Star attraction: The Ramadan buffet centrepiece at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, which is suspended from the ceiling, appears to float in the air.
KUCHING: The Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), which received 10,000 diners over Ramadan last year, is using innovation and gimmicks to stand out from a sea of Buka Puasa promotions.
It has introduced an airline-like online ticketing system, including cheaper prices for early birds and printing out dinner vouchers at home.
The goal, chief executive Eric van Piggelen said, is to break last year’s achievement.
“I am delighted to say we are pushing the envelope further this year.
“We have embarked on the ICT aspect. The key selling points of Ramadan buffets have always been about variety and value,” Piggelen said.
E-vouchers go for as low as RM50 each through the website. Launched in May, response has been encouraging. On the first day of Ramadan, the convention centre announced all RM50 vouchers had sold out.
Chief financial officer Joseph Chung said the system is here to stay.
“Our online dining reservation system is an innovation milestone, designed to cater for major in-house culinary events. It is timely for us to kick-start the online booking system during Ramadan, it being our biggest food event,” Chung said.
BCCK is also using social networking app Instagram to entice diners back by giving away free Ramadan tickets via a food shot contest.
To accommodate larger crowds, seating arrangements have been rejigged for up to 1,500 diners every night. Keeping things orderly, lanes and arrows have been painted onto the floor and food choices are arranged according to “streets”.
There is a German spread, reflecting executive chef Thomas Schmid’s home country, Indonesian “islands” and, appropriately, the local food section is along “Jalan Bintawa”, an address near the convention centre where fishermen land their daily catch.
But the gimmick to top them all is how the buffet centrepiece is introduced every evening.
Around 30 minutes before buka puasa time, it is lowered from the convention centre’s high ceiling to dramatic effect with music and lights.
The suspended centrepiece appears to be floating in the air.
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