Te Pae Christchurch Strikes Gold with Sustainable Operations

Posted on 27/09/202114/06/2022 by demo

Te Pae Christchurch Strikes Gold with Sustainable Operations

27 September 2021

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre has struck gold, achieving Toitū enviromark gold certification ahead of its December opening.

The Toitū enviromark programme has been tailored for New Zealand businesses so they can establish, implement, and maintain an effective environmental management system.

General Manager Ross Steele said to receive Toitū enviromark gold was a huge achievement for the team.
“From the outset the Te Pae Christchurch team has been committed to sustainable operations and taking positive environmental action. We are exceptionally proud to reach this milestone in our pre-opening phase, particularly given how challenging the past few months have been.”

Enviromark Programme Advisor Chris Bailey said at gold level, certified organisations have implemented controls for both regulatory obligations and significant opportunities to improve their performance. Impacts are measured so they can be properly managed on an ongoing basis.

“Te Pae Christchurch chose to proactively implement managing their environmental risks and opportunities,” Mr Bailey said.

“Well before the opening of the Centre, the team at Te Pae Christchurch mapped out their business activities and identified any significant impacts arising from those business partners they might influence. By implementing control systems well in advance of opening, Te Pae Christchurch is managing their risks and opportunities from the start.”

Te Pae Christchurch has been working with Toitū since early 2020. Venue Presentation Manager Jason Stewart has led the programme internally.

“The process to certification has had many benefits. It’s helped us nail down the goals we want to achieve as a business and the improvements needed to be more sustainable and environmentally conscious,” Mr Stewart said. “And by getting every department thinking about what they do and the impact it has, it has solidified our environmental mindset.”

Mr Stewart said with New Zealand’s reputation as a clean green destination, and venue sustainability becoming more important to clients during the decision making process, it was important Te Pae Christchurch aligned with New Zealand’s strongest environmental programme. “Toitū fits that bill with a wealth of experience providing a strong level of mentoring and guidance to support not only our team but also our clients.”

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Te Pae Christchurch Launches Recruitment Drive

Posted on 18/06/202114/06/2022 by demo

Te Pae Christchurch Launches Recruitment Drive

18 June 2021

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is on the hunt for around 100 new staff members to join its team ahead of the centre’s opening in October.

The centre commenced its largest ever recruitment drive today, offering an array of casual roles across its Culinary Services, Event Services and Venue Presentation departments.

Among the positions on offer are wait staff, baristas, supervisors and kitchen hands, along with guest assistants, audio-visual technicians and housekeeping attendants.

With more than 70 events on its books, ranging from small degustation dinners to multi-day conventions and exhibitions, the centre is hoping for applications from a broad range of candidates, whether they are looking for a casual job with flexible hours, or considering a career in hospitality.

Successful candidates will receive at a minimum the living wage, along with full training, uniform and subsidised meals during their shift.

Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele said now the opening date for the centre had been announced it was full steam ahead for recruitment, with around 100 casual positions needing to be filled over the coming months.

“As a regeneration project, Te Pae Christchurch has a responsibility to our city and residents to drive economic growth. Part of the way we do this is through job creation, specifically jobs that appeal and are suitable for a diverse cross section of the community, and which pay the living wage,” he said.

“There may be people who want to work with us because of the difference we will make to our city, others because they are interested in the building’s design or technology, or because they want a career in the hospitality sector. We’d love to hear from them all,” Mr Steele said.

As part of the ASM Global group, the world’s largest venue management company with more than 300 venues worldwide, Te Pae Christchurch is also uniquely placed to provide opportunities to gain international experience and knowledge at a local level, perfect for those considering hospitality as a career or who may be looking to upskill in their chosen area.

To apply, people can visit the careers page at tepae.co.nz or keep an eye out for one of the job advertisements on social media, SEEK or Trade Me.

Te Pae Christchurch Open for Business in October

Posted on 02/06/202114/06/2022 by demo

Te Pae Christchurch Open for Business in October

2 June 2021

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre will open for business in late October with a solid roster of domestic and Australasian events planned for its opening months.

Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele said the team was thrilled to be in a position to confirm the centre’s opening, and provide clients with the additional certainty they need to forge ahead with planning their events.

“As the first of New Zealand’s new generation of convention centres to open we have a unique opportunity to put New Zealand business events back on the world stage, while at the same time showcasing the very best Ōtautahi Christchurch has to offer,” he said.

“The opening of the trans-Tasman bubble provided an inital confidence boost to event organisers, and we hope the confirmation of our opening will provide further assurances that Ōtautahi Christchurch, and in particular Te Pae Christchurch, is the ideal location for their events.”

With less than five months until opening, Te Pae Christchurch currently has around 70 events on its books, including the New Zealand College of Midwives conference and the Australasian Coasts and Ports convention. Combined, the events will see more than 129,000 people through the venue, including around 20,000 new convention delegates.

“The support from clients and suppliers as we have finalised our opening has been invaluable, and speaks volumes about their view of Te Pae Christchurch and our offering,” Mr Steele said.

“Te Pae Christchurch is an international standard venue, backed by a world-leading venue management company in ASM Global, and we have set high standards to reach for our clients.

“Over the past few months our team has had the opportunity to put their skills to use operating our activation hub and the learnings we have taken from that experience have refined our processes and service levels to ensure we meet those standards for our clients,” he said.

“Until then, our team is looking forward to welcoming the world to Te Pae Christchurch and working with clients to plan for their success.”

Te Pae Christchurch Welcomes Travel Bubble Announcement

Posted on 06/04/202112/06/2022 by demo

Te Pae Christchurch Welcomes Travel Bubble Announcement

6 April 2021

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre welcomes the New Zealand Government’s announcement of a quarantine-free travel bubble with Australia commencing April 19.

Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele says the past 12 months have been challenging for the Centre’s clients and the business events industry as a whole.

“Despite border closures and uncertainty, working closely with our Australian clients and peers has remained a key focus for us,” Mr Steele says.

“Over the past several months we have reinforced our commitment to the Australian market, appointing an in-market Business Development Manager, Heidi Heming to represent Te Pae Christchurch, and continuing to support industry activity wherever possible.

“We, like many in our industry, have looked forward to this announcement and we believe it will provide our Australian clients with the confidence they need to plan ahead.

“With a number of Australasian conferences already booked and trans-Tasman travel now back on the table, we look forward to reconnecting with clients and friends when welcoming them to Ōtautahi Christchurch and Te Pae Christchurch once we open later this year.”

Christchurch Residents Invited to Try a Taste of Te Pae

Posted on 08/03/202112/06/2022 by demo

Christchurch Residents Invited to Try a Taste of Te Pae

8 March 2021

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is launching a ‘Taste of Te Pae’ pop-up this month to showcase the venue to the local community ahead of the Centre’s proposed opening later this year.

The pop-up will launch to the public on Wednesday 17 March and operate for eight weeks until Saturday 15 May.

Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele said the pop-up had been developed with the local community in mind.

“We get a lot of questions about the Centre and what it means for Christchurch,” he said.

“Convention centres are designed to bring in visitors and boost the economy, but they also exist to serve the cities they are built in,” Mr Steele said.

“One of the meanings of our name ‘Te Pae’ is a place where people can gather. Along with being a showcase of the very best of Canterbury, we truly want Te Pae Christchurch to be a place where the community can come and share ideas, celebrate together, or learn something new.”

The pop-up, which will be located next to the convention centre site on Oxford Terrace, will include a food truck, as well as activation areas featuring interactive displays, a virtual reality dome and information about the Centre’s design, cultural narrative and role in the community.

The food truck, manned by Te Pae Christchurch’s Executive Chef Desmond Davies, will feature food from the Centre’s canapé and full day menus, which have been designed with an emphasis on locally-sourced produce. There will be a nominal charge for food, with all profits donated to Te Pae Christchurch’s charity partner, Cholmondeley Children’s Centre. Special culinary collaborations with local suppliers are also being planned to further highlight the incredible products on offer in Canterbury.

The activation area will include Te Pae Christchurch’s virtual reality walkthrough, developed by local company Jix Reality. Staff from across the business will be on hand to meet with local residents and prospective clients to answer questions, including the Centre’s human resources team ahead of Te Pae Christchurch’s upcoming recruitment drive.

A true reflection of Te Pae Christchurch’s service standards, design and food, the pop-up has also been designed using equipment, such as the food truck and outdoor furniture that will feature in the Centre once open.

The pop-up will be open four days a week, from Wednesday to Saturday between 11am and 3pm on weekdays and 10am to 3pm on Saturday. Weekly menus and special events, such as culinary collaborations and recruitment sessions will be advertised on Te Pae Christchurch’s Facebook page.

Te Pae Christchurch Showcases a Taste of Canterbury with Inaugural Menu

Posted on 02/11/202012/06/2022 by demo

Te Pae Christchurch Showcases a Taste of Canterbury with Inaugural Menu

2 November 2020

Canterbury produce and suppliers will take pride of place in Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre’s inaugural menus.

Te Pae Christchurch’s culinary team, led by Executive Chef Desmond Davies, has spent months working with local suppliers to design a menu that is a true taste of Canterbury, from kawakawa-rubbed Te Mana lamb rump from Canterbury’s high country, to oven-roasted Akaroa king salmon, sustainably raised just 90 minutes from Christchurch.

Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele said as a regeneration project for the city, it was important Te Pae Christchurch supported local suppliers wherever possible.

“Our clients want their delegates to be immersed in the things that make Christchurch a great place to host a conference. Food plays such a large role in the overall event experience, which is why it is so vital for us to provide a real taste of Canterbury to our guests.”

Mr Steele said Canterbury was well known for its fantastic produce. “Our region has a strong and innovative agricultural background, and offers a wonderful diversity of products for our team to work with – they have really been spoiled for choice.”

Significant time has also been spent sourcing and working with small artisan suppliers, such as award-winning cheese, cured meat and olive oil producers, to provide them opportunities to showcase their products on a world stage.

As a result, more than 60 percent of Te Pae Christchurch’s food and beverage needs are sourced from within Canterbury, reducing food miles and ensuring a menu that is highly flexible, with options to cater for all dietary requirements and event needs.

In designing a modern menu that also celebrates New Zealand’s traditional food influences, Chef Davies’ dishes make the most of fresh seasonal, sustainable produce and native ingredients.

“As well as heading out to meet suppliers, I’ve been very privileged to spend time learning about traditional ingredients such as harakeke (flax), korengo (seawood) and pikopiko (fern tips), how to forage for them, and how best to incorporate them into the centre’s menu,” Chef Davies said.

“It’s been an amazing opportunity to put a new, distinctly local twist on my European and Asian-influenced food background. We have derived so much new inspiration during the development of dishes, using ingredients like pūha (sowthistle) in a Sticky Pork Belly dish and incorporating pikopiko (fern tips) and korengo (seaweed) in our Roasted Beetroot entrée.”

Full menus encompassing Breakfast, Refreshment Breaks, Full Day, Cocktails and Canapes, and Dinner, can be found on Te Pae Christchurch’s website, while menus for specific events, such as exhibitions, can be provided to clients on request.