Spice was in attendance as the hotel showed off its new events offerings at the gala showcase on 3 July, 2024.  

Media, stakeholders and buyers enjoyed the bright and vibrant event, where seven speciality food stations showed off international cuisine, wines and cocktails from around that world, while entertainers – including Japanese drummers and an interactive tuna cutting ceremony – thrilled the crowd.

The hotel is now under the direction of executive chef Hamish Neale, and all cuisine on display at the showcase is offered for business events, including sashimi, caviar, Peking duck, Spanish tapas and Australian seafood, delivered in creative and bold style.

“Event organisers place so much time, money and investment in organising quality, bespoke events only to be faced with generic food packages that are often restrictive or uninspired,” says Neale. “This is absolutely not the case at Hilton Sydney.

“Australians have an incredibly sophisticated palate, and we are lucky to have some of the best produce in the world on our doorstep. Our food philosophy has always been to celebrate this. We are dedicated to ensuring that no matter where you dine in our hotel, you will be experiencing an unforgettable culinary journey.

“My vision was to create a collaborative menu where we can work together to build a culinary offering custom-made to the audience and event. There are no barriers on how big we can go.

“Whether you want a live tuna carving demonstration by a Japanese master before serving melt-in-your-mouth sashimi, a caviar station with matching Grey Goose vodka, or a fun sundae and chocolate fountain buffet, we can bring that vision and theatre to life.”

On the night, Encore Event Technologies and Hilton Sydney launched new creative production innovations, including spectacular applications of light and LED to create theatrical moments, presentations, theming and pathways.

New products included flown LED banners, which demonstrate creative applications of LED, such as covering lighting rigging with animated content, and Ayrton Rivale Profiles – moving lights that command attention with stunning colour beams and texture FX.

Other innovations include Astera Titan Tubes, which are battery powered and programmable tube lights that create interactive pathways; projection mapping, which capitalises on room surfaces to create high-impact digital theming; Prolights Diamondbacks, which are used for strobes, beams and creative lighting FX; and animated holding graphics, which allow bespoke, themed content to play across multiple custom screens.

“Encore’s partnership with Hilton Sydney allows us to offer an enhanced guest experience with access to new, unique and immersive technologies, which include incredible uses and applications of light and LED to create theatrical moments, presentations, theming and journeys,” says Hilton Sydney general manager Malcolm Zancanaro.

“Coupled with a best-in-class food and beverage offering, Hilton Sydney is paving the way for an unmatched event experience.

“We’re bridging the gap between clients and suppliers to bring visions to life and create seamless experiences for event organisers.”