Oasys provides a model kitchen for international cooking stars

Says Oasys Innovations Key Account Manager Shareen Driver: “Our brief this year included designing an international broadcast quality food theatre for the three visiting BBC Food chefs. Each chef has their own exacting standards and choice of appliances. The main theatre was designed and built around each chosen appliance, taking into account each appliance's precise and specific dimensions. These included a combination of electrical and gas outlets, while maintaining health and safety requirements at all times. In addition, each of the theatres, which included the main theatre, a mini theatre and a competition kitchen, all required plumbing, electrical and refrigeration facilities. Each chef and their students required individual preparation and storage areas, which again had to meet their specific requirements. Oasys designed and built a beautiful cherry wood, stainless steel and brushed glass kitchen for the main theatre which exceeded both the organiser's and the chefs' expectations.”

Says event organiser Lynn Charmier, owner of Professional Exhibition Solutions: “It would be more accurate to describe the Sunday Times Food Show as a production as opposed to a traditional exhibition. The focus is on the experiential nature of the show, playing to each of the five senses.”

In keeping with this focus on being viewed as a “production” as opposed to being a traditional exhibition, Oasys Audio Visual provided the staging for the various food theatres, the competition kitchen and mini-demonstration theatre, which involved the installation and assembly of over 230 raised stage pieces. These accommodated 740 people in the main theatre and up to 120 in the mini-demonstration theatres. Driver and her team designed and printed the over 240 graphic panels that surrounded and screened off each and every area of the show. These were individually designed to represent the required look and feel of the exhibition.

This year over 10 000 visitors, 81 exhibitors and the demonstrations by local and international celebrity chefs, all made for the Sunday Times Food Show achieving success as a culinary experience enjoyed by many South African “foodies”.