A Second Helping
Whether by cleaning up the clutter or adding a pièce de résistance, hotel restaurants redo tabletops to complement the cuisine.
By Rebecca Oliva, Associate Editor -- Hotels, 9/30/2002 11:00:00 PM
Hotel restaurants used to present their cuisine on fine white china, white linens and simple glassware. Even if the menu included avant-garde dishes, tabletops rarely reflected that sentiment. Today however, things have changed. Chefs must cater to a changing audience— one that is more educated about different cuisine, and one that appreciates a bit of style on the table. To meet the needs of these audiences, hotel restaurants new and old are finding ways to match the mood of the food with tabletop pieces.
“People knew what they could expect on the table at a hotel restaurant even before they came into the dining room,” says Craig Reed, director of food and beverage, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado. “It is much more creative now than before. There is a move against stark formality.”
More restaurants are updating their tabletop looks to rival their stand-alone competitors. Formality is taking on a different form—one that includes color and adds personality to the table. Accent pieces spruce up an otherwise ordinary dining table. Colored glasses add glamour to the traditional counterparts. The cuisine is playing an important role in determining the china patterns and glassware.
Telling The Story
The Broadmoor recently underwent an extensive two-year renovation during which the tabletop design was revisited at the Charles Court restaurant. “I think the tabletop tells a great story,” Reed says. “We use creative shapes and colors to further enhance the look. When it comes to food, guests eat with their eyes. This is carried over with the glasses, china and entire tabletop as well.”
Updating what is on the table gives you a chance to rethink what you want your guests to take away, Reed says. “You can create a new identity with a little creativity,” he says.
La Côte Saint-Jacques, Joigny, France did just that when the dining room was recently renovated to keep it in line with the outdoor scenery. The restaurant overlooks a river, and according to Brigitte Lorain, manager of the hotel, the tabletop design matches the colors outside.
“We wanted something that would complement the view outside,” Lorain says. “We are trying to go for a look that emphasizes the fine cuisine. People come here to experience the fine dishes. We want to set the mood for them before they even experience a sip of wine or take a bite of food.”
Part of the Relais & Châteaux group, La Côte Saint-Jacques has a traditional French ambience. To complement this, Lorain commissioned local artisans to create plates with different patterns and color. Each plate is as distinctive “as the food presented on it.”
Although Lorain says she and the F&B team try to set a mood that prepares guests for the cuisine to come, the décor is not intrusive or overbearing. “You need to design a table that complements the cuisine, not overshadows it,” she says.
Other hotels are clearing their tables as well. When NANA at Wyndham Anatole in Dallas went through its massive refurbishment, the F&B staff changed not only its location and décor but also upgraded it to a fine-dining establishment. Naturally, a change this large called for a new tabletop strategy. Paul Pinnell, NANA’s general manager, says the design team was going for a clean, contemporary look to set the stage for a new more sophisticated menu. He chose to splurge on certain elements for the table. “I think by far the biggest difference of anything on the tabletop is the quality of the linen,” he says. Patterns are subtle, yet textured enough for guests to notice. “The color and texture of the linens give the table a rich look,” Pinnell says.
Pinnell traded bulky centerpieces for smaller ones to keep accessories to a minimum. Tables were increased from 38 inches (97 cm) to 40-inch (102-cm) round tables to allow for more space.
“Certainly the restaurant industry is going for a cleaner, crisper look,” Pinnell says. For special dishes, Pinnell uses dramatically colored plates in odd sizes. While most of these alternative plates are not set on the tables, Pinnell says they add a sense of distinction to the table. Most of the accessory dishes are one-of-a-kind pieces that Pinnell believes make NANA stand apart from other restaurants of its kind.
Other hotels underwent similar renovations to rid their tables of excess. The Inn At Perry Cabin, St. Michaels, Maryland, sets up only the bare necessities for its new restaurant. White linen, simple glassware and a candle centerpiece add spaciousness to the room. The Park Hyatt Stanhope followed this trend with white linens and simple china, silverware and glass patterns. Seasonal flower arrangements add color to the table without adding bulk.
Gran Meliá, Cancun, chose to buck the trend of having a Mexican-themed dining room in order to serve its upscale Mexican cuisine. Instead, it chose to highlight the ocean view, and add color only by way of the cobalt blue water glasses. White linens and classic, simple glassware are used.
Here is a look at what new and renovated hotel restaurants are doing to make their tabletops a cut above the rest.
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Wyndham Anatole Hotel
Dallas, Texas
Restaurant: NANA
Seats: 170
Covers: 150
House Specialties: flour-fried lobster with scallops, herb salad and ginger vinaigrett; veal rossini
Tabletop Sources
China: Rosenthal; Fortess; Villeroy & Bock
Glassware: Schott Zwiesel
Silverware: Sambonet
Linens: Rivolta Carmignani
Crockery: Fabregé egg caviar service; Ercuis salt and pepper shakers
The Look: Changing the menu meant changing the atmosphere, beginning with the tabletop. General Manager Paul Pinnell chose a simple, elegant design that would let guests know this would be a whole new experience. NANA serves many unique accessory pieces to enhance the dining experience.
The Broadmoor
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Restaurant: Charles Court Restaurant
Seats: 160
Covers: 220
House Specialties: tamarind-glazed Ahi tuna, duck prosciutto wrap with ginger sticky rice and miso-soy vinaigrette; Colorado game grill: roasted elk tenderloin, venison chop and buffalo filet
Tabletop Sources
China: Woodmeer China; Mikasa
Glassware: Rosenthal (wine glasses); Judel Glassware (water glasses)
Silverware: World Tableware
Linens: Rivolta Carmignani
The Look: Charles Court was renovated to update both the décor and tabletop. In keeping in line with its mountainous surroundings, F&B Director Craig Reed chose dark colors and kept accessories to a minimum.
