Its not just about the discos – when I am not DJing I work
freelance through a major hospitality staffing agency, and have done since
2014. In that time I have been
privileged to work in some incredible venues, at amazing events for some
wonderful clients
One of my favourite jobs is the National TV Awards
(NTAs). This annual televised event is
catered by a client with whom I have worked many times before – and this year
was my third time at this event over the past 4 years. Once again the client requested me
specifically for a supervisory role in the team.
The client is a company called GIG, responsible for catering
some of the biggest events in the world, but they are a fabulous, friendly
team. At the NTAs GIG provide their
service to a variety of areas backstage, with the largest being the pre-show
reception/post show party for the nominees.
We provide food and bar to around 500 guests pre show and 800 or more
post show – and these guests are the ones that you saw on TV hoping to win, and
winning, the coveted awards, voted for by the viewing public.
So – what do I do? With a colleague I am responsible for
setting up and running the two bars and two champagne receptions, and then
clearing down at the end of the night. Sounds straightforward? On top of this I am also personally
responsible for the Responsible Service of Alcohol as the duty licensee. Add in staff allocation, briefing and
management, ensuring that the right stock and right glassware is in place, that
the bars are ready for service and then made ready again for the second party
and that the necessary clearing is done across the whole room, and provide
support to our amazing Back of House manager. Then of course there is liaison
with the event manager from the TV production company, the venue staff and the
venue security and medical team.
Just when you might think it sounds simple – I also take
responsibility for stopping bar service at exactly 7:15 pm, which gives
sufficient time to move 500 guests across to the arena for a live TV broadcast,
and then closing two bars at the end of service at 12:30am Closing a bar is never an easy or popular
job, made a bit more challenging when the guests are faces that you may have
been seeing on TV for thirty or more years, and many guests with potentially a
feeling that they are particularly important….
In addition(!) I walked the whole room constantly to keep my
manager informed of how the event was running while she was based back of
house.
The NTAs is a long day.
I arrived on site at midday on Tuesday, and left the o2 car park at
2:30am Wednesday – a fourteen and a half hour day, but I walked away with my
head up knowing that we, as a team, provided a fantastic service to a room full
of celebrity guests. The end of a day is a mixture of deep tiredness and
absolute elation at a job well done
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