Main Event
IF YOU’RE LUCKY YOU MIGHT BE ON THE guest list of one of these stellar events, and your only concern is what to wear; if, however you are planning the event you have a myriad of things to do on your checklist - food and beverage, lighting, décor, sound, props, staff, entertainment, seating... To get an insider’s look at planning the big event, we talked with the Wyndham Hotel’s Task Force Director of Food & Beverage, Jonathan Kastner, His mission is to work with the F&B team at the hotel, train the culinary staff, oversee the opening of the new Green Market Cafe and introduce a more all-inclusive outside catering service to clients.
The first OSC event was a private cocktail party for 150 guests invited to view the 2011 summer collection of two local designers – Lubica’s fashion and Bianca’s jewellery held at Kerry-Ann Clarke’s trendy boutique manwomanhome located on South Avenue in Kingston. Immediately, Jonathan saw the possibilities of creating a fabulous Fashion and Food event, infusing culinary arts with the world of style. After a brainstorming session with the entrepreneurial trio, he came up with the game plan to excite the senses and the palate. “It was a great opportunity to showcase the culinary arts, designing the menu in an artistic way using some local ingredients in new food combinations.
Elegantly presented, bite sized tastings included: sweet potato with vegetable stuffing and spicy tamarind drizzle; Vietnamese shrimp spring roll, shrimp scampi; filet mignon sliders with caramelized onions and a blue cheese fondue; sea scallops with plantain crisps and a papaya coulis. We also set-up an interactive food station with organic greens, dried fruits and nuts, jerk chicken, artisan cheese and homemade dressings. For dessert there was a Häagen-Dazs ice cream cart, petite fours, panna cotta, tiramisu and we baked special cookies with colorful icing to replicate Lubica’s designs; and we had a variety of designer cocktails in honor of the hosts. For example we created ‘Journey into the Sun’ for Bianca serving champagne with edible hibiscus blossoms, sprinkled with 24K gold dust.
Jonathan was also involved in the decor drawing on his professional training as an artist: “I asked them to show me their journals, working notes, and sketches to get a full understanding of each of their creative processes, we then selected some of the images to blow up as jumbo size posters which we used to decorate the walls.” The venue was decorated by Maureen Capleton of MC Décor and her team who rolled out the red carpet and transformed it into a sophisticated all-white setting with draped fabric, tenting, special lighting, cocktail tables and stools, and plush comfortable lounge seating. To the rear of the building, out of view, the Wyndham team set up their kitchen, complete with grills, stove and prep area, as well as a fully stocked bar.