Gran Meliá Cancun
Cancun, Mexico
Restaurant: La Perla
Seats: 350
Covers: N/A
House Specialties: Caribbean and Continental
Tabletop Sources
China: Melia Puntas Oro
Glassware: Hutschenreuther
Silverware: Guernica
Linens: Solei
The Look: After a major, property-wide renovation, La Perla has become an outlet used for special events only. Traditional china and glassware are used to allow guests to pay more attention to the view of the ocean.
The Inn At Perry Cabin
St. Michaels, Maryland
Restaurant: Name not yet determined
Seats: 108
Covers: 100+
House Specialties: Honey and tarragon-glazed shank of lamb; crab spring roll with pink grapefruit, avocado and toasted almonds
Tabletop Sources
China: Wedgwood
Glassware: Spiegelau
Silverware: Gainsborough
Linens: Rivolta Carmignani
Accessories: Silver Peugeot pepper and salt grinders
The Look: Structurally, this restaurant was updated to allow more exposure to the Miles River. Interior treatments consist of plush banquettes in soft, sun-washed Nantucket colors, a large artwork of Chesapeake “waterman’s” tools adorn the fireplace, captains chairs watching over high-gloss, marine-dark stained wooded tables and carpet treatments with a soft, summery feel. The tabletop complements Executive Chef Mark Salter’s cuisine by bringing the dining room in line with the treasures of the Chesapeake— crabmeat, oysters and fresh rockfish.
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Hotel Amigo
Brussels, Belgium
Restaurant: Le Verlaine
Seats: 110
Covers: 50
House Specialties: terrine fois gras d’oie; cod filet with beurre blanc & sevruga caviar
Tabletop Sources
China: Villeroy & Boch
Glassware: Verrax; Meyhuy
Silverware: WMF
The Look: La Verlaine maintains the look of the artsy Hotel Amigo. Long-stemmed glasses give height to the table and red centerpieces add color.
Hotel Kamp
Helsinki, Finland
Restaurant: Restaurant Kamp
Seats: 56
Nightly Covers: 35
House Specialties: Sibelius Sinfonia, a five-course menu
Tabletop Sources
China: Villeroy & Boch
Glassware: Wilkens
Silverware: Schott Zwiesel
Linens: Flax Clothes
The Look: Restaurant Kamp maintained its very traditional feel in this upscale hotel. Colored glasses and centerpieces complete the elegant look.
La Côte Saint-Jacques
Joigny, Burgandy, France
Restaurant: La Côte Saint-Jacques
Seats: 80
Covers: 32
House Specialties: Array of oysters; turbot in crest soft puree of leeks and green peas, emulsion of bitter almond milk; farm-raised pigeon in snap peas crust, new potatoes, carmelized onions, foie gras and trout lily sauce; rose ice cream served in a crunchy pastry tulip with crystallized rose petals
Tabletop Sources
China: Limoges/Bernardaud
Glassware: Riedel
Silverware: Ercuis
Linens: Olivier Journe, Aix-en-Provence
Crockery: F. Gueneau (artisan)
The Look: Tabletops were redesigned to emulate both the French cooking and outdoor scenery. Colors were inspired by the restaurant’s river view, and local artists were commissioned to create the perfect French plate for the perfect French cuisine.
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Excelsior Hotel Ernst
Cologne, Germany
Restaurant: TAKU
Seats: 50
Covers: 40
House Specialties: Peking duck; Japanese-style sampler with tempura, vegetable, tofu, tureen, sashimi and sushi
Tabletop Sources
China: Villeroy & Boch
Glassware: Paloma Picasso (water glasses); Spiegelau (wine glasses)
Silverware: Wilkens
Crockery: Heike Fritz/ Keramikwerkstatt
The Look: Taku offers an extensive array of Asian cuisine including Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese. Tables are minimalist in style, accented only by small condiment dishes in Villeroy & Boch’s “hot wave” and “hot Palm” patterns. Legendary Munich pottery master Heike Fritz designed alternate china pieces.
The Mirage
Las Vegas, Nevada
Restaurant: Noodle Kitchen
Seats: 95
Covers: N/A
House Specialties: tai chen chicken; black pepper garlic beef
Tabletop Sources
China: Steelite
Glassware: Cardinal
Silverware: Oneida
Linens: Martex
The Look: Steelite designed the look for Noodle Kitchen’s table to invoke a casual Asian restaurant. Colors on the china were carried throughout the table and serving pieces.
Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando, A Loews Hotel
Orlando, Florida
Restaurant: Islands Dining Room
Seats: 345
Covers: 325
House Specialties: surf & surf: soy-glazed black grouper & seared shrimp with sticky rice cake, citrus vinaigrette; oven-roasted rack of lamb with smoked bacon-lentil ragout & peppercress carmelized curry sauce
Tabletop Sources
China: Fortessa; Tognana/Acapulco
Glassware: Cabernet Micro Rim, Clear by Cardinal
Silverware: Fortessa
Linens: Balsa-style basket-weave placemats by Chilewich
The Look: The water theme is highlighted by Clark Wolf-designed Fortessa china patterns. A casual restaurant, the theme is carried out by the china, silverware and placemats.
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