Arrivederci!
Say goodbye to traditional Italian restaurants. The new look of tabletops is unabashedly distinct.
By Rebecca Oliva, Staff Editor -- Hotels, 2/28/2001 11:00:00 PM
Altering the look of Italian tabletop can be just as important as changing the menu. Just ask Giuliano Sacchi, food and beverage manager at Hotel Bauer in Venice, who believes just as much thought must go into the presentation as it does into the food itself. “We choose something for the tabletop and then change it,” Sacchi says of the 50-seat Bauer Grill. “We never stop.” Sacchi’s boss, Hotel Bauer President and CEO Francesca Bortolotto Possati, agrees that finding the right personal style for Italian tabletops requires extra attention to the details. “When I see someone has taken the time to determine the linens, china and centerpiece, I am pleased.”
As Italian cooking styles and customer preferences change so quickly, the tabletop presentation must evolve. “We have to follow,” says Sacchi in response to a move toward simplistic and healthier Italian menus composed of fish and vegetables.
The revolution of Italian cooking mimics a low-fat diet, cutting out fried foods, mega-carbohydrates and heavy cream sauces. According to Sacchi, most guests at the Bauer Grill order healthy cuisine. Along with this culinary digression comes a new style in tabletops. What used to be red and white checked tablecloths lit by candlelight now has grown to be more individualistic, Bortolotto Possati says.
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Grand Hotel Villa SerbelloniBellagio, Italy Restaurant: Terrace Restaurant Seats: 120 Covers: 100 House Specialties: Lake fish; homemade pasta Tabletop Sources China: Hutschenreuther Glassware: Not Available Silverware: Sambonet Linens: Rivolta Carmignani, Frette |
Putting Personality On The Table
Today, you could walk into any Italian restaurant, and most likely find something distinctive, from the menu right down to the tabletop. “They are all trying to look individual,” Bortolotto Possati says. The spark for the transformation to individuality is a combination of many things: Extra attention is paid to the client, homemade dishes are served to add a personal touch and, overall décor is becoming more important to guests.
At the Bauer Grill, distinctive qualities are as important as the food. Guests are enchanted by the few details that make the difference. Venetian-made Murano glass, shaped to resemble a bunch of grapes, made exclusively for the hotel, graces the center of the table, replacing the standard candle or flower centerpiece. “The centerpiece is the most important part of any tabletop,” Bortolotto Possati says. “That’s where you focus your eyes first.” Bauer Grill also adds distinction with an elaborate wood and brass decanter used to serve red wine, in lieu of a pitcher of house wine usually served throughout Italy. Cream-colored linens, also made especially for the hotel, match the tapestry design on the walls. These few, yet distinctive, trimmings give the restaurant personality and class that is synonymous with Italy.
The result is that guests feel comfortable and are awed by the scenic view of the canal. “It looks as if it would almost be a beautiful dining room,” Bortolotto Possati says.
Although Sacchi emphasizes the importance of adding unique qualities, he doesn’t dismiss fine china and silverware. Only a few pieces of essential silverware and china are laid on the table, to keep attention on other accoutrements. However, Sacchi stresses that all tabletop accessories must be of top quality to make a lasting impression.
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Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First ResidenceCairo, Egypt Restaurant: Seasons Seats: 174 Covers: 80-100 House Specialties: Menu focuses on the lighter side of Mediterranean cuisine Tabletop Sources China: Bauscher and locally-made pottery Glassware: Schott-Zweisel Silverware: Oneida Linens: locally made Egyptian linens |
Playing With Color
Traditionally, few colors have been incorporated in Italian tabletop design. Now, color is essential to creating distinctive tabletops. And some restaurants make full use of the color spectrum. “People like to see different colors,” says Saddiq Mir, corporate director of food and beverage, Omni Hotels. “I think the executive chefs can express themselves through color.” Such use of color cannot be ignored at Trevi’s, Omni Mandalay Hotel at Las Colinas, Irving, Texas. Vibrant shades are used in virtually every aspect of the tabletops. Red, blue, green and orange are the four main colors used throughout the restaurant to capture guests’ attention. The Mediterranean was the inspiration for the choice, Mir says.
Colored plates and crockery are placed with opposing colored glasses. In addition, food adds to the festive look of the table. An oblong, wooden platter is used to serve complimentary antipasto. The platter is full of fresh, colorful vegetables and Mediterranean specialties. For the centerpiece, Mir uses a double-headed carafe filled with oil and vinegar. “Our mission is to create that ‘wow’ experience,” he says. “When there are four people sitting at the table with four different colored plates, it sparks a lot of conversation.” The look of the tabletop results in an eclectic combination of colors, textures and materials.
At Tremezzo, Aladdin Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, the colors on the table are as rich as the desserts served. Each place is set with a different colored plate and each table with a different colored flower. “There are always colors happening on the table,” says Michael Credico, director of fine dining and wine. “We take the traditional Italian restaurant and modernize it.”
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Aladdin Resort & CasinoLas Vegas, Nevada Restaurant: Tremezzo Seats: 200 inside; 50 outside Covers: 250 House Specialties: Lobster risotto Tabletop Sources China: Mikasa Glassware: Schott-Zweisel Silverware: Corby Hall Linens: Frette |
In addition to the up-to-date look, Tremezzo surprises guests with its funky, upbeat décor that is also communicated on the table. Wine is served in a clear glass with a blue, zigzag stem. Credico plays with shapes as well by using oblong platters and zigzag plates. “You give the guests something different to make them come back,” he says, remarking that the design of Tremezzo is not something you’d expect of an Italian restaurant. Rather, it evokes a sense of “high energy and comfort.”
Color is also the distinctive feature at Lapa Palace’s Ristorante Hotel Cipriani, Lisbon, Portugal, named after the famed Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Italy. “We try to play a little,” says Miguel Afonso dos Santos, F&B director. “If we have a very colorful plate, we make sure it complements the food presentations.” At night, the use of Venetian glass lamps adds a touch of Italian culture to the ambiance. Traditional white linens are used in addition to simple china lines thus drawing attention to the featured tabletop pieces.
Making Subtle Differences
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The Portman Ritz-CarltonShanghai, China Restaurant: Palladio Seat: 80 Covers: 85 House Specialties: Braised turbot with clams, olives, oregano and roasted tomatoes Tabletop Sources China: Bernardaud Limoges Glassware: CALP Silverware: Brandimarte Linens: Raynaud |
While some restaurants are adding their own twist to the new design of Italian restaurants, there are some that opt for traditional elegance. Guests at Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, Bellagio, Italy, enjoy usual Italian fare in a traditional setting. The combination of white linens and china set upon silver-plated showplates depicts classic elegance. Minimal crockery and silver- and glassware are used.
The Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai, China, is home to Palladio, a new restaurant that reflects the utmost elegance of Italian culture and style. Red flowers, strewn in bud vases, are the only colors on the table. All glassware and chinaware is made in Italy to replicate an authentic look and to complement the authentic Italian cuisine. The result is one of complete sophistication, basing its individuality on the centerpieces and highly elegant appeal.
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