Supplier Roundtable: Tableware
Meet the experts
Katherine Birch, marketing manager, Artis, UK. Artis is one of the largest suppliers to the UK foodservice industry, including high profile restaurants, bars and hotels. It features an extensive product portfolio of tableware, glassware, cutlery and barware products and has an excellent reputation for innovation, design, quality and good service.
Eric Hamberger, co-president and COO, Fortessa Tableware Solutions. Fortessa is an integrated designer, developer and marketer of commercial and consumer tableware serving the commercial foodservice market globally, as well as a rapidly growing share of the high-end consumer market.
Stephan Fuchs, hotel manager, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi. Fuchs joined Jumeirah in 2006 as director of F&B at the Madinat Jumeirah and after a brief stint at Emirates Palace in 2009, he returned to Jumeirah Group as hotel manager at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers. He was instrumental in choosing the tableware for all the restaurants and F&B concepts at the hotel.
Matthias Schoffel, marketing director, Schönwald. Schönwald develops dining concepts that meet the various requirements of customers, from exclusive designs for a luxury hotel to system tableware for hospitals. As part of BHS tabletop AG, Schönwald’s philosophy is based on quality and service.
Luis Salgueiro, head chef, Picante, Four Points by Sheraton. Portugese native, Luis Salgueiro, has spent most of his culinary career in Portugal running his family’s traditional restaurant, Brazao. He previously worked as a consulting guest chef at the Grand Hyatt Dubai and joined Picante when it opened at Four Points by Sheraton earlier this year.
Lloyd Lamprecht, key account manager NME and India, Villeroy & Boch. Villeroy & Boch is a European lifestyle brand active in 125 countries. The Hotel & Restaurant division offers has been assisting customers for more than 30 years and offers professional and perfectly coordinated tableware, glassware, cutlery and accessories designed for use in hotels and restaurants around the world.
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Q: WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR MAINTAINING THE CONDITION OF TABLEWARE?
KATHERINE Birch: Make sure your tableware stays in good condition by using the correct washing equipment and storage racking. Avoid scraping off leftover food with cutlery, as metal can cause marking; instead use a wooden or rubber scraper. Metal marking is easily removed with a gentle, non-abrasive household cleaning agent.
Use stock in rotation to and from the dishwasher to ensure even wear and reduce excessive abrasion of some items. To minimise breakages and to prolong the longevity of your glassware, do not put cutlery into glasses, never pick up glasses in clusters and be careful to avoid contact with beer and water taps.
MATTHIAS Schoffel: Wash items by reference, preferably in a dishwasher, to avoid pieces hitting each other. Wash your dinnerware as soon as possible after use. Use appropriate carriers for transportation. Don’t subject your dinnerware to sudden, extreme temperature changes.
STEPHAN Fuchs: We invest considerable resources and energy ensuring that all dishwashers are maintained properly and that the mix of washing detergents and their chemical make-up is correct at all times.
For all silver, platinum and gold-plated plates we chose suppliers that we know fire the porcelain at extremely high temperatures, thereby guaranteeing a minimum of 1200 washing cycles. For gold and platinum plated dishes, skimping on quality is not the best idea.
We are very careful in choosing quality silver polish and cleaners, providing the ultimate care possible in order to keep the tableware looking its best for as long as possible. This is done not only for cost saving purposes but also in respect for the craftsmanship and design that has gone into the creation of each item.
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Q: WHAT ARE THE hottest NEW TRENDS IN TABLEWARE?
ERIC Hamberger: The trends of health and sustainability are here to stay. We have introduced more products that have a hand-crafted look and feel to them, but deliver the practicality and durability that our customers require in their operations. We have been providing more and more products that are not typical dinnerware, such as items in non-ceramic materials like wood or metal.
This gives our customers new tools to create a differentiated dining experience that also reinforces the trends of casual elegance and sustainability.
Birch: Although white porcelain remains the firm favourite with chefs, there is a shift towards subtly coloured matt glazes, with a more handcrafted, rustic feel – duck egg blue/grey and browns with a Scandinavian feel are hot right now along with Japanese inspired glazes and tactile finishes.
The Oriental trend will remain strong, along with simple, pared back shapes, simple rustic elegance, matt finishes and natural materials, such as wood, stone and slate. All these trends reflect an overall trend toward more organic, simple, earth-conscious, pared down dining.
We are seeing a continued trend for unusual shapes of tableware and for small 'dinky' sizes for haute cuisine tasting menus and amuse bouche. With glassware, there is a noticeable renaissance of the cut glass crystal look, a definite nod to the vintage or retro.
Schoffel: Contemporary interpretation of classic designs, back to the round plate, reduced elegance combined with eye-catching highlight items are some of the new trends.
Luis Salgueiro: We are seeing a continued trend for unusual shapes in tableware. Now, nearly any imaginable shape is available, from unique to standard patterns.
Fuchs: A recent trend emerging is that of a nostalgic return to more traditional shapes. For a new project now I would most likely select a palette of urban style colours mixed with a touch of country style design.
LLOYD Lamprecht: In the Middle East there is demand for decorated tableware with ornaments in gold and platinum. Unconventional shapes are designed to underscore, subtly but insistently, the special exclusivity and quality of the cuisine.
Also, individualised, customised solutions are very popular and still will be in the future. What is also a trend is a material mix like porcelain and glass, which can be used well for buffet arrangements. The international trend of white tableware will still be en vogue as chefs often prefer to present their food in a pure environment. The choice of shape depends on the style of the interior and the image the restaurant is trying to portray.
