How long have you been in the events industry?
Its been almost 10 years, time flies!
What excites you about events, and hospitality in general?
It is never the same day in hospitality, always a different day, keeping you on your toes. I love the challenge of entertaining new clients, managing new staff and seeing events unfold across our spaces.
What brought you to work at Showtime Event Group?
I was about to take a break from work and planning to go back to study, when a former manager of mine asked if I was interested in joining their team overseeing the Library operations and I just couldn’t say no.
What does your job entail?
As Operations Manager I oversee the delivery of each and every event that occurs in the Library and at the Old Melbourne Gaol. I make sure the staff are trained, briefed and serving our guests, the product is up to standard, and the guests all leave with a smile.
The Library is a pretty large beast with over 11 spaces, have you worked in similar venues in the past?
Yes, it is and it’s what really excited me. I have worked at various multi-venue operations such as the Melbourne Museum, Science Works, Immigration Museum and the National Gallery of Victoria. Suffice to say, I felt quite at home within the State Library.
What’s life like working with Showtime Event Group, and how does it differ from previous groups you’ve been at?
Quite amazing! The managers and the team are all surprisingly quite young and energetic, but at the same time are very professional. It’s a great dynamic. I really feel like I’m part of a family, but also part of a very large, and growing hospitality group.
What are some the best events you’ve worked on in the past?
There has been a lot in a short period of time at the Library but the high-end and large scale events certainly stand out. We held the launch of the new stage production, Come From Away, which was one of the first events to ever be held in the Redmond Barry Reading Room. I was also very impressed with the wedding we held in the La Trobe Reading Room, the first wedding that has ever been held in the space.
Personally, I loved the Penfolds 175th anniversary dinner which I’m sure you can imagine was really decadent, and most recently we hosted a Gala dinner in the enormous Redmond Barry Reading Room where guests were dressed as book characters and performers from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland were running around, a really fun event. I love seeing events incorporate the library and the experiences into their event creative.
What’s exciting you most about the library, and the opening of the new spaces in December?
There is so much to look forward to it’s hard to say as the new event spaces opening later this year are unlike anything else the city has to offer. But, I’d probably have to say the Ian Potter Queen’s Hall being restored to its original glory. Holding a Gala dinner in such a grand space will be a huge highlight. It hasn’t opened yet, but there are already over 30 events booked within the space. It will be a highlight for sure.
Do you like to entertain at home for family and friends? How would you put on a dinner party at home?
I prefer to go out actually. There are so many restaurants on my ‘to see’ list I’m trying to get through as many as possible.
Catering for up over 1,000 guests across up to 6 different spaces in the library must be hard, what do you have to do to get it right?
Like all good events most of it comes down to planning and organising. Training the correct people is necessary so we can rely on them, particularly when it’s busy. This is all summarised by having a great team, from initial enquiry to the completion of the event, something I’m proud to say Showtime Event Group does well.
The new spaces are certainly going to increase the amount of weddings held within the library, are weddings an event that you look forward to?
Weddings are events that require a lot of attention to detail as the expectations are high. But it’s worth it to see the newlyweds with their happy smiles at the end of the event. Before Showtime Event Group took over at the library weddings made up just 4% of all events. In 2020 its likely to make up 40% of all events, so there is defiantly a demand for couples who want to start their love story at the library.
Lastly, what’s the one canape you will always sneak a taste of when walking through the kitchen?
I can’t go past the arancini. They make them in house, and the cheese they put in the centre is amazing!
