Despite France’s reputation for fine cuisine, UK-based Tapenade has been booked to provide catering at next year’s Paris Air Show by two of the companies it worked for at the Farnborough Air Show in July.

The move underlines the increasing importance businesses are placing on good-quality, appropriate food and refreshments for their presence at key live events.

Tapenade director Paul Vesper commented: “We received serious enquiries from new contacts during the show, but it was most pleasing that a number of Farnborough clients have already confirmed bookings for future events. These included two bookings for next year’s Paris Air Show. Given the traditional reputation of French cuisine, it is flattering that clients would rather take us than use locally based caterers.”

Tapenade provided catering throughout the Farnborough Air Show in the ‘aerospace chalets’ of five major organisations and for the exhibition stands of several high-profile companies. In most cases, the service consisted of providing both hot and continental breakfasts, hot and cold plated and buffet lunches, fine dining for executive lounges, conference and meeting room food, and catering for a variety of bespoke receptions and events.

John Hearn, Tapenade’s head chef, described the scale of the task, saying: “We delivered more than 300 different dishes during the week. We served 5,000 people, although their consumption of some 6,000 Danish pastries suggests that a few may have enjoyed second helpings. No two clients had the same menu, with all of the menus changing daily.”