Simmer’s instant kitchen proves to be an instant success

A table full of satisfied and smiling business executives is what we love to see at Simmer on the Bay, and thanks to the success of our last corporate lunch we will be doing it all again in the next couple of weeks. We knew that organising one of our off-site instant kitchens was going to be a success, but we didn’t realise that it was going to create such an immediate and amazing buzz as it has!

Even though Simmer is renowned for having one of the most luxurious and versatile event spaces in Sydney it comes in at a close second when compared to the outstanding quality of our food. So regardless of whether our clients choose to host their event at our lavish waterfront venue or in the comfort of their own office or event space, they know that the organisation, decorations and catered menu is going to be quality all the way.

With our planned menu, full wait staff, décor and instant kitchen essentials in tow we left Simmer and headed for the Sydney CBD ready to impress the party of thirty corporate executives and CEOs. Impress them we did with our delicious three-course sit down lunch. Not a single finger needed to be lifted as Simmer whisked around the office space doing what we do best – decorating, cooking, serving and satisfying.

Our instant kitchens first meal was the entrée of Chinese Duck in an open herb lasagne surrounded with Japanese greens, marinated vegetables and a pool of plum sauce dressing. The high-end fine dining experience continued with our chargrilled lamb fillet, sweet corn and sweet potato Rosti main, and our delicious chocolate and ginger pear dessert duet.

Lucky for us we have been invited back to the same office to create yet another culinary feast. We can’t wait to do it all again in the next couple of weeks!

For full menu see below:

Entree

Chinese Duck in an Open Herb Lasagne with Mizuna, Marinated Vegetables & a Plum Sauce Dressing

Main

Chargrilled Lamb Fillet on a Sweet corn & Sweet Potato Rosti with Mint Pea Puree

Dessert Canapés:

Choc cake

Ginger pear

Surfing Royalty make their way to Simmer on the Bay

There is never a dull moment at Simmer on the Bay.  Our last function had us catering to some of the biggest names in the local and international pro surfing arena for this year’s Australian Surfing Life’s Oakley Big Wave Awards.

Damien Warr, Jamie Mitchell, Bruce Irons, Marti Paradisis and Tyler Hollmer Cross were just a few of the many famous faces that were spotted down at our Walsh Bay waterfront venue.

As it turns out we weren’t the only ones who were excited about accommodating such a fun awards ceremony. An influx of media and other Big Wave Awards fans made sure that they had VIP tickets to the pro surfing event of the year, and to see who would be taking home the $20,000 first prize cheque for the biggest surfed wave in Australasian waters over the past year.

To ensure that the nights proceedings were as laid-back, stylish and enjoyable as possible we once again transformed Simmer into a surfing world wonderland complete with surf paraphernalia, projected screens, elevated surfboards and plenty of beer, champagne and cocktails to enliven the already energetic young crowd.

In order to create enough space to comfortably fit all of the pro surfers, fans, guests, international VIP’s and a presentation area we decided to create a split level event by opening up our indoor, outdoor and upstairs event spaces.

The festivities kicked off with drinks and mingling under the stars and followed with a substantial canape style dinner that included classic style fish and chips, gourmet crust pizzas and beef sausage rolls. The highlight of the night was the awards ceremony itself which was held in our upstairs theatre-style room, which was fitted with comfortable seating and high quality acoustic capabilities.

With such an accommodating and useable event space as Simmer, there is no end to the amount of fun, creativity and style you can see and have when organising an event with us.

For full menu see below:

Beef Sausage rolls with tomato concasse

Lamb Massuman Curry served in noodle boxes with wild jasmine rice

6 ft long gourmet Roman crust Pizzas in 3 flavours:

• Tomato, bocconcini and basil
• Salami, cheddar and fresh tomato
• Feta, olive, and fresh rocket

Herb crumbed fish and chips served in mini buckets

Jewel Coloured Vegetarian Ravioli flash fried with Basil Aioli

Samoan wedding heats up Simmer on the Bay

You have to admit that the melancholy sounds of Greensleeves ringing out from a passing ice-cream van is a definite crowd pleaser on extremely hot summer days, but did you ever think to incorporate this luxury into your wedding day? When Simmer on the Bay first found out that our upcoming Samoan wedding menu was not only going to include delicious roving canapés, a gigantic European cheese stack, a croquembouche of profiteroles but a visit from an ice-cream van as well, we knew we were in for a real treat!

The sounds, scents and colours of summer were definitely on the cards for our latest Simmer wedding celebration. The couple decided to make the most of the warm weather by having an alfresco afternoon wedding complimented by striking yellow and white table runners and place cards designed in the shape of ice creams. One particular highlight of this couple’s colourful wedding decor was the bride’s electric blue wedding shoes that featured adorable and playful pom-poms on the tip.

While there was no definite theme set in place for this particular wedding, the mingling of both customary Samoan wedding favours and modern pizazz created a tone that exemplified the tradition of something old, something new. Before the guests were served with an elaborate offering of roving meat and fish canapés the newlyweds treated them to a special Samoan wedding dance which is similar to your traditional couple’s first dance, but includes costuming and choreographed steps. Later on the guests also had their chance to treat the bride by showering her with money as part of the ritualistic money dance that is common in Samoan and Cuban wedding traditions.

As each wedding becomes more and more elaborate and the themes become more and more eccentric and creative, we always have to stop and remind ourselves that no wedding feat is too hard for Simmer.         

