EMBASSY & DIPLOMATIC EVENTS | MAADI
New Zealand Embassy Cairo: Three Diplomatic Formats in 17 Days
After seeing LOriental at the Australian National Day reception, the New Zealand Embassy booked a 90-guest ANZAC Day breakfast — then returned for a 15-guest diplomatic lunch and a 40-guest evening reception within the next 17 days.
- RELATIONSHIP: 25 APR–12 MAY 2026
- VENUE: AMBASSADOR’S RESIDENCE, MAADI
- EVENTS: 3
- GUESTS: 90 · 15 · 40
The relationship started by seeing the service firsthand
The New Zealand Embassy first encountered LOriental as guests at the Australian National Day reception in Cairo. After seeing the service in operation, the Embassy asked for LOriental’s contact details and booked its own hospitality shortly afterwards.
That first assignment did not remain a one-off. Between 25 April and 12 May 2026, LOriental catered three different engagements at the New Zealand Ambassador’s residence in Maadi: a commemorative breakfast, a small diplomatic lunch and an evening reception.
ANZAC Day breakfast for 90 guests
The first booking followed Cairo’s ANZAC Day remembrance activities on 25 April. Guests returned to the Ambassador’s residence for breakfast, with LOriental’s production plan built for 90 people arriving at 8:30 AM.
The service was entirely pass-around, supported by a fixed beverage setup and two wooden coffee stations dedicated to espresso and Turkish coffee.
Breakfast food designed for a ceremonial morning
The menu moved beyond a conventional hotel-breakfast format. Savoury pieces included cranberry-ginger salmon mousse en croûte, smoked salmon mini domes, smoked salmon and caviar roulade, brie and berries crostini, smoked beef and chicken canapés, pomme pavé and goat-cheese pesto tartlets, and cranberry-pecan sausage rolls.
Brownie bites, lemon meringue, cheesecake bites, carrot-walnut cake pops and fruit skewers completed the pass-around selection, while ANZAC biscuits and the dedicated coffee stations gave the morning its own visual and service identity.
Four days later, the format changed completely
On 29 April, the Embassy returned for a 15-guest diplomatic lunch at the same residence. The scale became much smaller, but the service moved in the opposite direction: from high-volume pass-around breakfast to a formal open-buffet lunch.
The menu included salads and cold starters followed by dishes such as orange-glazed chicken, coq au vin, Moroccan beef tagine and sea bass with lemon beurre blanc, with potato gratin dauphinois, rice, grilled vegetables and plated-style desserts completing the meal.
A third booking within the same 17-day period
On 12 May, LOriental returned for an evening diplomatic reception. The final production handover was built for 40 guests, with drinks beginning at 5:45 PM and pass-around food from 6:00 PM.
The compact aperitif menu included caramelized onion and mushroom puffs, spinach-feta phyllo rolls, steak and caramelized onion on ciabatta, grilled halloumi, smoked beef tenderloin bites and Thai chicken satay, followed by small-format desserts. Fresh juices, soft drinks, hot drinks, mineral water and sparkling water supported the reception.
Repeat trust across three different hospitality models
The strongest proof in this case is not simply that the Embassy booked LOriental three times. Each engagement required a different operating model: a 90-guest commemorative breakfast, a 15-guest open-buffet lunch and a 40-guest standing reception.
The relationship also shows how diplomatic trust can travel between missions. Visibility at the Australian National Day reception led directly to a New Zealand Embassy booking, and that first delivery was followed by two further assignments within 17 days.
