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

]]> http://simmerblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/simmers-instant-kitchen-proves-to-be-an-instant-success/feed/ 0 simmerblog Screen shot 2012-02-24 at 1.25.41 PM http://simmerblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/surfing-royalty-make-their-way-to-simmer-on-the-bay/ http://simmerblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/surfing-royalty-make-their-way-to-simmer-on-the-bay/#comments Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:38:19 +0000 simmerblog http://simmerblog.wordpress.com/?p=318 Continue reading →]]> 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

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

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

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

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.

For the last two years we’ve been hosting Christmas events for Bell Shakespeare – but this year STC and Belvoir St Theatre wanted to get involved too! With about a week’s notice we hosted one of the largest Christmas parties we have ever put together – we quickly made plans for 700 people and Bell Shakespeare, the STC and Belvior all got a chance to spend the evening together in Sydney’s true artistic hub. We went all out with the preparation, working around the clock to make sure it all went to plan – and why? Because Walsh Bay and Simmer on the Bay is not only about the arts it’s for the arts.

We have always supported the wonderful creativity that goes on in Walsh Bay – and if there’s any celebrating to do, we’re most certainly going to be part of it!

The food we served was from our basic menu cheap and cheerful yet everyone commented on just how wonderful it was and how they couldn’t eat another morsel in the end – goes to show what we can do in a week when hosting for 700 people!

Absolute are known around the globe as hosting some incredible events – and they always choose the best locations to suit their needs!

This time, they chose Simmer on the Bay as they knew that they wanted to go all out and host the most authentic Arabic party Sydney has seen! And if there’s one thing we do well… it’s transforming our venue completely!

Hosted on a Saturday night (so none of their invitees had any excuse!), the guests arrived in all kinds of Arabic outfits – from belly dancers draped with bells and bright flowing material to Emirates flight attendants!

The Simmer on the Bay staff went all out too – how could we not!

We covered every detail from eyeliner and bindis to Middle Eastern style gypsy skirts and headdresses. But nothing compared to how the room looked… we filled the room with day beds and drapes and used warm colours all over which created a really authentic Arabic feel. Huge rugs transformed the entire place into a Bedouin tent and our good friends from Twisted Liquid lit up the room with flaming cocktails. It was as if we were in the middle of the desert with roaring flames keeping us warm at night! And for those that really wanted to get in the spirit outside we set up Shisha pipes! It smelt beautiful. The music was incredible also – a chilled electro DJ was accompanied by live percussion and singing! Combined with shisha, the vibe could not be more authentic if we tried!

Of course, we had to go all out with the food too – we served a mix of Arabic treats from hummous to spiced lamb!

For the full menu, see below:

Canapes

Shell scallop with hummus and pomegranate molasses

Fresh mint and pea fritters with yoghurt dressing

Deep fried vine leaves stuffed with lemon chicken and goat’s cheese

Cumin Spiced Lamb Fillet with Feta on Filo Pastry & Candied Eggplant

Chargrilled haloumi squares with baked fig, parmesan & olive crumbs

Substantial

Barramundi & saffron brandarde in zucchini flowers

Baby tagines of chicken and apricot with giant cous cous & candied sweet potato

BBQ

Falafel and seafood Kibbeh on olive twigs with white taramasalata and fine tabouli

Moroccan Flatbread with Sumac Seared Lamb skewers, Pine nut & Herb Salsa & Hummus Spread

Ultimately, our aim is to work closely with our guests and help them take the headache out of hosting.

We recently held a two-day conference for Deloitte who simply wanted to use our space organically. You may be thinking to yourself that’s that what most people use us for – but this time, they literally just wanted the space to be organic – they wanted Simmer as we see it through our eyes! We love creating a natural environment with lots of space, believe it or not, it’s just as much fun as going all out!

We gave the group the freedom to organise their own furniture and they decorated the two levels of Simmer exactly how they saw fit. They found hidden nooks and set up their tables and chairs in the exact groups that they wanted to organise themselves into.

This meant that they were totally in control of their own work stations, their own space and had all the room that they needed. The organisers wanted to create lots of breathing space and the fact that we allowed them to shift and move the furniture around, allowed them to have the room exactly how they wanted.

The event began with the use of the outdoors area for morning tea. On the first day the guests were treated to substantial canapés and on the second day we hosted a BBQ, which could not have gone down better with the team.

What was commented on (which we often hear) is how happy the guests were with such exciting food. Creating interesting fuel for the taste buds helps to expand the mind for the afternoon sessions and something which is often overlooked in other places.

Cast your mind to sterile hotel rooms, with broken white boards and hard sandwiches – what we aim to do is create the exact opposite experience! By not being precious about our furniture, giving the team the freedom of movement, the use of all three of our spaces and serving the freshest of foods, we managed to do just that.

The team building exercise was a great success and by having the freedom to move around and a room full of satisfied stomachs, a lot more was achieved.

Full menu below:

Double baked salmon soufflé with leek & prawn buree blanc & crispy leeks

Shell grilled scallops with peanut jam & mint salsa

Fresh mint and pea croquet’s with yoghurt dressing

Rare beef with beetroot marmalade on a crunchy potato cake

Chicken & Tarragon Vol au Vents with Crispy Leek

Savoury Pear Gallette with Goat’s Cheese & Sage

SUBSTANTIALS

Caramel Pork Hock & Fragrant Herb Salad

Cauliflower & pancetta gratinee with beef shin crumble