VenuesLive secures major event and venue catering awards in two states

It was a night of celebration in two States for VenuesLive on Monday evening, with the company winning the catering industry’s most celebrated awards in both NSW and Western Australia.

After a year hosting some of Australia’s biggest sport and entertainment events at Accor Stadium and CommBank Stadium in Sydney and Optus Stadium in Perth, the VenuesLive catering teams scooped the award pools at separate, glittering functions.

On a night to remember at Le Montage Sydney, VenuesLive won three major catering awards at the Restaurant & Catering 2023 Awards For Excellence NSW:

• Caterer Of The Year 2023: VenuesLive NSW - CommBank Stadium, Parramatta;

• Venue Caterer of the Year: VenuesLive NSW - CommBank Stadium, Parramatta;

• Events Caterer of the Year Sydney (over 200 guests): VenuesLive NSW - Accor Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park.

On an equally rewarding night at the Catering Institute of Australia’s Gold Plate Awards at Optus Stadium in Perth, VenuesLive was inducted into the Restaurant & Catering Institute of WA’s Hall of Fame for Event Catering after having previously won the award for Best Venue Caterer three times.

VenuesLive WA Managing Director and Optus Stadium Chief Executive, Mike McKenna, received the Prix d'Honneur - recognising VenuesLive’s consistency with service levels and menu creations since opening in 2018.

VenuesLive Managing Director Daryl Kerry said his team felt “honoured and privileged” to be providing catering services at Optus Stadium on behalf of Venues West and at Accor Stadium and CommBank Stadium on behalf of Venues NSW - and to have received such glowing endorsement by the catering industry of Australia in two States.

Kerry advised “it is fantastic recognition for our catering team across NSW and WA and a great reward for all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes at our major venues and events.

“This is especially satisfying given our teams were responsible for delivering food and beverages to the highest level at FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 matches in Sydney and Perth, along with our other many sport and entertainment events.”

Kerry paid special tribute to Group General Manager Food and Beverage Craig Menzies and General Manager Catering (NSW) Mark Adler, Executive Chefs Jochen Beranek (WA) and Craig Veigel and their respective teams, and the Meetings & Special Events teams in two States.

Kerry also acknowledged the great influence that Australian food icon and VenuesLive Culinary Ambassador Matt Moran AM has had on the quality of food on offer at VenuesLive-catered venues, noting “it has been a great honour to have someone of Matt’s standing in the industry work so closely with us over the past two years. He is a giant in the hospitality industry and a truly remarkable man.”

Explaining that it was a very special honour for Optus Stadium to be inducted into the Hall of Fame after winning the Gold Plate award every year since 2019, McKenna added “congratulations to all the team who make Optus Stadium such an appealing venue for functions and events, across front-of-house, back-of-house and support departments to our leadership and casual teams.

“To collect the Prix d’Honneur, our service and food was judged multiple times, across multiple years and by many different judges - and every time in comparison to our competition we came out on top. This has been a total team effort.

“We are absolutely committed to elevating the event and venue industry in WA - the Dream State.”

Image: Members of the VenuesLive NSW team at Monday's awards.