On Saturday the 15th March, Firth Court opened its doors for the Culinary event of the year. The theme for the evening was ‘All Is Not What It Seems’, with our Master Chef of Great Britain Tracy Carr designing an innovative six course menu comprising of dishes suggesting seasonal classics, but in fact were total reinventions.

The evening began with cocktails and an assortment of canapes, before guests sat down for the main event. As part of the ‘All Is Not What It Seems’ theme of the night, no dish was what you would expect. The ‘Minestrone’ featured a tomato consomme, vegetables, orzo, bacon dumpling and parmesan crisp whilst the ‘Prawn Cocktail’ was made up of marinated king prawns, pickled cucumber, Jaqueline sauce and petit herb salad. The main event ‘Steak and Mushroom Pie’, was in fact a tender pencil fillet of grass fed beef served with chestnut mushrooms and caramelised onion in puff pastry, straw potatoes, petit pois, and beef sauce finished with a reduction of Sheffield’s beloved Henderson’s Relish. Next up was the ‘Black Forest’ course, featuring textures and flavours of black cherry, Belgian chocolate and vanilla. Local artisan cheeses from Cheese & Friends were served with quince jelly, and finally coffee from Roastology, served with frozen ice cream petit fours, dipped in chocolate, and served in an ice igloo. Each course was paired with a carefully selected fine wine provided by our friends at Hattersley Wines.

We’d like to thank all of our staff for the part they played in the success of the night, from those involved in planning and preparations to those who worked with us throughout the night. The contribution of the entire team working both front of house and behind the scenes is invaluable, and we pride ourselves on delivering only the highest standard of professionalism and efficiency at every event we host.

Most of all, we’d like to extend our sincere gratitude to the 125 guests in attendance, both new and returning. Their generous donations towards our charity raffle helped us to raise £1,121 in aid of Headway Brain Injury Association, a charity close to our hearts that support individuals and families affected by brain injuries by providing a range of free services.

We were also joined once again by the wonderful Nicola Farnon Quartet, whose performance provided the perfect atmosphere for the occasion.

If you’d like to join us for another celebration of Culinary excellence, we’ll be back at Firth Court on Saturday 21st March 2026 – and if you can’t wait that long to enjoy a dinner made by a Master Chef of Great Britain, our Festive Culinary Evening will be held at Inox on Saturday 29th of November 2025. We hope to see you there!

We are excited to announce that the University of Sheffield’s hospitality service is expanding across the city centre. 

Our catering service delivers refreshments, lunches, buffets, drinks receptions and more to venues across the city of Sheffield. Our brochure provides an overview of the range of food and drink options which can be tailored to events of all sizes, from small meetings to large corporate events. Please note that for bookings external to the University VAT will be added to prices listed in the brochure.

In addition to delivered catering, we also offer a diverse range of venues for events, conferences and private dinners.

Placing your delivered catering booking is simple and can be done at your convenience through our online booking system, email or telephone, whichever suits you best.

We would love the opportunity to discuss your catering requirements. For more information or to book please contact us on 0114 222 8999 or email delivered-catering@withus.com. 

We look forward to hearing from you!

As part of our ongoing commitment to promote Sheffield as a conference destination, we collaborate closely with our partners at Marketing Sheffield to raise the profile of their Conference Ambassador Programme. A city wide initiative aimed at supporting academics, medical specialists and experts from industry in bidding for conferences to be hosted here. 

Last year, in partnership with Marketing Sheffield we hosted the International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces (ISAM) 2024, the first to ever be held outside of the US – a landmark achievement for the University and city. 

The bid was put forward by Peter Mylon, one of the Senior University Teachers in Engineering, who reached out to us for help. We quickly saw the potential for Peter to become part of the Ambassador Programme and benefit from the range of valuable support available, including:

• Pulling bid content together – including city and venue images
• Identifying the best venues and hotels, obtaining costs and availability
• Recommendations for event management companies 
• Ideas for special experiences and offers for delegates
• Advice on funding streams available

After an incredible coordinated effort from everyone involved, we welcomed over 250 delegates from across the world. The annual event provided a platform for academics to share their knowledge, showcase innovations, and discuss best practices for making these spaces thrive – and we couldn’t think of a better setting than Sheffield.

The main event took place in The Diamond – the University’s iconic engineering building, located in the heart of the city. The venue’s dynamic space and state of the art facilities provided the ideal setting for the event, utilising the ground floor lecture theatres, exhibition areas, computer and work rooms and the Moonscape exhibition and catering area. A delicious range of catering was provided throughout the day to delegates, including a wide selection of vegetarian and vegan options which were very well received by attendees from around the world.  

A welcome drinks reception was held in the iconic Winter Garden, and there was also a trip to local beauty spot Chatsworth House and the Cutlers’ Hall, providing delegates with a glimpse into Sheffield’s rich history. At Cutlers’ Hall, delegates were greeted by the Master Cutler before enjoying a formal dinner there. Throughout the event, attendees took part in workshops, panels and collaborative discussions that covered a wide range of topics, including innovation and entrepreneurship, sustainability, and how to engage communities. 

