Corporate Event Catering at The Elm at Alderley Park

A full day of food, service and event support for 300 guests

A successful conference needs to work from the moment the first guest arrives. The room needs to be ready, refreshments need to be waiting and every break, breakout session and food service needs to fit naturally around the agenda.

For the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority Launch Conference, Fork & Field welcomed 300 attendees to The Elm at Alderley Park for a busy day of presentations, networking and breakout sessions.

We prepared the different event spaces and catering stations, kept refreshments replenished and managed breakfast and lunch service to ensure that the venue was ready for each stage of the conference.

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Starting the conference with breakfast

With hosts arriving from 7am and attendees from 9am, preparation began early.

By the time guests arrived for registration and networking, our tea, coffee and water stations were ready alongside two breakfast buffet stations. Breakfast included croissants, pain au chocolat, individual yoghurts, fresh fruit and fresh juice, giving guests plenty of choice before the conference programme began.

Tea and coffee remained available throughout the event, with standard and decaffeinated coffee, a selection of teas and dairy, soya and oat milk. Separate water stations were also available, while water and glasses within the conference and breakout rooms were replenished throughout the day.

For a conference of this size, those details matter. Guests can help themselves when it suits the schedule, while the event can continue without unnecessary interruptions.

Making a 300-person conference flow

Corporate catering on this scale requires careful planning, particularly when hundreds of people need to be served within relatively short breaks.

Two buffet stations were used for both breakfast and lunch, helping guests move through the catering areas efficiently. The event schedule also included several breakout sessions before guests came back together for lunch and networking.

Behind the scenes, our team worked around that programme so each service was prepared at the right time without distracting from what was happening elsewhere in the venue.

It’s this combination of planning and on-the-day delivery that allows us to support conferences as a complete event rather than treating the catering as a standalone part of the schedule.

Lunch designed around a busy agenda

Following the morning sessions, guests came together for a buffet lunch and an opportunity to network before the afternoon programme began.

The menu featured a selection of artisan sub rolls, including chicken and lettuce, beef and horseradish, and mature cheddar and pickle, accompanied by dressed leaf salad and premium cut crisps. Brownie bites and lemon drizzle slices added something sweet to finish.

The format was deliberately straightforward and easy to enjoy within the conference schedule. Guests could choose their lunch, catch up with colleagues and make new connections before returning to the auditorium for the afternoon sessions.

Catering for different dietary requirements

Large corporate events can bring together hundreds of people, which means dietary planning needs to be considered carefully from the outset.

For this conference, the guest list included a wide variety of requirements and preferences, including gluten, shellfish, nut and sesame allergies, intolerances, and vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian and halal diets. Alternative breakfast and lunch options were incorporated into the catering plan so these requirements could be accommodated across the day.

Planning this in advance helps the service remain organised while giving guests confidence that they have been considered as part of the wider event experience.

More than corporate catering

Food was only one element of our team's involvement at The Elm at Alderley Park.

The event used several areas of the venue, from the main auditorium to dedicated breakout rooms. Ahead of the conference, spaces were configured for presentations and smaller sessions, registration areas were prepared and catering stations positioned to support the movement of 300 attendees around the venue.

During the day, our team continued to support the event by maintaining catering areas and replenishing water across the different spaces.

It’s an approach that brings venue management, event organisation and catering together, giving organisers one experienced team helping everything run as planned.

Corporate events at The Elm at Alderley Park

From conferences and company meetings to networking events and celebrations, The Elm at Alderley Park offers a flexible setting for bringing people together.

With Fork and Field providing event management alongside food and service, we can help shape the experience around the needs of each event. That could mean an early breakfast for delegates, refreshments between presentations, an efficient buffet lunch or coordinating the practical details that keep a busy conference moving.

If you're planning a corporate event in Cheshire, get in touch with Fork & Field to talk to our team about event management, catering and hosting your event at The Elm at Alderley Park.

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