and of course, a number of us beans found ourselves travelling to the Big Penny Social in North London for the hotly anticipated 10^th National Burger Awards. Hosted by DJ BBQ, and organised by Dine Out Magazine, the event promised talent, passion and camaraderie.

Guests were treated to a range of delicacies, with sides from Urban Foodservice, featuring the delicious PEPPADEW^® Bites, a Pepsi Cocktail Bar, wine from Greasy Fingers and of course, burgers – from beef brisket and bacon to plant-based offerings, all gratefully received by us bunch of hungry beans.

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Street food enthusiasts and culinary connoisseurs alike gathered in the heart of London on the 10th of October for the much-anticipated 2023 StrEATfood Awards. Hosted by the energetic DJ BBQ, the event took place at the Big Penny Social, promising a day of fierce competition and delectable creations.

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The Cateys is known in the industry as the Oscars of the hospitality world, and I was hugely honoured to be invited this year to it’s 40th anniversary event. As a leading food and drink agency with over 36 years in foodservice and hospitality we have been proud to work with a number of Catey’s award winners and sponsors over the years. This year they really pushed the boat out to mark this momentous milestone for the awards with a special Ruby Catey awarded to Raymond Blanc who spoke on the importance of coming together to make hospitality a destination career choice.

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World Gin Day falls on the 10^th of June this year, and here at jellybean we’ve gathered some our beans’ favourite gin-dulgent drinks to give you some inspiration for this boozy day.

Cheers!

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It is fair to say the foodservice industry is one in which you can pretty much guarantee you will be well-fed and industry awards are no exception. So there can’t be a tougher gig for a brigade of chefs than the Craft Guild of Chef Awards. Talk about a tough crowd! The crème de la crème of the chef world eating your food – eek! So, it’s a big ‘hats-off!’ to the team at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge as the menu they served up at this year’s Craft Guild of Chef Awards was truly fit for the best chefs in the industry (good job really).

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As April drew to a close, the UK Food & Drink Shows, comprising National Convenience Show, Farm Shop & Deli Show, Food & Drink Expo and Foodex Manufacturing Solutions returned to the NEC, Birmingham. As the leading integrated foodservice and retail PR & marketing agency, jellybean was in attendance, not only to see the latest product innovations and hear from the luminaries lined up to speak at the shows’ stellar seminar programme, but also in a professional capacity, supporting the brilliant William Reed events team with the show press office.

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The Public Sector Catering Awards (preciously the Cost Sector Catering Awards) celebrated it’s 30^th year last night at the Hilton London Metropole. The awards are the gold standard for public sector catering, which is often the unsung hero of the foodservice world. Be it catering in education, hospital catering, care home catering and even catering for the military and the prison service, public sector catering is the oft-unseen force that keeps Britain running.

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Monday night may not traditionally be ‘party night’, but this Monday was the exception, as it saw the 11^th annual Contract Catering Awards held at the Leonardo Royal Hotel in London’s Tower Bridge. The night attracted the great and the good of the contract catering world to celebrate the best in the business, from healthcare to CSR, education to innovation, and everything in between. The night kicked-off with bubbles and networking, and then it was onto the main event – the excellent meal and the awards themselves, as the excited nominees (including my local cobbler’s nephew – long story!) would finally find out who would be walking away victorious.

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Burgers? Brooklyn Lager? SOLD. H2O once again pulled out all the stops for 2023’s National Burger Awards, paying homage to the heroes behind the grill with a gauntlet style showdown followed by an awards ceremony to honour the best burgers in the UK. The competition was fierce with over 200 entries, that were eventually whittled down to sixteen of our country’s leading burger restaurants, pubs and street food trucks.

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