And so it proved on Tuesday, when the great and the good of the hospitality world made the trip to Goodfellows’ London Baker Street “Plate Cave” to mark the launch of the tabletop supplier’s new autumnal-themed portfolio.
As befits Goodfellows’ standing as one of the canniest of innovators in the industry, this isn’t your average portfolio. Sure, there are product catalogues and food porn aplenty. But, there are also filmic shots of North-East England woodlands, Daniel Watkins’ take on Nikkei cuisine, and features on various industry luminaries – many of which were in attendance on Tuesday.
Valda told me they had spent the best part of two days getting the showroom ready and it showed, with artificial grass spread over surfaces and feathers and seasonal ingredients nestled among the glittering plateware. London’s weather kept up the autumnal theme, too, with blustery downpours and a tangible chill in the air.
High-profile chefs came and went, greeted by the Goodfellows with hearty hugs and handshakes; Front of House teams scurried round jotting items down into notebooks and taking pictures; while others merely enjoyed the gin cocktails (cheers, Durham Distillery) and splendid canapés, artfully arranged on a forest floor-like serving box.
The star attraction, though, was undoubtedly the products themselves. As Chef Daniel Watkins agreed when I spied him giving some new plates the once over, the sheer diversity and variety of their range is dazzling. Everything felt new and fresh — the result of Goodfellows commitment to constant evolution — with patterned plates making a welcome return along with some Jackson Pollock-esque glazes. Their reputation for trend-setting looks to be in-tact for the foreseeable future.
As for their first ever seasonal portfolio launch, well I would hazard a guess that it won’t be their last.
By Isaac Parham
