Setting the Mood
Carefully designed tabletops reveal a restaurant's character before guests take their first bite.
By Joan Marsan, Associate Editor -- Hotels, 2/29/2000 11:00:00 PM
Award-winning tabletop design relies on a clear understanding of a restaurant’s mission, says consultant Walter Staib, FCSI. “Once the guest sits down at the table, the tabletop should tell them what they're going to be eating,” Staib says. Just as a picture speaks a thousand words, a hotel’s choice of china, flatware and napery pairings reveals the restaurant’s unique flavor. The look and feel of the china, silver and linens, the way they work together to deliver a message about the restaurant’s personality and palate, should match menu offerings and the intended atmosphere of the establishment.
Only sterling silver offers the elegant look and feel that could match the opulence of the 1875 restaurant at the Holly Inn, Pinehurst, South Carolina. After all, at the restaurant's inception in the late 19th century, stainless steel hadn't yet been invented. Silver serving pieces further enhance the look, as do fine china plates and delicate glassware.
Conversely, Waterford crystal would be out of place at The Ranch, a rooftop country- and western-style restaurant at El San Juan Resort & Casino, Puerto Rico, where heavy glass and glazed plates are more likely to work together and coordinate with the cuisine.
Restaurateurs should devote special attention to items that guests touch. “The feel of a heavy steak knife in the hand can leave a lasting impression,” Staib says. Quality napery, pleasing to the touch, heightens guests’ comfort and sense of care, essential qualities at any establishement. The feel of the combined elements, as much as the look, should further the restaurant’s mission.
A successful redesign doesn't require a huge expense, Staib says. “You can be eclectic, add a few new plates.” After all, the introduction of a single piece, carefully chosen tocomplement the cuisine and coordinate with other items adorning the tabletop, can help a hotelier set a whole new mood.
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We wanted a simple elegance," says Damian McCartle, f&b director, the Wyndham Chicago. Caliterra, the hotel's award-winning restaurant, blends the best of northern Californian and Italian cuisines, “both of which are fantastically original, but don't have that French, formal influence," McCartle says. The tabletop, similarly, combines comfort, flair and elegance. Basic white china by Dudson and quiet, supple linens by Riegel make way for the striking accents provided by the "Mulano" green glass service plates by Essetre. |
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The Belvedere Restaurant, Grand Stanford Harbour View, Hong Kong, offers regional French cuisine, and the definitively Provençal-style "Fidelio" china by Bauscher offers guests an unmistakable sense of place. The restaurant's contemporary flair finds expression in the organic shapes and whimsical, gilded decorations of Voluté cutlery by WMF. |
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“The worst thing a company can do is take a cookie-cutter approach to tabletop," says Walter Staib. While many chains specify tabletop choices for their member hotels, a degree of flexibility is essential, and allows individual restaurants' personalities to shine through. At the Portland, Oregon Lloyd Center Doubletree, F&B Director Steve Faulstick adds flair to the main dining room with colorful Hall China creamers. Meanwhile, Homer Laughlin's "Crescent" china, "Ambassador" white tops by Milliken and "Classic Shell" flatware by Oneida offer an understated backdrop for a variety of culinary creations. By contrast, bright Fiestaware by Homer Laughlin creates a playful, casual light-hearted atmosphere in the establishment's café. |
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At the Istana Restaurant & Bar, the New York Palace's signature restaurant, the look is casually elegant, suggesting the warmth and quality evident in the Mediterranean and American cuisine. The yellow of the stucco walls is captured again in the double-twisted Egyptian cotton tablecloths by Rivolta Carmignani. Color abounds in specialty plates by Villeroy & Boch mixed and matched with settings for different courses. Astragal flatware, by Oneida, lends an air of undisputed opulence. |
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These showy "Premiere" plates, designed by Adam Tihany for Schönwald, elevate the center of the plate, drawing attention to the artistic creations gracing them. Just as the restaurant, 55 Wall, of The Regent Wall Street, New York, takes its cue from the building's esteemed address, these striking plates reflect the establishment's sharp, sophisticated décor and the cuisine's classic appeal. From tabletop to rooftop to the flavor of the cuisine, 55 Wall evokes the tone of a historic, landmark property. |
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The Hotel Albert Premier, Luxembourg, welcomes guests to a cozy, English-style restaurant serving continental cuisine. Their "Millenia Gold" fine bone china with gold trim by Villeroy & Boch reiterates the classical elegance that pervades the establishment. Complementary items created by the same company give restaurants an opportunity to carry through with a theme. Serving pieces and flatware, also by Villeroy & Boch, lend weight and substance to the tabletop ensemble. |
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The indoor-outdoor Palm Court garden restaurant at the Hilton Ocean Grand Resort, Huntington Beach, California, serves continental cuisine and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. Linens must withstand the extra wear and tear of days in the sun, retaining bright colors that reflect the flavor of the establishment's light cuisine. |
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The Firehouse Cigar Bar and Lounge at the Marriott O'Hare, Chicago, with its leather chairs, black-shaded hurricane lamps and quiet atmosphere offers an upscale, clubby oasis in a bustling hotel. The appetizer menu is exclusive to this restaurant, which also offers a selection of fine cognacs. "Everything about the place says that it's established," says Jolene Wrobel, creative services, from the logo embroidered on the tablecloth to the pictures of old-timefiremen on the walls. |
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“Lespinasse remains traditional in choosing china, flatware and other tableware," says Jean Philippe Leloup, general manager, Lespinasse, St. Regis Hotel, New York. "We have carved a niche as a dining place that brings the standards of an authentic French restaurant to everything, from décor and ambiance to cuisine and service. We are conservative, and that is as it should be." Eschenbach produces the restaurant's trademark china, and Broggi serving pieces lend the tabletop an elegant sheen. |
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It's not easy to find something that holds up" to the outdoor environment at Little Dix Bay, BVI, says Romana Heeg, director of f&b. But she insists on Rivolta Carmignani's double-twisted Egyptian Mako cotton tablecloths, in a pattern, Conchiglie, that captures the island atmosphere. "Waterfront" plates by Dudson carry the theme a step further. |
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The "Pastadriver" ensemble by Langenthal made its debut at the Restaurant Corviglia in the resort community of St. Moritz, Switzerland. The companion pieces speak volumes, offering an original presentation that prepares guests for contemporary Italian cuisine. |
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Disney's Walt Disney World and Epcot Center hotels and restaurants, from Disney's Contemporary Hotel to its Grand Floridian Beach Resort to its underwater-themed Coral Reef Restaurant, promote an aura of wonder, discovery, excitement and play. The sense of fun extends to the tabletop, where diners are delighted by Homer Laughlin's star-shaped bowls. |
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The Lobby of the Peninsula Hong Kong features marble-topped tables, sumptuous chairs and exclusive Tiffany chinaware. It serves as an all-day dining venue from breakfast onwards, and is home to the world-renowned Peninsula Traditional afternoon tea. Hilden Manufacturing designed and produces the linens that grace the tables of Asia's famous meeting point of the Eastern and Western worlds. |
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