F & B : TableTop
TableTop theatrics
Creative tabletop design breathes new life into banquets and buffets , and adds the experiential touch required to attract business .
roup and meetings clients no longer want to see traditional banquet and buffet set ups — it ’ s not experiential enough , which is quick becoming an expectation and maybe even a requirement to encourage repeat business . So it is not surprising to find catering departments turning the traditional plate , knife and fork arrangement on its head . Yesterday ’ s round white china plate may now be a roughly hewn piece of slate or a rustic cutting board , while the fork might be a skewer stacked
contributed by Erin Sund
with delicacies . Wowing clients with perhaps , the unexpected is today ’ s requirement to attract new business .
F & B experts say that clients are ready for more adventurous , high-impact designs . “ I feel that today ’ s customer is more sophisticated than ever before . You really need to be cognizant of what the customer is looking for prior to pitching a concept ,” says Joe Niemeier , director of food and beverage , St . Kitt ’ s Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino .
Even once they are on board with the creative concept , some clients may need extra assurance that the “ out there ” concept will enhance , not detract from their event , particularly if the tabletop design is difficult to envision .
“ Our first question [ to our clients ] always is , ‘ what type of meeting are you looking to host ?’” says Nicholas Barenblatt , group marketing manager , Protea Hotels , Johannesburg . “ This allows us to determine the design parameters and start the design process . One can create and adapt set menus to table styles to suit the customer ’ s needs and to provide them with the right atmosphere for the day .”
The importance of communication doesn ’ t stop once the budget and design are approved . Pulling off nontraditional tabletop décor often means getting buy-in from multiple teams throughout a property , from the chef and engineering to the catering staff . Everyone should understand the vision .
And once that vision is created , the potential reach is limitless . Given the popularity of photo sharing on social media platforms such as Instagram , dramatic tabletop displays also grab the attention of potential clients who are thousands of miles from the event itself . People are more likely to photograph and talk about stunning displays .
Nigel Moore , director , food & beverage , Asia Pacific region , FRHI Hotels & Resorts , recounts an elaborate seafood industry gala his group hosted in Singapore . The gala was filled with arresting visual elements such as a 30-foot-long ice wall encasing frozen seafood , including Alaskan king crab , hundreds of lined up prawns and even a 120-pound turbot . The design was a hit — it also was amply photographed by attendees and shared widely on social media . Within days , people called the hotel to see if they could book “ the seafood dinner .”
www . hotelsmag . com November 2015 HOTELS 39