This boutique, design-led, high quality flatware company is about to begin ushering in what it hopes will be a return to an era of dining rather than mere eating. After working closely with chefs in the U.K., continental Europe, Dubai, and Australia, owner and head designer William Welch has set his sights on the U.S. foodservice market. “If you are looking for unique flatware products to set your restaurant aside from everyone else, then we are there for you,” states Welch, whose industrial design background includes a Masters Degree from the famed Royal College of Art. “Our products have lots of details that customers love to learn about. They are all very ergonomic, with soft-edged handles, and they’re all very well-balanced.” While a majority of the StudioWilliam line designs are made from premium quality 18-10 stainless, they also offer silver plated and gold plated flatware. In terms of its designs, StudioWilliam line would be considered “transitional” meaning their designs tend to be trending towards more modern and contemporary, but with some classical features. But, StudioWilliam’s look is anything but traditional classical designs of flatware. The website for the company states:
“We take pride in creating forms that stimulate every sense. We research the experience of dining, we take time to understand perceptions, and we study human responses to our designs. We don’t simply design cutlery, we design sensory forms”
Sensory forms, indeed.
In the designing process, Welch and his design colleagues start with the design of fork, the knife, and the spoon for any new shape. With these three key items designed simultaneously thereby insuring proportionality, the remainder of a shapes items flow from there. Ranges sometimes have as many as 32 pieces in a range with U.S. sized teaspoons, fish forks and fish knives, along with all the continental sized items, as well. “We come from an artistic background of sketching and sculpting,” says Welch. “We believe we have put together a collection of flatware that fits most architectural styles and the diversity of our line provides shapes that most customers will like.” 
With such unique shapes and items, StudioWilliam’s primary target is the white tablecloth segment of the restaurant business. But they also utilize thinner gauged ranges to pursue non-white tablecloth segments as well. In the U.K. , the customer base for StudioWilliam ranges from #10 Downing Streetto gastro pubs, and horse racing course clubhouses. They even supply flatware for the Manchester City Football Club. The company also collaborates with noted U.K. (3 Michelin stars) chef Heston Blumenthal.
With his products being design-led and inspired from nature, Welch’s description of his products and what they bring to the tabletop borders on sensual and is certainly sensory. Welch states, “We feel and, in fact, are often told that we have beautiful, elegant flatware. Our forkheads are thinner and can be seen as more elegant when resting on the table. We’re trying to elevate the dining experience and have the chef’s food be enjoyed more. We want to get away from simply ‘shoveling’ the food into people’s mouths”.
“Hardly anyone calls flatware beautiful,” says William Welch. “We want people to notice how really beautiful our flatware is.” Listening to Welch, you get the feeling that with his passion for elegant and beautiful flatware, he is trying to move us away from simply eating and towards a return to an improved dining experience and a more enjoyable meal. Restaurant operators looking to make a unique statement and add character to their tabletop should look toStudioWilliam to bring their table to life. Dining guests at restaurants using StudioWilliam flatware often ask about the flatware and so the company provides operators with information cards on each flatware pattern’s design and background.
Currently, the company is interviewing and establishing a U.S. rep and dealer network to facilitate better distribution.
For those interested in finding out more about the StudioWilliam line, please click on this link to their website:
www.studiowilliam.com
