A Nostalgic Afternoon at the GLA

OCS was recently invited to host a prestigious event for the Food Consultants Society International (FCSI) at London’s Living Room in City Hall, home to the GLA (Greater London Authority) and the Mayor of London. The OCS on-site catering team showcased their professional skills with a themed event based on the Olympic Games of 1948 – the last time Great Britain hosted the Games. The Fresh Seafood Cart which included cockles, mussels, jellied eels, prawns and oysters Delegates were treated to an impressive and delicious range of canapés themed on 1948 recipes. The nostalgic theme incorporated old dishes with a modern twist including fish and chips, rabbit pie and mash with rabbit liquor, green pea soup and jam roly poly with custard. These tasty treats were all served from counters named after the sports stadiums that hosted the 1948 Games, including the Empire Stadium, Wembley, Empress Hall, Earls Court, Green Pond Road Stadium, Walthamstow and White Hart Lane, Tottenham. The OCS staff at the GLA joined in the spirit of the event, dressing in themed 1948 attire to serve the food. Director of Catering Mark Nelson praised the staff, describing the event as a great success: “The GLA is a fantastic venue with a really great view of the city from its balcony. It was the perfect place to host the event and we all enjoyed taking part in it. Well done and thanks to all those who were involved.” The FCSI meeting included a master class session on exporting, a presentation by Arnold Fewell on Assessable Design in Hospitality, and a speech from guest speaker Luke Johnson, the man behind the growth of Pizza Express and former owner of celebrity favourite, The Ivy.