In a recent interview conducted by HostMilano, the food and service organization asked some of its stakeholders, including producers in the tableware sector, HostAmbassadors and starred chefs, what will be the predominant style for next season’s table?
The answer is summarized by recognizing that classic style never goes out of fashion: “elegant and sober, it is perfect for any occasion, but bright notes of colour and materials such as suitably treated wood and stoneware also stand out,” says HostMilano.
According to its research, restaurants and many bars are focusing on the recognizability of the design and the quality of the furnishings, in order to offer the final customer a real 360-degree experience. Starting from the table, which is renewed in shapes and colours.
HostMilano further states that the work carried out in the kitchens increasingly focuses on sustainability by using intelligent energy-saving equipment that helps professionals to halve time and costs, for more careful management of waste.
The chef’s experience and commitment, supported by technology, must then be enhanced with great care in the plating to highlight the research and preparation work that lies behind each recipe. Choosing an adequate mise en place is important to satisfy the view of the diner, enhance all the flavors to the fullest and underline the attention and care in the service.
“Right now the trend of our set up service is wood, obviously treated with a sanitizing paint suitable for contact with food. As far as porcelain is concerned, total white is always a winner, even if color is becoming more important especially in pastel shades. For this reason, we are starting a partnership with an important brand to create a line, but the concept of always paying attention to the context remains fundamental: great attention must be paid to the harmony of the nuances and to seasonality,” says chef Davide Oldani – D’O restaurant in Cornaredo (MI).
To illustrate new points of view, HostMilano asked some HostAmbassadors their opinions from their different markets. If in Italy there is a return to the use of local products, inclusive menus and a service that focuses on the customer with a greener and more sustainable proposal also for the equipment, in Argentina the focus is on services and crockery made with materials easy to be cleaned and sanitized, composed of nanotechnologies.
In Sweden, a boom in ghost kitchens, delivery, premium catering and food-related events is expected in the coming months, with a range of serving elements characterized by refinement in shapes and details. Space for street food and versatility: this is the trend that can be found in France, where catering is evolving towards the simplification of the offer, with proposals for every day, to eat at home or in the office, in and outdoors, and gourmet but without cerebralism.
HostMilano reveals that one of the trends of the next months is equipment made up of crockery with eccentric and colourful shapes, which also features the colour of the year: a vibrant red with hints of pink. The nuances of pale yellow, aquamarine and lavender are also combined.
Today many companies are able to easily combine reactive glazes with a porcelain base, to create beautiful but long-lasting sets that stand up to daily use between uses and washings. As for the materials, there are various stoneware proposals that give an artisanal and rustic touch, suggesting a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Then there are the classic porcelain services, always loved and very resistant, which give the table an aura of great elegance and sobriety. This is confirmed by chef Enrico Bartolini of the Mudec restaurant in Milan: “I love beautiful china. A touch of color often adds personality, but we must always put the container and the content in harmony with the space. The dishes give suggestions. The shapes must never be uncomfortable or make the tasting worse.”