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Q: HOW OFTEN SHOULD TABLEWARE BE UPDATED?
Birch: Tableware should be regularly checked for cracks, chips and wear and replaced accordingly. Damaged tableware will not reflect well on the reputation of an establishment and poses health and safety risks to clientele and staff.
Schoffel: Tableware should be updated to enhance and complement changes in interior concepts or menus. That way the restaurant can offer a complete dining experience and discerning customers will appreciate the attention to detail.
Salgueiro: The suggested time to change or replace tableware is every two years. It is also recommended to introduce new china during any food festival to create a better, different experience and presentation.
Lamprecht: Restaurants are interested in a durable and sustainable solution. Especially during a crisis, it is important for restaurants to buy quality and to push long-term solutions. In most cases a full refurbishment and update would be practical and necessary after five to six years to stay relevant but we have many cases of restaurants where the originally supplied series has been used for more than 10 years.
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Q: WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT DEMANDS FROM UPSCALE AND MID-RANGE RESTAURANTS?
Hamberger: The key demands are the same. Customers want products that offer the right characteristics for their operation. Sometimes a customer emphasises presentation over durability; another customer emphasises price over presentation.
Schoffel: Upscale restaurants focus more on the design and emotional aspects of tableware, whereas mid-range restaurants will focus more on functionality and logistical aspects.
Salgueiro: Upscale restaurants expect trendy tableware with a rich look. Expectations from mid-range restaurants are not that demanding. Lamprecht: Today, the demands from restaurants, whether upscale or mid-range, are very high.
The durability of tableware, reliable service and delivery capacity as well as cost effectiveness and flexibility are most important. Upscale restaurants and hotels more often demand a customised decor with their own name or logo.
In general, there are mainly three different categories that we offer to all our customers: white and undecorated tableware, personalised items with a personal icon or the name of the chef or the restaurant, and standard designs that we developed for hotels and restaurants.
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Q: WHAT MISTAKES DO RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS MAKE WHEN PURCHASING glassware and TABLEWARE?
Birch: Perhaps starting with glassware, choose a style that suits your establishment’s personality and clientele and then reflect that in your other choices for china, cutlery and linen.
Try not to mix qualities; if you can afford the best and it suits your restaurant, go for it. Where possible, match up the four elements of table design, quality for quality. Try to balance the elements on the table. The height or size of glassware and cutlery should ideally be in proportion to the size of the plates you choose, and to the size of the table.
Hamberger: Some mistakes to avoid are misaligning the tableware with operational requirements.
For example, if we know that room service involves moving the product to a separate tower and going across outside terrain to get there, we’ll make sure that the customer takes the increased durability requirement into account when selecting a product.
Another mistake is sacrificing durability for design. There is no reason why you cannot get fabulous design with an appropriate level of durability for your operation. Also watch out for lack of availability. It is a reality that tableware will need to be replaced.
Sometimes we see customers pick products from a competitor that the customer may love, but can’t get it when they need it. Not only does our robust supply chain ensure availability, but we also ask the right questions to make sure we understand our customers’ order cycle.
Salgueiro: The biggest and most common mistake restaurants make is the mismatch of style between tableware and the menu or outlet concept. Tableware is an element of outlet concept and needs to reflect that.
Fuchs: The most common mistake is that very often retail lines are chosen, which provides restrictions in ensuring that a bespoke ambience for the outlet is achieved.
Lamprecht: Professional tableware for restaurants has to be light but yet resistant. Some might think that tableware has to be especially heavy and solid to be resistant for the everyday use in a restaurant, but that is a wrong conclusion.
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Q: WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS RESTAURANTS SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN PURCHASING TABLEWARE?
Birch: With four different elements to consider (crockery, cutlery, glassware and linen), it’s essential that each element complements the others, creating visual balance and harmony on the table and ensuring that gastronomic creations are showcased to their very best advantage.
When selecting tableware, identify who your target market is and the needs and expectations of that market — pick styles that are appealing and will be perceived as being of high quality by customers. Plan your selection strategically; think carefully about how you will use each item of tableware and look for products that multi-task, thereby making cost savings.
Hamberger: The most important factor is to consider the marketing objectives of the property. Who is the target market? What experience are you trying to create for them? How will the tableware help accomplish these marketing objectives? Taking these marketing objectives into account, the next questions pertain to operational practicality while considering the financial objectives.
Given the pricing structure, have you selected tableware that will be cost effective? Are you comfortable with the anticipated costs from a financial perspective? Schoffel: Item design should complement and enhance the restaurant concept.
Get the quantities right for service — don’t over-use the product and make sure the brand or shape has continuity to keep up with replacements.
Fuchs: The style and ambience to be achieved for each restaurant, and whether the selected range has different shapes and sizes available to select from is key. Considerations also need to be made on whether the selected line offers various cup sizes, as coffee and tea are becoming increasingly important for restaurant sales, and each coffee and tea variation requires its own appropriate vessel.
Another consideration is the durability of the selected line. If gold or platinum rims are applied ensure that the rims are not around the plate’s edge, as the plate corners are the first to fade.
Lamprecht: One should ensure that the collection meets the specific needs of a restaurant such as grades of porcelain with lead-free glazes, and stackable forms that are dishwasher, salamander and microwave-safe for use in a restaurant. The special quality of this material makes porcelain extremely durable for the mechanical strains of everyday use.
The occasions you are using your tableware for are crucial: big buffet arrangements require a wider range of items than an individual dinner setting. Visual effects play another decisive role for high-end restaurants and hotels, providing that all-important first impression.