Last year we talked about the importance of a good relationship between the catering company and the venues in which the event is held. corporate events.
On this occasion we will focus on the subject with different spaces, in order to expand on information that may be relevant to you.
What is the most important thing for Artigot Catering?
For Artigot catering the most important thing is, first of all, the capacity of the space: how many people fit in a standing cocktail or a seated menu. Secondly, the characteristics of the facilities provided to the caterer to prepare the service are very important: space and electrical power. And finally, it is important that the access from the street and from the kitchen to the rooms is adequate for unloading and transport.
This seems most logical, but it is something that is not taken into account in many spaces and we have a hard time to provide the service.
Fortunately, venue owners are increasingly aware of the problems that can arise for suppliers and the new spaces are better prepared in these aspects, sometimes even asking us for advice before starting work, which is much appreciated (for their confidence and for our peace of mind).
What do our customers ask of us?
Clients often ask us for spaces to hold their events, and it is clear that, in addition to the personal relationship we have with them, these requirements also have an influence when it comes to making suggestions.
It is often crucial for clients to have an auditorium of the capacity they require for their event for conferences or training, i.e. an area separate from the catering or exhibition area, and they often have only one room for everything, which limits them a lot.
Since the pandemic there have been spaces that have had to close and some that have had to be reconverted and are having a hard time recovering. In general, they are small, not very specific spaces, of which there are many in Madrid.
But there are also other new or renovated venues, such as Espacio Ventas, a tastefully decorated industrial building divided into two separate floors, each with different rooms—a layout that offers great versatility and allows for simultaneous events, with high ceilings, natural light, and nearly 1,000 m² per floor. We’re truly delighted to have started working with them.
Capicua 101
The Capicúa Group manages 10 spaces, all of which are unique and distinct from one another—ranging from a palace to a parking garage, including a former carpenter’s shop on Jorge Juan Street.
As its CEO, Rubén Cea, says:
“The characteristics of the spaces are fundamental when it comes to managing them. Location, size, layout, logistics, staff, and other factors also play a role.”
Who is Rubén Cea?
Rubén has a wealth of experience and rarely makes a mistake when choosing a new venue; as he himself says, the key to success is believing in the project. And surrounding himself with a great team to serve the guests and reliable vendors who share his vision of the industry.
Artigot Catering is proud to have “inaugurated”—albeit with COVID protocols in place—the Espacio Jorge Juan in 2020.
Currently, Capicúa is one of the groups of spaces with which we collaborate the most. Although they have more approved caterers, we are continuously recommended, for a reason...
Ifema
Another venue that offers us a lot of flexibility is IFEMA, Madrid’s exhibition center. Here, the range of services is at its peak…
IFEMA has 14 exhibition halls, two convention centers, and a conference center.
What kind of services can be provided at IFEMA?
Artigot Catering has been working with clients at specific trade fairs, such as Fitur, for years. The exhibitor client hired us to provide a cocktail service or to set up an Open Bar to serve their customers at their own stand.
We continue to provide this service, extended to unmanned delivery services, hiring a beer tap, a ham cutter or anything else you can imagine, because we ourselves are still surprised by the requests we receive. But it is true that since we are approved as Catering providers, the number of requests per fair has increased a hundredfold.
Palacio de Congresos de Madrid
The Palacio de Congresos has an auditorium that can host events for more than a thousand people, and the South and North Convention Centers allow the simultaneous hosting of several large events. The availability of auditoriums is vital for many clients as we have already mentioned.
But there are also clients who rent for their event an entire pavilion, or two, as in the case of Amazon, for whom we offered several catering services in 2022 for 6000 people, and we will repeat this year. We are very proud that their satisfaction with last year's service will lead them to repeat the experience again with Artigot.
In addition, IFEMA holds public bids for various food service contracts at openings, closings, or during certain trade shows, for which we frequently submit bids and have won some of them.
And finally, since June 2021, when we began providing catering services for the Expodental Fair—setting up pop-up restaurants to serve attendees—we have been present at many other trade shows, including Intergift, Feriarte, Almoneda, Arco, and, most recently this past February 2023, Pasarela Mercedes.
What began as a solution to the closure of the supplier's cafeterias by the ERTES, has offered us a not inconsiderable experience in this type of service, which, of course, will come to an end as the post-pandemic situation normalizes. But we have learned a lot in the meantime and we have created good relations at Ifema, which is also very important.
Artigot Catering owes much to the Venues that have allowed it to grow thanks to their support and trust. We want to believe that the benefit has been mutual and we hope that this chain formed between the venues and Artigot, will be thickening and consolidating every day. Artigot catering, your Catering in Madrid