For full menu see below:

Canapés

Sesame crumbed prawns with tangy mint chutney

Thai beef on blini with mango salsa

Crumbed pork belly with scallop and truffle mayo

Roast duck sausage rolls with tomato confit dipping sauce

Fresh oysters with fresh lemon ravioli

Buffet main

Fillet of ocean trout layered with potato galette and topped with salsa verde

Roast rolled lamb on olive polenta wedges with torn mint gremolata

Salads

Baked vegies with rock salt and rosemary and garlic

Grilled asparagus with marinated red onion, fig and pinenut salsa and parmesan dressing

Mediterranean tomato salad with feta, sweet Spanish onions and chives

Simmer’s French infused elegance – C’est magnifique!

When the bride and groom first came to Simmer on the Bay and asked for a French-style wedding, they never imagined that their day of all days would turn out to be as dazzling, romantic and classically styled as it was. Café de Paris, provincial country, whimsical and all manner of French inspired themes were all rolled into one to bring the romance capital of the world to Simmer for this one very special night.

Eager to share their love of romantic Parisian influences, the couple chose vintage flowers, pastel fabrics, glass trinkets and rustic furnishings to illuminate their ceremony and reception areas. Pastel pink, white and cream roses showered both the indoor and outdoor spaces, and with tiny bursts of tulips added here and there, the feeling of blissful romance was felt throughout. Gorgeous candelabras, provincial vases and glass jars adorned the tables, which turned out to be more for viewing pleasure than sitting, as every single guest refused to resist getting up on their feet and dancing to the festive beats of the live band.

The only time the guests were able to pull themselves away from the dance floor was during the lavish food service. Fusions of fish, duck and beef dishes were complimented with unique French trimmings such as Béarnaise sauce and delicious galettes. For dessert the bride and groom chose to indulge their guests with a selection of delightful French pastries and of course the pièce de résistance – the wedding cake. It is hard to envision a single wedding cake that does not embody both romance and true classical elegance, but this four-tiered masterpiece heightened the romance factor even higher.

While we don’t like to play favourites with our wedding celebrations here at Simmer, we do have to say that this is one wedding theme that we would definitely not mind seeing celebrated here again.

For the full menu see below:

Canapes:

Pepper crusted beef fillet on lattice crisps with Béarnaise butter sauce

Asparagus cigars with parmesan and tarragon

Tuna nicoise in baby potato skins

Entrees:

Crayfish medallion on potato galette with asparagus crisps and champagne sabayon

Duck and beetroot tart with goats cheese and beetroot crisps

Mains:

Golden trout with champagne sorrel sabayon and potato maxim

Pepper crusted beef fillet on a goats cheese soufflé in an open lasagne with salsa verde and olive and tomato fine dice

Adding modern spice to a Persian wedding

Traditional Persian weddings tend to be elaborate affairs, celebrated with lots of music, food, colour and laughter – so when Negar and Sam were looking for a venue in Sydney for their big day, they couldn’t look past Simmer on the Bay. After all, when it comes down to décor, music and food… we can be as bold as the couple desire!

To make their wedding dreams shoot to life with Persian pizzazz, we mixed Arabic traditions with a modern Aussie flair…

While the joining of hands of Nigur and Sam was conducted in a conventional Persian manner, it was the post-ceremony celebration that took a slight Aussie turn. After they said their ‘I dos’ outside by the water under a gorgeous canopy, Negar and Sam welcomed their guests inside to celebrate with an Arabian-styled cocktail party.

Inside, Simmer was decked out! Cocktails were served in a room full of sparkling chandeliers, bold brass ornaments, colorful plush cushions and aromatic candles…. and of course plenty of spare room for dancing.

Rather than a sit-down dinner, the couple wanted their guests to meet and mingle, so we served an Arabic-style buffet, which overflowed with carved meats and pastries. We also included roving canapés, which the guests loved as it means the food came to them! Afterwards we served traditional sweets, which hit all the right taste buds.

The real piece de resistance however, was the enormous fruit-filled table that took centre stage. All eyes delighted at the site of the traditional serving of fruit, which included apples, pineapples, peaches, plums, apricots, cherries and everything in between!

For the full menu, see below:

Canapés

Zucchini Flowers with Goat ‘s Cheese & Sage

Sesame prawns with a tangy mint dip

Roast Duck Sausage Rolls with Tomato Confit Dipping Sauce

Miniature Tuna Nicoise in a Baby Potato Skins

Substantial

Chicken Breast topped with Fig salsa with crisp Prosciutto and Oregano

Barramundi Fillet with Paw Paw & Macadamia Salsa

PAELLA STATION

Carvery

Roast beef fillet with beetroot crisps, spicy horseradish pickle, roast potatoes

Roast Cider Pork with apple slaw and crisp sage fritters

Salads

French Bean, Baby Cos and Watercress Salad with Cashews Papita & Orange & Seeded Mustard Dressing

Dessert Canapés

Rich Mocha Chocolate Pots with Macerated Raspberries

An interview with Brigid Kennedy…

Recently, our very own Brigid Kennedy was interviewed by the people at Dynamic Business Magazine. The article, which is aptly entitled ‘Cooking her way to the top’ describes how Brigid set up Simmer on the Bay seven years ago and how she earned herself a well-deserved place in Sydney’s catering and events industry.

Brigid gives advice to all budding entrepreneurs, tells us how she deals with her daily stresses and reveals what she would have told the younger Brigid before she started out in business…

Our fave Brigid piece of advice is:

“If you create a great product people will come. I believe to be successful in business you need to be bold.”

To read the interview in full, click here.

 

Simmer on film! The Stockland Christmas party…

Ever wondered what a Simmer on the Bay event looks like in real life…? Get out your popcorn and take a peek at the below video. We hosted the Stockland Christmas Party and the results were amazing! Well done to all involved.