String Musicians - Photo by Jim Lee

Atlantic Group [v] best known for their stylish event spaces at Central Pier in Melbourne’s Docklands won Best Corporate Event at the Australian Event Awards held in Sydney on 8^th October 2009.

With a proven track record for over a decade delivering Melbourne’s most contemporary and cutting-edge events and with consistent and ongoing feedback from regular clients, who highlighted  a gap in the marketplace, Atlantic Group  undertook an extensive research and after  5 months of careful planning and research, -  Atlantic On Site was launched in October 2008.

Says Managing Director Hatem Saleh, ‘Atlantic On Site enables the taste making team behind Atlantic Group [v] to translate their expertise in hospitality and style at any location, from boardrooms to cliff tops with an underlying philosophy that that delicious and imaginative food can be presented anywhere’.

Mr Saleh explained two of Atlantic Group[v]’s further points of difference, ‘Our company own leading edge designer and dinner ware  usually an added cost to the client and is a saving in our proposition and Atlantic On Site make everything from scratch – using the finest and freshest of ingredients  (unlike the major catering competitors who mostly bulk buy these products in from other manufacturing sources).’

Flair Bar Men - Photo by Jim Lee

The launch event itself took place in the transformed urban wasteland of Care Public Car Park, 94 Batman Street, (off Dudley Street), West Melbourne  demonstrating that Atlantic On Site can cater anywhere, even a derelict old car park.  The creative concept was developed in conjunction with event partner- Solution RED. The 3 fully integrated event themes encompassed environment, staff (in terms of attitude and grooming/uniform), entertainment, ambience, food and food styling to reinforce the branding of the event.

Greeted by valet parking mechanics 519 guests were guided inside where the sensual journey began. Commencing in the urban back alley, featuring roller derby girls, graffiti artists and rock star-tattooed staff, the event kicked off with a distinctive raw, rock edge. Fast food favourites were turned on their heads and transformed into modern culinary creations and presented on dart boards and skate boards.

After 45 minutes, the rear wall opened to a spectacular reveal – a serene, organic environment reminiscent of a carefully crafted Japanese garden. Ethereal beauties beckoned the guests into the second space and as guests felt the soft grass beneath their feet. The scent of fresh flowers and herbs permeated the air and tastebuds were awakened with clean and contemporary Asian inspired dishes celebrating sensory flavours.

Finally guests entered the ‘future of catering’ – a modern, white industrial space. Almost clinical in appearance, this area showcased a central full sized open kitchen where chefs bustled– busily crafting delicious and imaginative treats. This space was a futuristic and technological environment with unexpected edible items showcased, opening guests minds to flavours and texture combinations and presentation methods never seen before.

Hatem Saleh says, ‘The event is still a much talked about occasion amongst the industry and since then Atlantic On Site has been a caterer of choice for a who’s who list of events.’

Roaring 20's Performers

Avantage provided a full sound system and set-up for the 9 piece band the ‘Midnight Syndicate’ in addition to dual screen projection and a moving light show.  The dinner was a great success with Hope4Health raising $12,000 for the Dabaa Medical Centre and the 350 guests dancing the night away.  Marty Brewster, Director of Sponsorship said ‘Avantage took the time to listen to what we wanted and simply delivered on the night… everything ran according to plan, the staff were very professional and the room looked sensational.  The band sounded great too!’

Following on from the Hope4Health event, the Australian Building Codes Board held a 3 day conference with Avantage again providing all of the audio visual services for the conference right through to the grand finale – an roaring 20′s Gangster Gala Dinner held in the Royal Benowa Ballroom.  Wayout Theatreworks brought excellent entertainment with a number of shady ‘gangster’ characters performing on stage and mingling in with the guests – a great end to a fantastic conference.