Sell more Whisky!

Check out glassware expert John Schroeder's "5 Tips to Building Your Restaurant Brand with Glassware" on the TabletopJournal Welcome page.

From The Westin Mumbai Garden City hotel comes these fun glass pieces from the skilled designers at The Glass Studio. Glass Studio continues to show that great creative tabletop doesn't always have to be complicated ... simply well thought out.

TabletopJournal loves the simplicity of the apple amenity tray. Nothing too complicated, but a beautiful - and simple - way to make an in room fruit display infinitely more attractive (even in-room dining can be theater!).

And tell me that glass box for the chocolates wouldn't be a great after dinner surprise in nearly ANY dining room!

Glass Studio continues to provide an incredible amount of creative tabletop inspiration. You can learn more about these artisans, by going here:
http://www.the-glass-co.com/tabletop-design-projects/amenities-for-the-westin-mumbai-garden-city/

Cookie, anyone?

Yes, that's right - a cookie. You know how much TabletopJournal appreciates product differentiation and branding....well Fineline Settings is using cookies (with nice QR code) to promote its new Renaissance Collection line of premium, upscale plastic dinnerware. Gotta Love It.

We wrote about their new Renaissance Collection line over the weekend, but if you're out in Las Vegas at the Catersource show, stop by their booth (#2113) and see if they have any of cookies left! Make sure you see the Renaissance line....its beautiful. Great design and very practical.

They are sure to go fast ...so get there!

Go ahead....celebrate in style with Fineline. Check them out at: http://www.finelinesettings.com/

Foodservice Equipment Reports is reporting that there’s good news for tabletop suppliers in the U.S. market.  According to the quarterly Business Barometer maintained by the Manufacturers’ Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry (MAFSI), the overall index has seen growth 4 of the last 5 quarters.

Equipment and supplies sales continued to grow at a healthy rate in the fourth quarter of 2011 according to the quarterly Business Barometer maintained by MAFSI. The first quarter forecast and other data from the reps surveyed suggest the E&S market recovery will continue.

According to the article, supplies and tabletop, categories which generally follow operator sales trends more closely that equipment or furnishings, posted strong growth. Smallwares sales rose 5.6% and tabletop 4.5%. Equipment sales also rose 5.2%. The furnishings number was slightly negative at -0.3%. Sales of furnishings have been very strong throughout the recovery, which in the Barometer, began fourth quarter of ’10.

Question: Does such optimism parallel what’s happening  in your organization?

Read the entire article by going here:
http://www.fermag.com/home/single-article/the-e-s-recovery-continues-mafsi-data-shows/85c88bdf4b.html

Steelite has launched a new hand crafted range - CRAFT - created with beautiful lustrous glazes applied by hand that react naturally in the kiln to give a distinctive appearance. Another great design by Steelite designer Andrew Klimecki, CRAFT is an alumina, fully vitrified body making it perfect for restaruants that want to have an organic, natural look and feel to their tabletop while keeping all the practical charasteristics necessary of hospitality dinnerware.

There are 43 items in the range in four colour ways including coupe plates and bowls, irregular shaped plates and bowls, Chinese bowl, nouveau bowl, cups, saucers, mugs, casserole dishes and salt and pepper shakers.

Steelite's new CRAFT is inspired by hand-crafted, simple county wares made by generations of potters over hundreds of years. The range embodies the beauty of rich, lustrous glazes applied by hand, and celebrates chance effects and reactions which occur naturally in the kiln.The gem-like glazes married to simple forms and shapes producea unique and individual appearance, giving CRAFT a rustic "joie de vivre".

You can view the entire lineup of Steelite products by going here:   http://www.steelite.com/

Fineline Settings has introduced The Renaissance Collection of single service, plastic dinnerware that solves an age-old problem for those planning an event - you want to use disposable, but it always looks like, well, disposable! Fineline Settings new Renaissance Collection solves that problem with its creative and luxurious new design. With sleek, clean lines and an overall aesthetic reminiscent of fine bone china, The Renaissance Collection looks to us like it will have your guests wondering if it is truly a single-service tableware or an expensive bone china.

Made from a sturdy, premium quality plastic that allows for the serving of all foods – hot or cold – The Renaissance Collection is Fineline Settings latest vision for bringing design and élan to the single-service and disposable tableware category. Soft rounded corners and elegantly contoured design lines allow The Renaissance Collection to fit easily in the hand during stand up cocktail parties and other upscale events where guests move about. At the same time, it has a bone china look and a sturdiness to allow The Renaissance Collection to complete even the most elegant tabletop. Timeless in its style, The Renaissance Collection's design is the type that will always in style. And, of course, it is recyclable according to the good folks at Fineline.

You can view the entire collection from Fineline Settings by going here: http://www.finelinesettings.com/

From Hotelier Middle East:

"Get the look: Cavalli Club has Roberto Cavalli branded crockery ? unique branding can make a real splash with diners and guests."

Amen.

It's definitely trade show season!  Dubai, London, Las Vegas, New York, Hamburg...and more....it goes on and on. Manufacturers showing.....chefs, F&Bs, owners attending......crazy time of the year.

Above is the space the the team from Dudson will be calling home until Thursday in London at Hotelympia.

Not long ago, guest columnist James Schulze wrote about using decanters when serving better quality wines and how that can help to elevate the overall guest experience. Well, WMF has a decanter we like....simple, easy to use we suspect, and one that would look great on any table.

Check it out by going here: http://bar-wine-coffee.wmfamericas.com/Decanter-with-cradle-plu0947672000.html

You can see the entire lineup of WMF products for the hospitality trade by going here:
http://www.wmf.com/wmf-for-hotelcatering_114.html

What do you get when you cross your buffet with Turgla?   Lot and lots of happy customers, that's what you get.

You remember Turgla....the company that brings brilliant color, texture, and fun to the "ocean" of white tabletops that are so prevalent these days. Well, now Turgla is taking on buffets in a very serious way. Their new Buffet Line and its 35 page catalog of only buffet items is more than impressive. With intriguing items such as Bird Cages, Glacier ice tanks, wooden cubes, and more, Turgla continues to bring their special brand of tabletop passion - and practicality - to hospitality buffet customers.

We love how Turgla's Buffet Line enhances the quality AND the functionality of your buffet table. With multi-directional access, along with a myriad of elevations to support their idea of 360 degree service, Turgla now has the tools to make even more use of their creaitve glass and porcelain pieces. (don't you love how Turgla is really a serious glass tableware company that uses porcelain to accent and accompany the glass .... instead of the other way around?!)

From their Bird Cage displays (above left) to their Wooden Cubes (how about those "teardrop" glass cloches!), Turgla keeps bringing the unexpected to the everyday tabletop.

Using a variety of textures - smooth stainless steel, glass-rich in color and texture, and rich, dark woods - and making them multi-height....Turgla adds a taste of elegance to the sophistication of your buffet arrangement. And, its all done with any eye towards a grand visual display, while remaining extremely functional and without overcrowding.

See the entire collection of creative products from Turgla by going here: http://www.turgla.com/