How Our Catering Team Executed 100+ Festive Events

This past festive season was our busiest yet. Between late November and New Year's Eve, The HAC hosted over 100 events across our historic spaces, from intimate boardroom celebrations in the Queens Room to grand galas for hundreds in the Prince Consort Rooms. Each required the same level of attention, quality and service.

We sat down with Milen Filkov, Searcys General Manager at The HAC, to understand how our catering team prepared for this intense period and what went into delivering consistently excellent events throughout the season. Whether you're planning your 2026 festive celebration or simply curious about what happens behind the scenes, here's the inside story.

One of the biggest challenges during the festive season is maintaining quality when you're serving dinner for 300 guests in the Prince Consort Rooms one evening and hosting three separate events across Armoury House the next day.

"The secret is structure," says Milen. "Every dish is tested, timed and perfected before it ever hits the pass. Our mise en place is military-level organised, and quality checks happen plate by plate. And because tired chefs make tired food, we rotate teams to keep everyone at their best. It's how we make a dinner for 700 tastes as precise as a dinner for seven."

During the busiest weeks of December, the kitchen operated on a precise schedule. Deliveries arrived at 8am, prep began immediately, and by mid-morning, team briefings ensured everyone understood the day's events.

"Imagine a high-energy relay team swapping ladles instead of batons," describes Milen. "By 2pm, sauces are reduced, garnishes are lined up like soldiers. At 5pm, we do final tastings. No dish leaves without approval. Then from 6 to 10pm, it's service fireworks. Hundreds of plates flying out, perfectly timed. It's intense, but it runs like a theatre, only backstage smells better."

With events happening simultaneously across our Long Room, Prince Consort Rooms and smaller spaces, coordination between catering and operations teams is essential. Detailed briefings covered timings, dietary requirements and special requests before each event, whilst constant radio contact during service ensured plates landed on tables exactly when guests were ready.

"Communication is everything," emphasises Milen. "We start with a full run-through of the night: timings, diets, special requests, the lot. Once service begins, we're in constant radio contact with the ops team so plates land on tables exactly when guests are ready. And after the last dessert goes out, we regroup to tweak and refine. It's teamwork at its slickest."

Managing dietary requirements properly requires clear systems. Every requirement is logged, tracked carefully and given its own identifier. On event nights, dietary plates are prepared at a dedicated station and double-checked before service.

"We treat dietary accuracy like a VIP service," states Milen. "Everything is logged early, tracked meticulously, and given its own identifier. On the night, dietary plates are prepared at a dedicated station, double-checked by two chefs and passed directly to named servers. There's no guesswork, just precision and care."

This is why we ask clients to submit final dietary requirements 10 working days before their event.

Sourcing British produce is a core principle for Searcys. At least 90% of fruit and vegetables come from UK farmers, with all meat sourced from British farms. This commitment has earned Searcys a Two Star Food Made Good rating.

"For us, British sourcing isn't just a preference, it's a principle," explains Milen. "It supports local farmers, ensures fresher ingredients, and keeps our carbon footprint down. During the festive rush, we work closely with trusted producers, pre-order what we need and craft menus that celebrate what's in season. It means better flavour and a better story behind every plate."

The most common issue is trying to fit too much into the event schedule. When speeches, entertainment and dining all compete for limited time, the pacing suffers.

"Trying to squeeze too much into the schedule" is the biggest challenge, notes Milen. "When timing gets tight, food and service both feel the strain. The fix? Build in a breathing room. Let speeches, entertainment and service coexist without competing. Ask your operations manager. They're your secret weapon for flawless flow."

This advice proved particularly valuable for events in our versatile Prince Consort Rooms, where the space allows for elaborate staging but timing still needs careful management.

Hot food served at the right temperature, attentive service, careful plating and thoughtful touches like personalised menus all contribute to how guests remember their evening, whether they're dining in the intimate Queens Room or celebrating in our grand historic spaces.

"Temperature is everything. Hot food served hot, cold food served cold," emphasises Milen. "Add warm, attentive service, beautiful plating, polished tables, and thoughtful touches like personalised menus or sauces poured at the table, and guests feel genuinely cared for. Small details create big memories."

Peak season is demanding, but the reward is straightforward: seeing guests enjoying themselves makes the effort worthwhile.

"It's the moment you look out across the room and see hundreds of people laughing, celebrating and enjoying what you've created," reflects Milen. "After the final plate leaves the pass, there's a quiet sense of pride shared across the whole team. Amid the pressure, those moments make it all worthwhile."

Now is the ideal time to begin planning your next festive celebration. Early booking for 2026 gives you the best choice of dates across our historic spaces and allows our catering team sufficient time to create a bespoke experience for your guests.

Whether you're considering an intimate gathering in Armoury House or a large-scale celebration in the Prince Consort Rooms, our team brings the same level of expertise and attention to detail that made this past season so successful.

Contact our events team to discuss your 2026 festive event.