The key to survival - as any SAS member will tell you - is preparation. If you've got all possibilities covered, you won't get ambushed by the unforeseen. For instance, attending any exhibition is exhausting, and your feet will be your weakest line of defence, so dump the stilettos and winkle-pickers in favour of comfortable shoes. It's also bound to be warm in some halls and drafty in others, so wear layers. The wily among you might even look up a friendly exhibitor at whose stand you can leave your coat rather than wasting time queuing for the cloakrooms.

Pre-registering is another crafty tactic. Simply log on to www.hotelympia.com and slip past the queues. But once you're in, then what?

If you're organised, you'll have made a recce of the layout online before your arrival. But beware. With more exhibitors than you can shake a stick at, you clearly can't "do" the whole show. Seasoned visitor Wendy Bartlett, director at independent contract caterer Bartlett Mitchell, advises turning up early, leaving after lunch and restricting your time to looking at new or innovative exhibitors. "I specifically look at things I haven't seen before and target suppliers that are otherwise difficult for me to find," she says.

Bartlett's top tip, though, is not to weigh yourself down with brochures. If you're genuinely interested, get the exhibitors to post them on to you. But don't forget exhibition etiquette: according to Bartlett, wasting an exhibitor's time by feigning interest or sitting chatting to them is a social no-no. "You have to respect the fact that suppliers have spent money, so I don't socialise if they have customers there."

Still, networking is important - which brings us to lunchtime. If you want to see and be seen, book a table in the ever-popular La Parade des Chefs. Those who prefer a liquid lunch could give the International Beer Pavilion a whirl - it's new this year.

Canny exhibition-goers who can't get a restaurant table often survive on the many goodies being given away on the stands, but it makes sense to pack a few snacks and a bottle of water if you want to stay perky.

No matter how fit you are, however, at some point you'll need to collapse into a seat. And you won't find many of those unless you head for the special events. David Mulcahy, vice-president, Craft Guild of Chefs, and executive chef at Compass Group, recommends booking into one of the many seminars or, say, dropping into the Skillery for a cookery masterclass.

And if you already know you'll be burning the candle at both ends, Mulcahy has the perfect solution. "Book yourself the day off for when it's all over," he says, simply.

Tips from an exhibitor

Simon Kitto, national sales manager for exhibitor Villeroy & Boch, will be among the thousands manning a stand during the day and painting the town red at night, and he's under no illusion that he won't be be working and playing hard.

This year some of the Villeroy & Boch sales team and their guests have opted to stay in serviced apartments at Canary Wharf, while others are in hotels such as the Apex City. All are handy for the DLR (Docklands Light Railway).

"Some of the team prefer a serviced apartment, as it has a gym and swimming pool as well as secure and affordable parking. Others have chosen to take advantage of staying in a hotel, where they can enjoy the extra creature comforts. Most important of all, everyone is within a short distance of the exhibition - an hour's journey to and from the exhibition each day would make the already long day even more difficult," explains Kitto.

Days inevitably run on into evenings, and Kitto and his colleagues plan to start the week at Cyrus Todiwala's Café Spice Namasté in the City and then book a restaurant with a different cuisine every night to satisfy everyone's tastes. Kitto has a plan to counteract late nights, too: "A good-quality coffee machine and plenty of water are vital to keep us alert and stop us from getting dehydrated.

"By making the week enjoyable and giving the people on the stand flexibility over where they eat and sleep we keep everyone happy and motivated for what is one of the most important business weeks in the year," he says.

Looking good, staying sharp

You've arrived at your hotel and unpacked - but your suit and shirts are crumpled beyond belief. Try hanging them in the bathroom and running a hot shower to create steam and help the creases drop out. (Alternatively, ring for laundry service or use the iron or trouser press.)

For the show, gents, stow a fresh pair of socks in your briefcase - if you go out straight from the show you'll feel better knowing you've got clean socks on. Ladies, pop a spare pair of tights, or stockings, into your bag for the same reason - or in case you ladder them during the day.

For extra confidence, nip off occasionally to brush your teeth and squirt some breath-freshener in your mouth - you don't want to lose friends after a heavy night.

And take plenty of business cards. You never know who you might meet.


Staying sane

• Take time to familiarise yourself with a map of the exhibition layout. Highlight which stands you want to visit, where the loos are, etc. Look for "landmarks" to get your bearings.
• If you get stuck in a boring conversation, experts advise you to look at your watch and say "Goodness, I didn't realise how long I'd been keeping you..." (well, it's worth a try).
• Don't take every brochure or free gift - your arms will drop off.
• If you can't hack the social whirl, book into a hotel in central London, because you won't escape Hotelympians otherwise.
• Wash your hands frequently - bugs spread quickly at these events.

Think with your feet

• Leave your high heels at home.
• Choose shoes that support your arches and mould around your heel.
• Cork-soled shoes are good shock-absorbers.
• Take a fresh, minty foot spray and spritz during the day
• Try to raise your feet higher than your head for 10-20 minutes during the day to drain the lymph fluid from the ankles and legs and kick-start fresh circulation when you stand up again (you might have to wait until you are back in your hotel room for this one).
• Treat yourself to a warm foot bath every evening. Add lavender or tea tree essential oil - or even salt - and don't move until the water cools.

Contributions from Marie Breward at Body Balance

Caterer's top 10 tips to get the most from Hotelympia

1 Pre-register You get in free and beat the queues. You'll also get a pre-reg pack with details of new products and the latest news from the show. Register at www.hotelympia.com.

2 Arrive early or stay overnight There are more than 1,000 exhibitors and 12 key features at the show to get around.

3 Get a show guide Love 'em or hate 'em, they give details of every exhibitor, feature, seminar and schedule so you can plan ahead.

4 Make appointments More than 45,000 people are expected, and even the best salesman can't see them all, so make appointments in advance to see companies that are important to you.

5 Take time out Everyone needs to sit down at some point, so why not combine work with pleasure? Head for one of the daily seminars, visit the Live Theatre or check out areas such as Bar Scene or Design Link where you can take a pew and learn something, too.

6 Avoid disappointment To get the best out of the seminars, be sure to arrange which sessions you want to attend before you go, and arrive 10 minutes before the start to ensure you get a seat.

7 Stay in the loop For the first time ever, Hotelympia will have its own daily show newspaper with details of what's on where and information on the hottest new products on show. Pick up a copy on your way in.

8 Try not to gorge There won't be a shortage of live cooking displays and demonstrations, but as good as the culinary creations will be, it's probably best not to sample them all.

9 Have lunch If you plan to impress clients, try La Parade des Chefs, where chefs compete every day to provide the best three-course lunch. To avoid disappointment, book by logging on to www.hotelympia.com.

10 Hit the ground running What better way to limber up for your visit than by taking part in the 10km run? Starter's gun is at 10am on the first morning of the show, Sunday 19 February. Register now at www.hotelympia10k.com or call 01451 812232.