Sheffield’s own award-winning inventor and advocate for STEM education, Ruth Amos, delivered an inspiring speech, sharing her journey, insight and inventions with an enthusiastic crowd. This was made possible following a successful application to Visit Britain’s International Delegate Growth Fund which Marketing Sheffield facilitated. The funds secured enabled Peter to ensure their keynote speaker was of national and international appeal. The event received glowing feedback from guests, though its success was perhaps best captured by Peter Mylon himself, saying:

The energy throughout the symposium was palpable, and it was clear that the discussions, panels, and workshops resonated deeply with attendees. For me, seeing so many participants leave inspired, eager to implement new ideas in their own makerspaces was a great reward for all the hard work we put in to organise it.”

We are excited to continue our partnership with Marketing Sheffield to showcase the diverse range of venues we have at the University of Sheffield and to build our reputation globally. 

Our collaboration with Marketing Sheffield is of immense value for the conference and events team at the University of Sheffield, and we really appreciate the support they offer to help raise the profile of Sheffield as a potential city to host a conference. We are able to work together to showcase not only our fantastic venues here at The University of Sheffield, but also venues and activities in the wider city to benefit the city economy as a whole. There is inspiring and ground-breaking academic and medical research taking place within the city, and our partnership with Marketing Sheffield allows us to help facilitate these connections and work together to bring world renowned conferences to Sheffield.”

Looking ahead, we’re thrilled to announce that one of the next city-wide collaborations will be taking place later this year, which will be led by another Ambassador for Marketing Sheffield, Professor Claudia von Bastian, from the University’s School of Psychology, and Vanessa Loaiza from Colorado State University, who previously worked at the University of Sheffield.

The European Society for Cognitive Psychology (ESCOP) will be joining us in September with over 1000 delegates. Whilst plans are still underway, we can reveal that events will be taking place in The Octagon, The Diamond and other iconic venues across the city, such as Cambridge Street Collective and Kelham Island Museum. To celebrate the city’s diverse environment, there will be a programme of activities across the city and surrounding areas to get involved with, such as a Park Run in Endcliffe Park, a walk in the Peak District, a visit to Chatsworth House and a city tour, including a trip to the industrial heart of Sheffield, Kelham Island. Claudia said:

While exciting and a fantastic opportunity, the thought of hosting an international conference felt also quite scary at first! The support by the University and Marketing Sheffield, their invaluable experience, and meeting other Ambassadors has entirely taken off the scariness of this endeavour. Now we can’t wait to welcome our colleagues from near and far to Sheffield, and proudly showcase what our City has to offer!”

Claudia has also recently featured in the Inspirational Women showcase celebrating and recognising inspiring women in the university community and their remarkable achievements.

If you are interested in hosting an event or conference at the University of Sheffield, and finding out more about the support available through Marketing Sheffield, please get in touch.

Gemma Tissington, Ambassador Manager, says of our partnership,

We collaborate closely to bring both national and international conferences to the city, to the point where many organisers consider us an extension of their team. Whenever possible, and when requested, we prioritise hosting academic-led conferences at the university. Beyond that, we offer our expertise to ensure you get the most out of hosting an event in Sheffield—whether it’s advising on social programs, venues, or accommodation. Additionally, we can support with writing any event bids. Regardless of who you reach out to first, you’ll have access to all of these services at no cost.” 

If you are interested in learning more about anything mentioned in this article, or would like to access any support in bidding to host an event, then please contact Gemma Tissington to discuss by emailing: Gemma.Tissington@sheffield.gov.uk. 

To find out more about our venues at the University of Sheffield, and how we can help you plan your event, please get in touch with the team at WithUS at conferences@withus.com or call 0114 222 8822

As the city begins to sparkle with festive lights and seasonal cheer, Christmas 2025 in Sheffield promises to be another magical time of connection, celebration, and community. Whether you’re planning your Christmas, WithUS is here to make your festive season truly memorable. Building on the success of last year, our team is already curating a fresh programme of dining experiences and events to suit every occasion and taste.

With an emphasis on quality, creativity, and warm hospitality, our venues across Sheffield will once again transform into winter wonderlands filled with delicious food, great music, and joyful moments. Christmas 2025 in Sheffield is set to be bigger and better, and we can’t wait to share what’s coming from festive lunches and themed evenings to exciting new additions that bring people together in celebration.

Christmas Events in Sheffield: Highlights from 2024

Our Christmas 2024 celebrations and events were a huge success, and we’d like to thank everyone who came to join us throughout the season, whether it was for a meal, one of our wreath-making workshops, or an event.

Behind the scenes, a great deal of hard work goes into ensuring every element of our Christmas programme is delivered to the highest of standards and we take pride in crafting a diverse range of menus and memorable events. A massive thank you to our team for all the effort they put into achieving this every year. The festive season is always a highlight, and we’re already looking forward to this year!

