High Pressure Hospitality Demands Met With Scalable Refrigeration & Catering Equipment at Cirque Lumiere, Bloomsbury Big Top

Bloomsbury Big Top is one of London’s most iconic temporary event spaces and home of the award-winning Cirque Lumiere Christmas events, organised by Awesome Events. Running for 5 and a half weeks at the peak of the festive season, the event welcomes thousands of guests for a fully immersive festive experience. From dazzling choreography and vintage décor to casino tables and breathtaking circus entertainment.

Cirque Lumiere needed hospitality that could live up to the scale and spectacle of the show. In search of kitchen infrastructure that could withstand the intensity and facilitate the volume of food and beverage preparation required to serve up to 1,200 guests each evening, they turned to PKL.

The Challenge

As a once-a-year spectacle, Cirque Lumiere carries enormous pressure from a reputation standpoint. Guests purchase premium tickets with the expectation of an unforgettable experience, and the organisers have only one opportunity each season to not only deliver but exceed expectations.

That pressure extends directly into the kitchen. Serving 1,200+ guests 3 course meals each evening means equipment must not only be able to prepare a varied and unique menu but also perform reliably under the intense demands of high-volume service.

Bloomsbury Big Top is also a venue space erected just once a year, so catering infrastructure that can match the temporary nature of the event is a necessity. With a lack of permanent facilities comes a lack of permanent storage for large catering equipment. Conditions can be unpredictable, and equipment must deliver permanent-kitchen standards despite being installed only for the short festive season.

Furthermore, the equipment solution needed to work not only for a limited time on site but also align with the rapid setup required for the festive season and the swift removal once it came to a close.

The Rental Solution

PKL collaborated with Awesome Events to design a tailored temporary kitchen layout that maximised space and supported caterer workflow to best meet the needs of a fast-paced food service from start to finish.

All of this was provided through a fully managed event rental service which includes delivery, installation, ongoing technical support, decommissioning, and removal. This rental solution not only complemented the temporary nature of the venue and solved the logistical challenge of equipment storage, but ensured equipment reliability under intense demand, giving organisers complete peace of mind.

Molly McCourt, Senior Event and Sales Manager at The Awesome Group said,

“We chose PKL because it’s sometimes better to leave things to the experts and have someone to fall back on if something’s not working. There’s always a quick response, and someone to action changes where required. It alleviates stress off the chefs so they can focus on the cooking and guest experience.”

Wayne Smith, Executive Chef at The Awesome Group, reinforced the value of rental as a flexible and stress-free alternative to ownership,

“Instead of purchasing and trying to store equipment, we have found it simply works out better to find a supplier and rent what you need for the event period.”

The equipment solution combined walk-in fridges and freezers for bulk storage, additional refrigeration units and blast chillers for rapid cooling, and a full suite of catering equipment. From bratt pans and gas burners to combination ovens for a complete cooking and hot holding solution. With pass-through dishwashers to maintain continuous service.

The Result

PKL ensured Cirque Lumiere at the Bloomsbury Big Top lived up to its reputation and delivered on its promise of a premium festive experience. With kitchen infrastructure that enabled scalable food service for over 1,200 guests each evening, stress-free operations supported by a fully managed event rental service, and equipment performance chefs could rely on under pressure, PKL gave Awesome Events the confidence to deliver. Allowing their event managers to focus on what mattered most, creating an unforgettable evening for every guest.