The Full Monty: the tableware blog from Goodfellows

This is part of a series of bi-monthly blogs from tableware experts Goodfellows showcasing some of their most innovative designs matched with some great recipes by top chefs.  

No, sadly I do not want to talk about chefs getting their kit off! This is about going the whole way in the context of using a single brand of designer china to tell a story through your menu. Some of us are old enough to remember the days when grand hotels used to suite their tableware with gloriously patterned china, regardless of what food was going on it. As we all know, that changed radically to what we have today but is there ever a place for fully-suited tableware in a restaurant? Well, we think there is. We were recently fortunate enough to eat at 2 Michelin star restaurant - Beluga, in Maastricht - where a single ceramic brand dominated the service. That brand was Pieter Stockmans. Did it work? Absolutely!

If you think about a chef’s style of cooking, it’s like his/her DNA that runs through his repertoire. Take for instance Simon Rogan. His DNA is expressed in every dish and we can’t imagine it being otherwise. So if we accept this principle, it becomes easier to understand how a full suite from one designer can work, if married sensitively to the chefs cooking DNA and style Here, Adam Smith (Head Chef of The Burlington Restaurant at The Devonshire Arms Hotel and Spa) shows how his imagination and precise execution sing from every plate. These stunning dishes were part of our recent photo shoot on Pieter Stockmans’ designs. So back to Beluga, where interestingly they have revived another blast from the past, the ‘base plate’. This is actually a very low-rimmed Pieter Stockmans plate with a delicate fine grey line running around the rim; Smart, elegant, clean & fresh.  

Below is the Serax-made Stockmans range that is similar to this, again showcasing Adam’s amazing food. Onto this base plate, a course of small plates and bowls were carefully placed at a different spot on the base plate, which created a story throughout the meal. It was never boring and actually connected each dish to the last. Each new plate or bowl created a new shape framed beautifully inside the larger one. This made the whole experience feel like it was thoughtful, inspiring and said something new. Can it work in the U.K? Absolutely!

Think Aiden Byrne at Manchester House, who is a big Hering Berlin fan. Anyone who watched the recent BBC programme Restaurant Wars would see how many Hering Berlin pieces Aiden uses and how great his food looks. Here’s a couple of examples of how inspiring Luke Tipping’s food looked on Hering Berlin (as part of our Portfolio No 1 brochure).

Luke is Executive Chef Director at Simpson’s Restaurant. We are often asked to come up with a collection of tableware which matches a chef’s menu. To us it makes complete sense to build the collection around a particular design set. We accessorise with textures and materials such as Marble, Pewter, Wood, Silver and Glass to compliment the look. We make it work because we put the effort into totally understanding the menu, along with the chef’s style of cooking and presentation. We then marry that with ceramics that have a distinct look and range of pieces to match individual needs across the menu.

Where Hering Berlin really works, is that each piece has been designed to layer with other pieces and finishes, so you can use a ‘Velvet’ finish bowl/cup with a ‘Pulse’ finish saucer, as seen below. By mixing and layering textures a different effect can be achieved to suit different dishes. Chefs such as Guy Savoy, Thomas Keller, Cesar Ramirez and Heston Blumenthal have all recognised the unique appeal of Hering Berlin. As you can see from the images, this approach does not have to be confined to one style of food.

If you want to know if the ‘Full Monty’ approach would work for you, come and talk to us. Don’t worry, you can leave your hat on!!   Contact Details : G & G Ltd. (Goodfellows) Email: sales@goodf.co.uk Website: www.goodfshop.co.uk Call: 0844 334 5232