ABSOLUTE TASTE COMPANY PROFILE Since 1997 ABSOLUTE TASTE Since its very beginning Absolute Taste has been providing fabulous food for events clients. We now operate all over the world with an amazing list of high profile clients. Building the business into other sectors, Absolute Taste is now a truly diverse set of businesses, all of which complement one another. Absolute Taste was formed in 1997 by Ron Dennis and Lyndy Redding. Since, we have grown from providing the hospitality for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 team to being one of the leading events companies and party planners. As a result of our continued success, and exposure, we now operate a number of companies. We find that this allows us to bring innovation and inspiration to all areas of our business. Managing Director, Lyndy Redding remains at the heart of Absolute Taste‟s success. Passionate and dedicated to food, service and her fabulous staff, Lyndy has built an organisation that still retains its core values. This along with the backing of the hugely successful brand, McLaren Group, always guarantees a level of quality synonymous with the company‟s unbeatable standard of service. LYNDY REDDING Lyndy Redding, born in Yorkshire, began her career training as a chef at the prestigious Tante Marie School of Cookery in Surrey with a dream of one day having a successful catering business. On graduation Lyndy began working around the world as a private chef, at privately owned ski chalets, a chateau in the South of France, shooting lodges in Scotland and on a luxury yacht in the Seychelles. She returned to London and began to work at a small, privately owned catering business, which further inspired her business dream. Cooking for the Directors Dining room at leading ad agency, BSB Dorland followed before moving into motor racing. Working for a catering company she cooked her way around the world travelling with the team to all the F1 races and some Moto GP‟s for Marlboro. During this period she began making her dream of having her own business a reality and would prepare food in the evenings from her tiny flat and dash all over London to cook for clients and friends Having met Ron Dennis, Executive Chairman of McLaren Automotive whilst in the motor racing world the dream came true and together they formed Absolute Taste in 1997 which became part of the McLaren Group. Under Lyndy‟s management the company has grown, she has built a team of over 200 full-time staff around her that is not just professional and capable but enthusiastic, charming and hard working. Lyndy remains as passionate about Absolute Taste and events as she did on day one. The company started by providing the hospitality for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes at the races and tests. The Events team caters for any event all over the world for both private and corporate clients and has become one of London‟s leading catering and event design companies. When McLaren moved to their new Foster designed premises in Surrey, Absolute Taste took over the front of house facilities as well as all of the catering for the staff, partners and VIP guests Lyndy, who lives in London with her husband, son and dog Truffle, is passionate about food and takes every opportunity on her travels to experience a new restaurant or explore a new culinary technique. With a fantastic sense of style Lyndy is inspired by the look, feel and texture of food and especially by contemporary design. Working around the world she seeks out the latest design trends in each country and brings back ideas, tastes and styling to Absolute Taste to use as inspiration. EVENTS AND PARTIES Absolute Taste has successfully established itself as one of the leading catering and event design companies with an impressive portfolio of both National and International clients. This has been achieved through its professional team who are renowned for their enthusiastic and expert approach. Each year the events get better and better with repeat clients and new business from the world of sport, aviation, beauty and fashion, property companies, interior design and all our favourite private clients. Key to any successful event is the planning, something the Absolute Taste team pride themselves on. Absolute Taste event planners guide their clients through the process of organising the most beautiful and chic event by finding the venue, designing menus, creating bespoke table settings & unique details, sourcing fabulous entertainment and arranging stunning flowers that make the difference. Our food is the most important thing about what we do. It is fundamental to Absolute Taste‟s thinking that our menu is correct to our client. 2007 saw the launch of a new partnership with Gordon Ramsay, Gordon Ramsay by Absolute Taste, working closely with Gordon and his team to create the menus which allow the celebrated chef‟s food to be available outside of his restaurants for the first time and at events around the world. ABSOLUTE TASTE AND THE McLAREN GROUP As the catering company within the McLaren Group, Absolute Taste has a dedicated division that provides a first class hospitality service for the VIP guests and the team of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 team, around the world during the F1 season. Catering at the races and tests is a huge logistical challenge which has grown from a few travelling chefs to a team of 18 people. In 2004, The McLaren Technology Centre was completed and the style and operations for the front of house facilities as well as all of the catering is provided by Absolute Taste, from the employee restaurant and VIP dining rooms to all the partner events held at the facility. The McLaren Technology Centre is the corporate and production headquarters for The McLaren Group bringing together all of the Group‟s activities under one roof. Together, with their associate companies in The McLaren Group, Absolute Taste shares the same goal: „To be the best at everything we do.‟ ABSOLUTE TASTE INFLIGHT Absolute Taste Inflight was formed in 2003, resulting in another exciting division for the company. Providing an innovative and contemporary approach to inflight hospitality it allows corporate, business and executive aircrafts to experience a whole new concept: to eat the very best food available while in the air. This division has since flourished and by using Absolute Taste‟s highly developed kitchen facilities at their London HQ, an experienced team of chefs create exciting menus with fresh food that is easy to prepare & delicious to taste. A dedicated fleet of modern liveried vehicles guarantees each order arrives on time & in perfect condition. Servicing all UK airports 24/7, they supply to a prestigious list of international clients that demand nothing but the best. As one of the fastest growing parts of our business, we have recently opened in Geneva, and expect further new opening soon. ABSOLUTE TASTE CAFES Absolute Taste continues to expand and evolve including the four Absolute Taste cafés. The Design Café by Absolute Taste and the Dome Café by Absolute Taste in the Design Centre at Chelsea Harbour, London, open to the public serving breakfast, lunch and afternoon grazing. The Apron Café by Absolute Taste at TAG Farnborough Airport, Hampshire serves businesses based at the airport, airline crew and anyone departing from the new terminal where they can also order boardroom lunches and in- flight food from the Inflight representative on site. Also in the Absolute Taste café portfolio is Absolute Taste at Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor, Knightsbridge and most recently, The Orangery Restaurant at Burghley House. ABSOLUTE TASTE AT MERCEDES BENZ WORLD Absolute Taste look after all the catering at Mercedes-Benz World including the Gullwing Restaurant offering a first class dining experience with its own bar and private terrace overlooking the test tracks at the world class facility and the Surrey countryside with a delicious menu of fine British products. Café 1886 located on the ground floor is great to relax with a quick drink and a light snack of homemade cakes and biscuits, delicious sandwiches and salads. Also at this unique setting Absolute Taste look after all the functions and events that take place at this great location. OUR FOOD We are passionate about food and always use the best produce around to create delicious cuisine. For us, great food should be a memorable experience. Our team of event planners guide each client through the menu selection process. Every season we release new seasonal menus for clients to make their selection from. We also offer a bespoke menu design service for each client to guarantee that their specific requirements are met and that the menu is correct for the event. Clients are invited for tastings at our offices in Wandsworth. Tastings are a perfect time to go through the menu and discuss every detail from the flavours in the food to the presentation. Whilst a lot of our competition seek to formalise their brands and standardise what they do, we work hard to be bespoke – giving our clients something different in everything we do, as long as the quality is at its heart. THE ABSOLUTE TASTE TEAM Absolute Taste, a division of the TAG McLaren Group, embraces their principles of total commitment, quality and excellence. At Absolute Taste we work together as a close-knit team with the aim to be the very best in our business achieved through commitment to the goals of the company and attention to every detail. The business of Absolute Taste is customer focussed and provides the very best in food, style, design and personal service. Our staff is a young professional team, many of our staff will experience working with the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes race team to fully understand the pressures of catering on location and the value of successful teamwork.