Today (Tuesday, October 13), we hosted our first TSC Live coffee networking brunch with headline sponsor Pact Coffee, at Railhouse in Victoria.
The Staff Canteen launched chef networking lunches in 2016, later incorporating front of house events from 2020. Today’s event was a brand-new format built around coffee: an intimate, working brunch bringing hospitality decision-makers and suppliers together over real product and real conversation, rather than a trade show or conference.
Railhouse is the award-winning Victoria restaurant from the Riding House Cafés group, with private dining and event spaces close to Victoria station.
Guests arrived for tea, coffee and standing networking before Pact Coffee then gave a welcome presentation, followed by live cuppings, tastings and demonstrations on the bar from Pact Coffee barista Laura Metcalfe.
Everyone then sat down for brunch prepared by Henry Omereye, executive chef of the Riding House Cafés group, and his team.
The guests
Today we welcomed 24 invited guests, including attendees from BiBi, Fallow, Chez Bruce, The Goring and Herts Pubs.
Barry Mays, cafe operations manager at London Wildlife Trust, said: “Today has been an amazing opportunity to meet other people within the coffee industry.
"While it’s quite a small part of the industry, there isn’t always that unifying body that brings people into the same place, so it was a really special occasion to get like-minded and passionate people together and meet some of the suppliers too.
“Everyone is really interested in what everyone else does and I think that contributes to a really good discussion and good learning. It was really useful.
“I’d been looking forward to it and I’ve made some good contacts.”
The sponsors
These events would not happen without the support of our sponsors. Today’s coffee networking brunch was headlined by Pact Coffee and supported by Lakeland Dairies, Be WTR and Chef Works.
Lakeland Dairies’ barista milk featured in a cortado during the tastings, with its Millac Gold Single Cream used in the brunch. Be WTR water ran through the coffee machine, was served as a palate cleanser between tastings and was on the tables throughout. Henry, Laura and the front of house team all wore Chef Works aprons.
Cara Davis, out of home lead at Pact Coffee, said: “It’s been so great, so positive. The whole thing has felt so coffee focused. Pact has really been put at the heart of the whole event and I really feel like we’ve got to play to our strengths and what we’re passionate about.
“We’ve done quite a few trade shows before and they are great for big volume, but they can be so overwhelming that sometimes the conversations don’t translate into meaningful conversations afterwards. So we were really keen to explore a more intimate setting, where you got to spend a longer period of time with people and chat in more detail about what we do and what they need in their business from a hot drinks supplier.
“We haven’t done something like this before, so the thing I was apprehensive about was how much natural networking would happen. I was really pleasantly surprised how quick everyone was to talk about coffee. Everybody was really engaged, so opinionated and passionate about coffee, which is really magical.
“We’ve already had a couple of people straightaway saying please drop us an email, come down and do a tasting with us. Naya Mayfair in particular were really positive. It was also great to hear how some of these really famous restaurants work back of house.”
Fletcher Bowley, key account manager for UK and Ireland at Chef Works and Bragard, said: “It’s been excellent, I’ve really enjoyed it. From the moment I arrived I could tell it was well organised. It was a great venue and a great group of people.
“I feel there’s a perfect opportunity for us and the lead sponsor Pact to work closer together. The coffee and café sector is an area we’re quite interested in going further into.
“There were some existing customers here, which is always great, and some new opportunities we will follow up on for sure.
“We’ve had a long-term relationship with The Staff Canteen and we really value it because of putting on events like this.”
The menu
For the table
Mixed pastries
Açai bowl, Greek yoghurt, mango pearls, banana, blackberries, strawberries, chia and poppy seeds
Main
Breakfast bun, grilled halloumi, avocado salsa, pink pickled onions, Bajan pepper sauce
Dry-aged Burgerdict, St Ewe poached egg, special hollandaise, tomato, muffin
Hollandaise made with Lakeland Dairies Millac Gold Single Cream
Dessert for the table
Malted deep dish pancakes, coffee cream, banana, maple syrup
Coffee cream made with Pact Coffee and Lakeland Dairies cream
