Premium Tabletop is the ideal place to discover new treasures. High-end tablescaping has always sought an elegant stage: Now, though, with the new hunger for experiences, the fine dining trend is changing course – with consequences for the HoReCa segment, which specialises in luxurious tableware and the finest glassware. “White is making a comeback” is just one of the surprises we learned from manufacturers when we asked them about the latest on-trend themes.
“Fine dining is out. Casual fine dining is in!”
Sven Bodry, Sales Manager Europe at ceramics specialist RAK from the United Arab Emirates, sums up the change in a nutshell. “Instead of the traditional dining service, we are seeing today a diverse mix of individual elements that emphasise the individualist character of gastronomy,” explains Bodry. He calls this trend ‘patchwork porcelain’ and it’s something that star-rated restaurants have already discovered for themselves. Most fine dining restaurants are moving away from classic dining services and looking for combinability, versatility and distinctive features when buying tableware and glassware – elements that are also essential in the creation of an attractive menu.
Paul Bocuse restaurant in Collonges au Mont d’Or, France
Almost everything is permitted in this sophisticated mix ‘n’ match world. Why not, for instance, serve soup in a teacup. What’s vital is that the quality of the tableware must be absolutely right – uniform mass-produced objects are out. The best example of this change is the 3 Michelin-starred restaurant of cooking legend Paul Bocuse. “After supplying his brasseries for over ten years, RAK was also able to re-equip his Michelin-star restaurant in 2019,” says Sven Bodry.
RAK Porcelain for the Paul Bocuse restaurant
RAK Porcelain
Let’s share!
As the world comes closer together in terms of food experiences, the modern guest wants to see different cultures presented in parallel. Fine dining sharing experiments offer a breath of fresh air here. With a mix of large and small bowls as well as an array of multifunctional plates and platters you can serve a wide variety of food and invite people to the table, making the meal an intense communal experience. These gourmet snacks naturally encourage conversation and interaction between guests, creating a convivial atmosphere. The old-established habits of a Michelin-star restaurant are currently being questioned. Paul Ambroise Saunier of French porcelain manufacturer Revol, who counts the New York luxury hotel Ritz Carlton Central Park among his select clientele, highlights something that many young people in particular value: “Millennials are interested in authenticity, they want products that have a story to tell. They also want to know where the materials come from. In our case, there is a special black clay that we produce locally using centuries-old traditional methods.” In the future, he sees tableware as being part of a large experimental laboratory, “similar to a performance stage for artists”. No less demanding than millennials are foodies at big hotel parties. Here, mix-and-match tableware can be used to playfully unite people from all over the world and their love of good food.
Revol for the Contour restaurant in the Ritz Carlton Central Park hotel in New York, USA
Revol
The latest ideas can be seen at Ambiente 2020, for example the successful Junto series from manufacturer Rosenthal. “Here, the restaurateur and hotelier will find a mix of porcelain and stoneware. The diverse range of items, colours and materials offer many possible combinations and leave room for creativity. This not only makes the product range interesting for banquets, it also addresses the on-trend themes of sharing, snacking and bowl food,” explains Rosenthal press spokesperson Iris Reichstein.
Rosenthal
Rosenthal
To be continued. This is part 1 of this 3 part series.
