As Bidfood celebrates 30 years in Australian foodservice, we sat down with some of our customers who have shared the journey with us to uncover the secrets behind their success, hear about their experiences over the decades and meet the people who have helped shape foodservice in Australia.
Having also recently marked 30 years of operation, the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) stands as a Queensland success story and an icon of the state’s hospitality industry. We went behind the scenes to see what it takes to craft one million meals each year and meet the team behind this multi award-winning operation.
Stepping from the public arena into the operations area of the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC), the outside world falls away. The concrete corridors are clean and orderly, weaving like arteries through the building as impeccably dressed chefs slip in and out of kitchens. The smell of cooking is clean and bright, not heavy. The rattle of pans is deliberate, not frantic. It’s a quiet morning, yet the larder kitchen is humming, preparing quails for 500 entrées. In the pastry kitchen, trays of golden pastries march out by the hundreds, while in the main kitchen, preparations begin for dishes destined for banquet halls that can seat thousands.
Even for a seasoned hospitality professional, the scale is awe-inspiring. The cutlery room alone is bigger than most restaurant kitchens. In the barware room, neatly stacked glassware covers an area about the size of a basketball court. And, in the scullery, two enormous dishwashers lay dormant, waiting to make short work of even the most daunting mess.
“We make all our jus and sauces,” says Donna Brown, kitchen operations coordinator, gesturing to two impeccably maintained stock cookers. The kitchens are equipped with the latest technology, yet there’s an old-school feel here – cooking as a craft, performed with tradition and care.
It’s clear that Donna, who has worked at BCEC for more than 27 years, loves her job. You might say the endless back of house corridors aren’t just part of the building anymore, they’re part of her story. “We do one million meals a year. A 1,000 pax is a quiet day,” she says without flinching.
Working alongside Donna to ensure the seamless delivery of service at this scale is executive chef Matthew Arnold. “We call her ‘Work Mum’,” Matthew says, laughing. “She keeps us all in check, along with our trusted suppliers.”
Matthew, who has been with BCEC for more than 20 years, having served as executive chef for the past three, previously worked as the executive pastry chef. While clearly organised and driven, he is equally affable. “We are very protective of each other here,” says Donna. “We’ve always valued one another for who we are. Over the many years, we’ve worked side by side, grown older together, and built a bond that extends beyond the workplace. We know each other’s families, children, parents and that familiarity has shaped a deep mutual respect within the team.”
Catering at this scale, it’s clear efficiency sits at the heart of operations – shaping everything from guiding customers through menu planning, orders, catering for thousands, HACCP and ISO22000 compliance and recycled waste management. Every step in feeding a guest is carefully considered in advance.
“The menu is launched at the start of each financial year,” Matthew explains. And although that was only six weeks earlier, work on next year’s menu has already begun. “Around this time of year, we start putting some ideas together. Then, when we come into our quieter period, we begin trialling dishes. It takes a good six months to turn it all around.”
Having worked together for so long, there are many changes Matthew and Donna have observed over their nearly three decades at BCEC. “Plates are no longer simply white and round but now come in different shapes and sizes,” Donna says. “The changes in equipment have also been very helpful,” adds Matthew.
Above all, though, the biggest shift has been in catering for dietary requirements – reflected in an onsite standalone allergen free kitchen and a dedicated gluten free and nut free storerooms.
“Gluten free really took off about 15 years ago. When it comes to mains, we’ve had to adapt, with most of our meals now gluten free and dairy free. Our stats show these are the main concerns – around 10 to 13 per cent of guests at every function have these dietary needs.”
This transition has been one of continual improvement over the past decade, and it’s not just Matthew’s job but the responsibility of the entire team. “It’s every chef’s job here – from tracking what gets served to each dietary requirement.”
This is no small task. There are about 500 items on the menus, each listed within a menu management software, complete with a photograph, standard recipe and allergen details. “Every ingredient in every dish is tracked through the process.”
It’s not all about technology, though. Matthew blends old-school culinary instincts with modern, team-driven management. Flavour remains paramount, but just as vital is the collective effort it takes to uphold excellence at scale. It’s not just about thoughtful menu planning; it’s about the ongoing discipline of tasting, refining and checking every dish before it reaches a guest. High standards aren’t a one-time achievement – they’re a shared commitment, carried out daily.
When asked which dish from the past they would bring back, they both laugh. “We never got rid of it – sticky date pudding,” says Matthew. “It’s the simplest thing, just butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream, that people are continually drawn to.” “We have redesigned how it’s served, though, with a modern twist,” Donna adds.
Looking at the future of the business and industry, it seems that AI may even be beginning to enter kitchen operations. “It’s unclear how extensively this will impact equipment and the use of robotics, but if current workflows are automated, we’ll gain real-time visibility into key metrics, enabling more strategic, data-driven decisions about resource allocation and operational priorities.”
He gestures toward the restaurant world as a glimpse of what’s already possible. “Think about your POS system – it’s quietly collecting data every minute. By the end of the week, you know exactly when your rushes hit and which dishes flew off the pass. That means you can stock up on what’s popular, dial back on what’s not, and avoid both shortages and unnecessary waste. It’s smart, simple, and it’s already happening.”
When it comes to AI and robotics replacing human labour, though, Matthew’s outlook is optimistic. “Using equipment to perform mundane tasks, like portioning block cakes, will free up time for chefs to focus on more exciting things and advancing their skills in other areas.”
Preparing more than a million meals a year takes more than scale and precision – it takes people who care. As Donna puts it, “If your internal customers are happy, then your external customers are going to be happy. And that flows on to the food. If you’ve got staff who are happy, they’re going to take pride in what they do.”
When asked what advice he’d offer chefs working across all different types of venues, Matthew doesn’t hesitate: it’s all about uncovering efficiencies in the everyday. “That old-school mindset of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ doesn’t quite cut it anymore,” he says. “I’m always questioning the process, looking for the small tweaks, the subtle shifts, that can make a big difference over time.”