In 2024 for the first time, we held our Day Disco at the Octagon Centre, where guests enjoyed an afternoon of live music, food and drink. It was a fantastic day and we hope all that attended had a wonderful experience. We also held our annual Festive Culinary Evening at Inox, where our Master Chef of Great Britain Joe Berry designed another unforgettable menu – and we were able to gather a great deal of generous donations in aid of Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity through our fundraiser raffle.

Where to Enjoy Christmas Dinner in Sheffield

Halifax Hall hosted a fully-booked Christmas Day Lunch with great success, as well as a variety of other festive meals over the course of the season, such as the Festive Supper and Wine evening, and a Festive Sunday Lunch. It was great to be joined by so many members of our local community, University staff, as well as guests giving us a try for the very first time.

Join Us for Christmas 2025 in Sheffield

If you’d like to be the first to hear about our Christmas events this year, sign up here and we’ll be sure you’re the first to receive our brochure so that you don’t miss out on any of the festive fun in 2025!

Join us for our Culinary Evening with Tracy Carr, Master Chef of Great Britain

15th March 2025

You’re invited to join us for an extraordinary evening of fine dining in Firth Court Hall, one of the most beautiful historical settings that Sheffield has to offer.

You’ll be greeted with a welcome drink and canapes before indulging in a six course meal designed and served by our Master Chef of Great Britain Tracy Carr and her expert team, with wine pairings for each dish, and enjoy live entertainment from the talented Nicola Farnon Quartet.

We’ll also be hosting a charity raffle in aid of Headway Brain Injury Association, a cause close to many of our hearts, and there’ll be some amazing prizes up for grabs throughout the night.

Whilst we won’t be revealing too much about our decadent menu, we can promise a night full of fantastic flavour and an element of surprise to add to your experience. Look forward to some classic dishes with contemporary twists. We’ll be working with local suppliers such as the beloved Cheese & Friends, and Hattersley Wines to provide the perfect complement for each course.

The dress code will be black tie, so if you’re looking for an excuse to get out in your finest attire look no further. There’s no better place to wear it than at Firth Court Hall, a venue rich with atmosphere and history. Don’t miss out on an evening of luxury food, entertainment and celebration.

Bookings are open now! Take advantage of our early bird booking offer and get your ticket for £110 if you book before 3/2/25. Usual price £120.

Visiting Colombian Coffee Farms with TUCO and Cafeology

This month Rachel Fletcher, one of our Retail Managers, along with our partners at Cafeology, who exclusively supply us with a unique blend of coffee, took an eight day trip to Colombia. This was arranged by TUCO, The University Caterers Organisation. They were joined by representatives from TUCO and six other institutions from around the country to visit the Colombian farms and see where our coffee beans begin their journey.

First Stop: Medellin’s Mountain Coffee Farms

The trip began in Medellin, where the group visited coffee farms high up in the mountains and got to see the working conditions for the first time.

Local Stories from the Coffee Community

They later met with locals who had all kinds of incredible stories to share – including one man who was once kidnapped by a local cartel, a reminder of the dangers faced by the farmers and communities working in the area.

Next Destination: Popayan and the CENCOIC Cooperative

After a short and enlightening stay in Medellin the team travelled to the city of Popayan.

Meeting CENCOIC and Supporting Indigenous Coffee Farmers

Upon arrival in Popayan the team were met by Juan Carlos and Paola. Juan Carlos had previously visited the UK in 2019 where we gave him a tour of the University and Cafeology. Both Juan Carlos and Paola work for CENCOIC, a Co-operative that support indigenous communities in the Cauca region.

This region is made up of thousands of indigenous farmers who work alongside the CENCOIC Cooperative to help improve their working conditions, income and quality of life. This has been particularly important for female farmers, as historically in their culture men would own the farms and receive the income whilst women would do the bulk of the labour.

How CENCOIC Supports Local Coffee Producers

One of the ways CENCOIC support the farmers is through the teaching centre they run. Here farmers can learn about the best techniques for growing high quality coffee so that they can sell their produce at better prices. CENCOIC also provide farmers with better equipment, invest in local communities, supporting and encouraging children’s education and provide medication and hospital supplies at fair prices.

Being a non-profit organisation, they prioritise ensuring a better quality of life for indigenous communities.

Experiencing the Coffee Journey First-Hand

As the trip progressed the group witnessed the entire process of the coffee beans being grown and harvested, and got involved to better appreciate the hard work that goes into it. They joined a team of farmers to pick coffee beans themselves, and then painstakingly sorted through each individual bean to separate the good from the bad.

Coffee Tasting and Visiting the Supply Warehouse

They also enjoyed a taste-testing session, where they were able to sample coffees made with beans from different local farms, and visited the very warehouse that all of our coffee comes through before being shipped to us here in Sheffield.

Reflections on the TUCO Colombia Trip

Upon returning Rachel said, “It was an amazing trip and a real privilege to meet the farmers, they were incredibly generous with their hospitality and time. I look forward to sharing my appreciation of the work that goes into harvesting our coffee beans with the rest of the team.”

We’d like to thank CENCOIC and Cafeology for their hospitality, and are looking forward to our continued relationship.