fine food and music

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Music, fine food & wine

– an opportunity to show off some rising talent

Add harmony with the food

nd Tapas

Start with the music

Example from menu

Starter

Pan-seared scallops with cauliflower puree

Accompanied by Cape York Riesling 2008

and Lauren Delaney playing the harp

Organise an evening centred around music, fine food and wine. Consider making it a charity event to attract attention from media and suppliers. This doesn’t mean you can’t make a profit. Just ensure you make a generous donation to a worthy cause.

The whole idea can be turned into a great publicity stunt with an opportunity for newspapers and local TV stations to cover the story.

Invite your suppliers to contribute to the cost of advertising & promotion in return for a mention in a press release or on your menu. If they won’t chip in then try bartering for a larger-than-normal discount

Consider using aspiring local musicians, keen for exposure, to provide the music. Centres for performing arts or music colleges are great places to source them. Get them to perform in return for a donation to their college or school. Ask the music teachers or the students themselves to talk about their passion in between courses or recitals.

Have the students design a program of events much the same as you would expect to receive at a concert or opera performance.

Where you put them will depend on the size of your venue but for some, a table right next to the music can be too much of a good thing. Better for the performers to be in the background, in a corner, the entrance lobby or, if space permits, up on a platform or stage.

Staying with the idea of nurturing local talent, try using local trainee chefs. Contact the local catering college or hospitality department of the nearest university and make contact with the head of the department. Invite him or her over to discuss the idea of showcasing their better students and gaining publicity for the college.

You could run a dégustation menu or table d’hôte for the evening. Limit the choice of dishes to keep the event running smoothly.

We’re used to the concept of matching wine with food. Why not put a new spin on the same idea with the music creating an atmosphere to accompany each course? Let the catering students help you design the menu, combining your style of food with their skills.

Here is an example of menu layout and recipes
For tips on how to match wine with food click here

Try and run this event to coincide with other local or national events such as such as concerts, operas, carnivals or Last Night of the Proms. Awareness is heightened which makes finding customers easier.

When to run this event

ND Tapas

Your target market will typically be

Customers on your database with compatible interests (good food, classical music, soirées, dégustation)

Parents and friends from the participating schools and colleges (music and catering)

Music lovers, audiences and local newspaper/local magazine readers who are likely to see a press release

Passing trade who visit your venue before the event who find out about this event from in-house advertising

Local music or food appreciation groups