AIM Awards – Dinner for 850, no problem!
We partnered with Ford Sinclair Events to help deliver the annual AIM Awards, a celebration of outstanding achievements on the world’s most successful growth market. Sponsored by BDO in association with the London Stock Exchange, the Awards recognise quoted companies and entrepreneurs who have utilised AIM to achieve their ambition and growth potential over the past year. This prestigious event has been successfully delivered by Ford Sinclair Events for over 25 years, with our founder providing support for more than 15 years. Held at Old Billingsgate in London, the event hosted 850 guests, and we delivered an exceptional three-course seated dinner within 90 minutes, achieved with the support of a dedicated team of over 200 staff.
What does it take to serve 800 people in 90 minutes? Here's the scoop:
The Setup:
6,400 pieces of cutlery
5,600 glasses sparkling to perfection
4,800 pieces of china
24 hot cupboards & 15 ovens keeping it hot, hot hot.
The Refreshments:
500 bottles of wine
400L of Belu water (giving back while we serve!)
Nearly 1 tonne of sustainably filtered ice
The Menu:
3 delicious courses - smoked duck to start, herb-crusted Welsh lamb for mains, finished with a truly decadent chocolate délice!
Plus 3 vegan options - tomato tart Tatin, King oyster mushroom, vegan chocolate orange tart
The Dream Team:
100+ waiting staff
50 culinary maestros
30 wine experts
20 mixologists
15 hardworking porters
12 cloakroom pros
7 masterful managers
3 VERY tired avocados 🥑
♻️ Sustainability matters:
Almost 2 tonnes of waste recycled!
DINNER MENU
Starter
Artisan stone baked breads, Maldon salted butter
Smoked Gressingham duck, grilled pear,
watercress and candied walnuts with pear glaze
King oyster mushroom steak, potato rosti, grilled baby leeks, heritage carrots, jus and tarragon oil
Main course
Pan-seared Rhug farm lamb rump, pulled shoulder bon bon, thyme infused fondant potato, grilled baby gem and a light port jus
Tomato tart tatin with rocket, vegan cheese, balsamic glaze
Dessert
Gianduja chocolate delice, orange gel centre and salted caramel popcorn
Vegan chocolate orange tart
Accompanied by Fairtrade B-Corp tea & coffee, homemade after eights
“The Aim Awards is a truly special event to me personally, having worked on this event closely with the client for over 15 years it’s ingrained in my professional career and a personal highlight every year. We coordinated over 200 members of staff, 15,000 items of equipment and several hundred bottles of wine whilst delivering a three course meal to 850 guests in under 90 minutes. After many years it’s now become a well-oiled machine but a truly exceptional event, especially for a small and mighty team of four who I am forever ever grateful to for helping to pull this event off!”
– Jay Burgesson-Carter, Founder of The Ripe Avocado
What the client said:
“Jay has now been working with Ford Sinclair Events and the Aim Awards for over 15 years. We fully support The Ripe Avocado, Jay and his team to deliver our large-scale and complex event for many years to come and are grateful for another exceptional year of Jay and his team's event delivery and delicious food”.
– Jo Thomas, Managing Director, Ford Sinclair Events