A review of the newest products arriving this year in tableware shows manufacturers’ efforts to improve the experience of dining to an even greater extent, if possible, with spectacular and playful designs that will delight chefs and diners alike without neglecting superior technical performance.
Colour (blacks, greys and metallic hues) combines joyfully with white; pieces with textures that beg to be touched; large volumes, generous rims, asymmetry, the juxtaposition of shapes and materials… The new tableware for haute cuisine highlights culinary creations and begs to be touched and admired by diners. For more informal restaurant concepts, there are no limits or rules: the wide range of materials, shapes and colours prompts unique and daring combinations that will surprise and delight the diner while inviting sharing and challenging chefs’ imaginations. Here is a small peek at some of the new products we will see at HOSTELCO:
Copper Glowe
Copper Glow, the new tableware for the professional division of Villeroy & Boch combines two currently flourishing trends: copper tonesand a subtle artisan touch. The copper hues are hand-painted in this collection, creating a very delicate spiral that highlights the elegance of the piece and emphasises its unique, crafted character.
The collection consists of three plates: the Coupe is fully decorated and is perfect for presenting recipes in a spectacular fashion; another has only a copper background, and the third has only a copper rim, allowing each chef to choose the colour accent that best fits their creations. And, of course, the copper colour does not include any actual metal in its composition, meaning it can be used without issue in restaurants -even in microwaves.
Three-dimensional plates
Among other products, Vista Alegre will show at Hostelco 2018 its Saturn tableware, created by renowned German designer Carsten Gollnick: a “double” design, with presence and volume, to delight even the most ambitious chefs, who will find it the perfect setting for showing off their culinary creations.
This imposing tableware, perfect for haute cuisine, was conceived as a sculptural space that expands beyond the traditional concept of a plate, introducing a new type of three-dimensionality. Because of its rotational symmetry and side rim area, which extends elegantly over the body, recipes are elevated over the table, highlighting them even more.
Tableware as a sensory element
Also destined for tables of haute cuisine is the Sixth Sense “special effects” collection from Rosenthal which invites diners to enjoy a highly refined culinary experience that involves all the senses.
These fanciful pieces with pure lines, designed by Gemma Bernal, will charm both chefs and diners alike. The plate dome, with a conical shape and internal grooves, prevents condensation from dripping onto the food: the bowls and small cups offer multiple options for serving juices, sauces and garnishes; some pieces have lids that, once lifted, invite the diner to experience the aroma, while the gourmet dishes stand out for their spectacular asymmetrical design.
Textured plates
Much of the new tableware released is characterised by special textures that invite a more tactile experience. Such is the case with theTexture collection from Vista Alegre, designed by Dutch tableware specialist Mieke Cuppen. An expert in the field, she has created attractive plates in which the transition from a smooth glassy texture to a non-glassy one invites chefs to play with plating styles and to reinvent how they place food on the plate. The contrast with other pieces and materials makes this collection an even more attractive option.
Minimalism and subtlety
Minimalism and subtlety Both the appearance and the name “Artic” hint that this Pordamsa tableware originates from somewhere very cold. Nevertheless, this collection is designed by our brand’s team of professionals and is hand-crafted and manufactured here in Spain. Artic is distinguished by its minimalist appearance, subtle texture and the beauty of its lines. However, it also conceals some hidden technical features which will delight chefs, such as its light and easily stackable nature. This set of seven white porcelain pieces makes serving food the height of ease and it is ideal for a wide range of gastronomic serving styles and presentations.
Playing with materials, shapes and colours
All this novelty isn’t just for haute cuisine. New restaurant concepts are leaving behind boring tables, and the perfect example is the Playground collection from Schönwald, fa business that is represented in Spain by Guerrero Claude.
Playground is an invitation to intuitively mix and match shapes and colours in order to achieve unique presentations. A whole collection of “bits and bobs”, unique pieces made in different materials (stoneware, wood, slate, melamine, stainless steel, cast iron, leather, marble, glass…) which, when combined, offer multiple staging options that are attractive and full of personality. In 2018, the range is transformed with bowls made of natural stone and seemingly hand crafted wood, rectangular wooden supports, stoneware plates and dishes, marble platters and more surprises, which all provide an endless source of ideas for enjoyable experiences at gastropubs, restaurants, buffets, street food… Shall we play?
A colourful, rustic touch
Not all tableware has to be white, and at Rak we are highly aware of this. Our most recent launches on the market include two collections which just brimming with robustness and character, playing with colour, texture and a very contemporary hand-crafted look.
Our Karbon dinner service (to the left of the image) offers a powerful fusion of matte black and rugged, uneven texture, creating an attractive contrast between lightness and darkness. It is a black canvas on which the food is the highlight, served on bowls and plates with oval, square and rectangular shapes.
As for our Twirl dinner service, on the right, it is inspired by tropical beaches and strolls along the seashore. Each piece is decorated by hand and has a distinctive character. This dinner service is available in five warm colours which may be mixed and matched to perfection, creating a vivid and at the same time relaxing atmosphere with its bowls, plates and buffet service pieces.
Design in the service of aroma
And what’s new in glassware? One of the most innovative designs is undoubtedly the Power series from the German firm Stölzle Lausitz, which was awarded a German Design Award by an international jury. The pure and expressive lines of this exquisite collection, made up of three wine glasses and two glasses, all with a flat base to the bowl, provide a modern and refined feel to the table, but actually take it even further: they add value to the tasting.
The Power glasses enable the wine to ventilate better and to gain power and expression, all thanks to the ample space at the base of the goblet and its funnel effect, which conducts the aroma directly to the nose of the drinker. Design in the service of tastings. Produced in the city of Weisswasser in Saxony, these high quality glasses have reached Spain thanks to David Frey Horeca Solutions and we will of course see them at Hostelco 2018.
