Guests: 613
Date: 20 November, 2015
Where: Panorama Ballroom

As the State’s peak industry body, Food South Australia aims to grow value and opportunities for members and the industry through key services and programs.

Food South Australia was established in 2010 through the merger of long running industry associations – Food Adelaide and Flavour SA. Its focus is to connect businesses in the food industry with the services and expert advice they need to develop their businesses, grow their bottom line and connect with new markets.

Hosted by Food South Australia, with support from the Government of South Australia, the South Australian Food Industry Awards is the night of nights for the State’s food industry.

The South Australian Food Industry Awards Program recognises and celebrates individuals and businesses that are making their mark in the food industry by demonstrating their outstanding vision, leadership and innovation.

It provides the opportunity for these ambitious and enthusiastic food professionals to raise the bar and inspire the State’s dynamic food industry to greater achievement.

The prestigious Awards are divided into two categories – Businesses with more than 15 full time equivalent employees and Businesses with less than or equal to 15 full time equivalent employees.

Within both categories, Awards are given for Business Excellence, Export, Innovation, New Product, Sustainability, Primary Producer and Service Provider.

A series of unique and individual Awards are also selected by a panel of judges including entry to the South Australian Food Industry Awards Hall of Fame.

The Centre has been a partner of the South Australian Food Industry Awards (including its previous incarnations) for 18 years, having hosted the event since 1998.

What We Did

South Australian produce, food and wine is close to the Centre’s heart. This is best illustrated by our Soils and Seasons food philosophy which has been designed to showcase and tell the stories of the State’s farmers, fishers and growers.

Therefore, the Centre is honoured to partner with Food South Australia for this event.

The event format included pre-dinner drinks and canapes in Foyer L, dinner in the Panorama Ballroom during which the formalities of the evening, including the Award presentations are undertaken, followed by an Awards after-party held in Foyers L1, 2 and 3.

As the event is attended by the State’s top food producers, expectations are high, and the Centre works closely with Food SA to create a custom menu which showcases the best of SA’s produce and products including many of the Award finalists.

The 2015 event was no exception with canapes including Macro Meats Gourmet kangaroo loin with Beerenberg Farm Worcestershire Sauce and Ferguson Australia oysters with lemon and black pepper pearls, entrées of Hindmarsh Valley Dairy goat’s cheese and Gawler River Quail, a main course of Thomas Foods saddle of lamb and a Triple Haigh’s chocolate gateau with Golden North ice cream.

Understandably, the owners of these iconic SA food producers keep a keen eye on how their produce and products are used on the night. Menu tastings are held with the client in the lead up to the event to refine the menu and the recipes used for the various dishes.

Wines and beverages served with the dinner included Coopers’ beers, Beresford, Katherine Hill and Step Road wines, and Bickfords’ soft drinks.

The evening was capped off with an after-party to facilitate networking among guests. Held in Foyers L1-3, guests were entertained by a local DJ while sipping on cool Kangaroo Island Spirits Gins with Bickfords’ Tonic Water.

The food, although central to the event, is just one key element of the overall experience for guests and the Centre also worked closely with the client to ensure the theming and technical aspects of the event (lighting, sound, audio visual) worked with the event theming to create a memorable experience.

Client’s Comments

The Adelaide Convention Centre is a valued partner of Food SA. We’re lucky to enjoy a strong relationship with the Centre, which means they’re as invested as we are in making the annual Awards a success.

This is highlighted by the fact that we’ve continued working together on the event for many years.

One of the biggest challenges of hosting an annual event is making it ‘new’ every year so it can continue to grow and attract support from the South Australian food industry.

The Centre never fails to help us to reinvent the Awards each year by coming up with new ideas, menus and different ways of doing things that help us to delight and surprise our guests.

From planning to delivery, nothing is too much trouble and they place a high value on good, old fashioned customer service – from the Event Planner through to the Executive Chef, and the technical services team.

Food SA also bring in other partners to assist with the event and the Centre is excellent at working with these other partners towards achieving the common goal of delivering the very best event possible.

Guests at the event are knowledgeable foodies who keep a close watch on how their produce or products are being used on the menu. The Centre never fails to deliver interesting, innovative and high quality dishes.

Put simply, the Centre gives us peace of mind that we won’t need to worry, and guests will be given a memorable experience.