I’m Annika, a 2024 graduate of Surrey with a BSc in International Event Management currently working as a VIP Event Catering Project Manager at the prestigious, newly opened, state-of-the-art SAP Garden. This job allows me to apply the skills I gained during my degree while constantly building on them in a dynamic environment. It’s a role that blends my passion for event planning with the thrill of high-stakes hospitality, and of course, my love of food!
Mainly, I am responsible for managing the EuroLeague matchdays for FC Bayern Munich Basketball, acting as their primary point of contact for all catering operations. It is my responsibility to ensure that all our 1200 VIP guests have an unforgettable experience. Alongside the Basketball, I also oversee one of our VIP areas on ice hockey games of the EHC Red Bull Munich team and have projects for other clients including corporate meetings, other sports, company parties and much more…
Every day presents new challenges and opportunities. From coordinating with vendors to ensuring every detail is executed flawlessly, my job requires a unique mix of creativity, organisation, communication and time management – all skills I have developed at Surrey. At university I learned the importance of strategic planning, creative problem-solving, and understanding consumer behaviour – insights that I rely on daily. Join me as I walk you through a day in the fast-paced, high-energy world of elite event catering.
A day in my life!
In this industry flexibility is key – I can decide when to come in and when to go home, but it also means I need to stay on top of my own tasks, juggling different events at varying stages and schedule my work times whilst aligning the office hours of my colleagues in collaborating departments such as the logistics–, kitchen- and purchasing teams. Balancing the organisational aspects of one event whilst executing another demands strict compartmentalizing and time management as well as strong communication and teamwork.
8:45am I dive into emails and review my meeting calendar for the day. This is when I take stock of my to-do list, prioritize tasks based on deadlines, and set up a strategy for the day ahead.
9:15am my team has a quick meeting to kick-start the day and guarantee smooth operations for the day. It’s a chance to check in on open topics, discuss upcoming events, and identify areas where we can support each other.
By 11am, I have my weekly call with FC Bayern Basketball to finalise details for the upcoming match day, just two days away. We discuss health and safety measures, crowd management, timings, irregularities to other matchdays and go through their VVIP list to make sure everything is catered for.
From 12pm to 3pm, I focus on replying to emails, communicating any key takeaways from the meeting just now, handling invoices from past events, and diving into the details of upcoming projects. Right now, I’m working on planning an indoor football legend tournament with some of Europe’s leading teams. My to-do list is packed, with tasks ranging from writing event rundowns to coordinating staff rotations, organising equipment deliveries, liaising with the client on branding and decorations, and commissioning graphic designs for promotional materials. Thanks to the solid foundation I built at university in event design, marketing, and consumer behaviour, as well as the soft skills I developed whilst studying I feel well-prepared and confident handling these tasks and tackling any challenges.
2:45pm I start preparing for the next meeting, which kicks off at 3 pm. The function meeting is crucial for ensuring communication between various departments. Here, we sit down with logistics, kitchen staff, food purchasing heads, and crew control to review the past week’s events, share feedback, and discuss any challenges we faced. It’s an open forum to give constructive criticism and ensure we’re improving as a team. We also go over all upcoming events in the next week or two, each project manager presenting their events, providing key details, and answering questions.
At 4:30pm, a new challenge arises when one of our partners asks if they can host an event for 35 people before the basketball match (two days from now!). Our company principle is to make everything possible, so I jump into action preparing an offer, coordinating with the kitchen on the menu, and organising staffing and equipment. It’s this kind of flexibility that makes the role so exciting.
From 5pm to 7pm, I tackle some more emails and ensure everything is in place for the upcoming basketball match. I then review the graphics I’ve received for the football tournament and finally, I create tailored and personalised event folders for every team member, ensuring they have everything they need to execute their tasks during the event day smoothly. For example, the kitchen receives the final menu, course timings and plate matrix (indicating which dish is served on which plate – over 20 different plates!) whilst our Operation Managers get the menu, staff lists, schedules, accreditations, event run-down, VVIP guest list, and more. As for me, I oversee it all!
By 8pm, I’m wrapping up my day.
Event and matchday prep often means long days but there are also quieter phases allowing us to compensate by having a few days off in a row. Some days start as late as 3 pm and stretch into the early morning hours whilst others follow a typical 9-to-5 schedule. People often ask how I manage without a set routine, and the answer is simple: organisation amidst chaos – a skill I developed at Surrey, balancing deadlines, coursework, and a busy social life.
