When it opened its doors late last year , the International Convention Centre Sydney ( ICC Sydney ) had a vision to reinvent traditional convention menus .

ICC Sydney executive chef Tony Panetta says Australians have long had a passion for good food , however fresh , unprocessed ingredients are now more coveted than ever before .

“ Good nutrition has also emerged as a key factor in business success , as it enables us to remain healthy , concentrate better and work more effectively ,” he says .

This was the foundation for ICC Sydney ’ s Feeding Your Performance culinary philosophy ,

which Panetta says was designed to “ drive physical and mental performance backed by fresh , local , seasonal produce ”.

“ We have worked in partnership with expert nutritionists here , and increased the ratio of plant based proteins in dishes to aid digestion and concentration ,” he says .

“ We have also put a strong emphasis on using seasonal ingredients and maximising their use , while minimising waste . We can do this by playing with textures and cooking techniques – serving a vegetable raw , smoked , aired or pickled .

“ The humble carrot is the perfect example of how you

can make an ingredient ‘ last ’ and adapt it to suit all seasons – airing it when it ’ s fresh and pickling it to feature in dishes in the winter months .”

Through this approach to food , ICC Sydney has set out to lead the way in food and beverage offering .

“ Although we are at the forefront now , this philosophy is sure to become ‘ business as usual ’ in the future , in the same way ‘ paddock to plate ’ has ,” says Panetta .

“ To ensure we continue to set new industry benchmarks our team will never stop exploring , and even driving the latest research , education , and

training into cutting-edge developments in ‘ food ’.”

ICC Sydney is home to the largest industry kitchen in the southern hemisphere , a massive 3000sqm in size , supported by 10 finishing kitchens .

“ These exceptional facilities ensure we are agile enough to cater a boardroom lunch for 10 while delivering a gala dinner for 2000 ,” says Panetta .

What is clear with ICC Sydney ’ s food and beverage department , which is made up of more than 40 full time chefs , is that it ’ s a truly collaborative process .

Panetta says there is a wealth of knowledge within the team and