In modern cuisine, food is no longer purely for eating. Diners are constantly seeking out dishes that look attractive on the plate, with sales of bowls, which look better on camera, surpassing that of plates earlier this year. Britain’s leading purchasing company, Beacon, is working with its customers and suppliers to identify trends in tableware and support businesses in catering to the millennial market.
There are currently over 180 million posts on Instagram tagged as food, so with this in mind it has never been more important to have an appealing tableware offering. Liz Snowball, Consumable Buyer at Beacon, offers her advice and expertise:
“The thing we often hear from our suppliers is to keep your tableware simple and keep it white. If we could offer one piece of advice to F&B managers it would be exactly that, as whiteware gives a contemporary classic look and stands the test of time even as the menu changes. Whiteware is also the most cost-effective option, as it allows easy expansion of the range without a complete overhaul.
“One emerging trend we are seeing at the moment is the use of metals throughout a range of tabletop products and accessories, such as galvanised steel, copper and gold alongside white crockery, which adds interest, and maximises the perceived value of the overall experience. Consider adding to a core range of white tableware with different colours and materials to keep up to current trends.”
BEST WESTERN Monkbar Hotel recently implemented an entire new range of tableware for its brand new restaurant concept, Yorkshire Bar and Grill. Graham Usher, General Manager at BEST WESTERN Monkbar, commented:
“As an F&B manager, the most important thing is finding something that fits the high end quality you need in a restaurant, as well as the affordability and durability that you need to help manage costs.
“When selecting the crockery for our new range we worked closely with Beacon and Lockhart Catering Supplies to ensure that our tableware complimented our décor and the whole thing worked together to offer a quality experience to our diners. We opted for a core range of crisp white crockery, so that we can add to it or change it around as much as we liked with minimal interference in the running of the business.
“My advice to businesses looking to invest in a new range of tableware would be to physically get a feel for it and understand how it fits in with your restaurant as a whole.”
For more information about Beacon please visit www.beaconpurchasing.co.uk or follow Beacon on Twitter @Beacon_YPP.
