As part of Barry Tonks crusade to improve the quality of delegate and event attendee food, The Gherkin’s Executive Chef has heavily criticised buffet service for corporate events.
Buffets are an archaic throw back. They are unhygienic and pretty much designed to ruin the food served up on them,” comments Barry Tonks, The Gherkin’s Executive Chef. The Gherkin offers two private dining rooms on the 38th Floor next to our members lounge. They are ideal for intimate meetings accompanied by food, whether it be breakfast lunch or dinner. It would be all too easy to set up a couple of buffet stations and lay out the food for the delegates to eat when they are ready but I simply will not do it.”
The Gherkin’s Private Dining Rooms, which are part of the iconic tower’s offering managed by Searcys, have recently undergone their annual refurbishments, ensuring their offering matches the inspiring views offered by the windows overlooking London. They are currently seeing unprecedented demand and are frequently in use three times a day by variety of clients.
Tonks goes on to say that food should be fresh, seasonal and inspiring: “Buffets are lazy and the food served on them even more so. Asparagus is coming into season, it is a beautiful vegetable, full of flavour and texture but leave it on a buffet for two hours and you have nothing but green slime.”
Barry Tonks, ex-restauranteur and Michelin starred chef recently took over the role of Executive Chef at The Gherkin, where he intends to focus on the delivery of high end food for corporate events and their delegates.
Exclusively occupying the top three floors of The Gherkin, Searcys provides world-class catering for corporate events and private functions at this unique landmark in the heart of London. It is also home to London’s highest private members’ club, featuring an exclusive lounge, restaurant and bar with private dining rooms offering the finest menus and the best 360° views over the City. The glass dome at the top of The Gherkin is available for exclusive private hire, ideal for prestigious events, as an unusual wedding venue or for memorable product launches.
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