Solina UK host a first of its kind “Summer Grill Inspiration Day”
After a whirlwind culinary tour of the United States, chefs from Solina UK, assembled for a first of its kind “Summer Grill Inspiration Day” held at The Stables, Manchester on 23rd and 25th May 2023.
Solina is comprised of some of the UK’s most trusted food manufacturers; Essential Cuisine (foodservice), Bowman Ingredients (coating expert), Zafron Foods (sauce expert) and the legacy Solina UK, who work to produce customized food solutions such as sauces, seasonings, coatings and more for sectors including foodservice, B2B and retail.
From food trends to menu design
The event aimed to deliver a unique festival atmosphere, whilst incorporating a number of thought provoking and emerging food trends, to ensure attendees returned to their respective workplaces feeling inspired, full of flair and gastronomy!
Head of Food, Sourcing and Innovation, Ian Armstrong commented, “As one of the UK’s largest manufacturers, we invest heavily in culinary insights to ensure we stay ahead of emerging food trends from all over the world. The team and I invested an abundance of time in terms of planning and preparation. A large proportion of this time was spent designing the menu – we hoped to deliver a comprehensive selection of dishes, with influences from all corners of the globe, including Asia, Hawaii and the Middle East to name a few”.
Fun, flavour and fire
Upon arrival, guests were asked to take a seat for a presentation delivered by Charles Banks, Co-Founder of The Food People, an organisation that works to inspire and inform, helping individuals and businesses make a transformational impact. The presentation illustrated key transpiring trends for summer eating 2024/25, including global cuisine; cooking techniques, flavour impacts, trending cuts, conscious consumption and plant-based solutions. Collaboratively, these trends were brought to life with a selection of samples designed by the team at Solina to help interpret the narrative. These appetisers included BBQ Smoked Eel, Soy Glazed Wood Fired Cauliflower and Vegan Sloppy Joe Sliders amongst so many others!
The theatre continued outside with fun, flavour and fire where the team brought together a collection of live cooking areas, where guests were encouraged to try a wealth of culinary excellence, all full of colour and flavour. Options included Sri Lankan Tandoori Black Pork, Korean Porchetta, Asian Marinated Hake and so much more. These dishes were complimented by a selection of enticing salads and sauces!
The individual main courses were paired with a series of beer recommendations by Vocation Brewery, a global craft beer brand who showcased their famous “Life or Death” recipe amongst many others. Northern Bloc, a manufacturer of ice cream to the retail and foodservice industries also joined the party, bringing truly exciting and innovative flavour profiles to the mix, including their ever-evolving plant-based range.
Ian Armstrong added, “It was amazing to see all of the UK subsidiaries under the Solina UK umbrella come together to deliver a memorable experience for our guests. The feedback I have received so far has been overwhelmingly positive and I am already being asked when the next event will be!”
If you are interested in attending Solina’s next inspiration event, get in touch.
