Choosing Tableware That Enhances Guest Experience: Top Picks from APS, Creative Hospitality, and RAK Porcelain
- 28 Oct, 2024
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Whenever it comes to hospitality, every detail counts. Tableware is a supporting act to the food but also contributes to the overall experience. The "plating up" process is where the chef's artistic vision is realised at the end of every meal.
But what about the plates themselves? Have you thought about how easy the plates will be to clean? What’s the purpose behind big, flat, white dishes? How do you choose mugs that align with your restaurant’s commitment to ethically farmed coffee? These are just a few factors you’ll need to consider when selecting tableware for your establishment.
In this guide, we’ll explore the practical aspects of choosing tableware and introduce top brands like APS, Creative Hospitality, and RAK Porcelain. These brands combine style, durability, and innovation to help you make the right choice for your restaurant, hotel, or event space.
The Importance of Tableware in Guest Experience
Tableware is important in shaping how guests perceive an establishment. It extends beyond mere food presentation, setting the stage for the entire dining experience. Its importance is multifaceted:
Aesthetics and Initial Impressions: Table settings often provide guests' first visual encounter upon seating. Regardless of the venue—be it a fine dining restaurant, a casual café, or a banquet hall—the tableware should reflect the establishment's style and atmosphere. The selection of refined porcelain, rustic stoneware, or bold, innovative pieces can enhance a guest's sense of convenience and experience.
Functionality and User Comfort: Practicality is as critical as aesthetics in tableware design. A plate's weight, a bowl's texture, or a glass's dimensions can influence how guests interact with their meal. Ergonomic, user-friendly designs can enhance the dining experience by facilitating smoother and more enjoyable food service.
Brand and Atmosphere Connection: A restaurant's tableware selection reflects its brand identity. An upscale restaurant may favour sleek, trendy designs to project sophistication, while a rustic eatery might decide for earthy tones and textures to emphasise a farm-to-table ethos.
With these considerations in mind, we will now consider three brands at the lead of tableware innovation and highlight their premier offerings designed to boost the guest experience.
Top Picks from APS, Creative Hospitality, and RAK Porcelain
Each of these brands brings its own strengths to the table, offering a wide range of products designed to enhance the presentation and serviceability of your dining space.
APS
APS was founded in 1933 and is one of the leading names in the hotel, restaurant, and catering industry today. APS’s hospitality products are known for their combination of innovation and practical design, making it a go-to choice for buffet and tabletop solutions.
Modern Buffet Solutions: APS offers one of Europe’s best-selling lines of buffet and serveware, combining visual appeal with brilliant practicality. Their modular buffet systems are versatile, allowing for easy customisation to suit any event or setting. These systems enable seamless reconfiguration, making them excellent for restaurants, hotels, and event venues.
Durability and Functionality: APS products are designed with professionals in mind. Whether you need sturdy serving trays or elegant tableware, this classic brand ensures that its products are easy to use, maintain, and clean. This makes APS a preferred choice for high-traffic environments where efficiency is fundamental.
Recommendation: The APS Buffet Hospitality System is particularly noteworthy. It’s engineered to deliver both aesthetic and functional value, with pieces that can be stacked, stored, and adjusted to fit different buffet arrangements. For establishments seeking flexibility in their food presentation, APS’s solutions offer unmatched versatility.
Creative Hospitality
Established in 2014, Creative hospitality products has rapidly gained recognition for its innovative approach to melamine buffets and tableware. This UK-based brand is known for its design-driven products, which expertly melds form and function to produce distinctive pieces suitable for assorted dining environments.
Innovative Presentation Solutions: Creative Hospitality specialises in premium melamine tableware that combines durability with striking visual appeal. Their designs challenge conventional tableware norms, offering angular plates and unique serving pieces that uplift food presentation to an art form. This makes them an ideal choice for upscale venues or establishments seeking to distinguish themselves through bold, creative visual elements.
Customised Offerings: Beyond their standard product line, Creative Hospitality provides tailored solutions for clients. Their control over the entire manufacturing process enables them to deliver bespoke products with reduced lead times, whether for custom pieces reflecting a brand's identification or specific style requirements.
Notable Collection: The Creative Hospitality Artisan Collection is particularly recommended for venues aiming to create a lasting impression. This line features hand-crafted, artistic designs that add a distinctive touch to dining tables. Chefs and restaurateurs who view food as a creative endeavour and are looking for tableware that enhances the visual interest of their culinary creations will benefit most from these products.
RAK Porcelain
RAK Porcelain was launched by RAK Ceramics in 2005 in the UAE. And, has quickly risen to become one of the world’s leading suppliers of professional-grade porcelain tableware. Located in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, RAK Porcelain benefits from its proximity to Dubai’s ports, allowing for fast global distribution and ensuring that its products reach hospitality businesses worldwide with minimal delay.
Expansion and Industry Expertise: RAK rapidly became a leading provider of professional-grade porcelain tableware within the HORECA industry. The company’s significant investments in manufacturing infrastructure have allowed them to diversify their offerings, including four different porcelain bodies produced in the same plant: “Ivoris,” a soft ivory porcelain; “Polaris,” a bright white body; “Fusion,” designed for the social media age; and “RAK Earth,” a nostalgic terracotta-inspired range. This assortment sets RAK apart, allowing it to accommodate various hospitality needs.
Innovative Designs and Collections: RAK Porcelain is known for blending innovation with elegance. The Le Ballet collection has sublime shapes and the dazzling translucency of the porcelain, offering a combination of lightness and strength that makes it both stunning and highly practical. The range is constructed using certified natural mineral powders, resulting in tableware that is lightweight and ethereal.
Recommendation: RAK Porcelain’s Neofusion line is a standout, featuring unique textured finishes that provide both tasteful and functional importance. Using a highly durable, hand-sprayed, non-porous glaze, every piece has the strength of porcelain and the appearance of ceramic. This makes them ideal for professional use that places a high priority on presenting a good impression without sacrificing durability.
How to Choose the Right Tableware for Your Establishment
The right tableware for your establishment is a strategic decision. Properly chosen tableware not only enhances the presentation of your dishes but also contributes to the efficiency of your service and the overall guest experience, making it essential for commercial kitchen equipment suppliers in the UAE to offer a wide range of high-quality options.
The following considerations will guide you in making informed choices:
Durability: In high-traffic environments like restaurants, your tableware must be able to withstand frequent use, cleaning, and handling without chipping or losing its look. Brands like APS, Creative Hospitality, and RAK Porcelain are known for their robust product lines designed for long-term use, ensuring your investment pays off over time.
Ease of Maintenance: Operational efficiency often hinges on how easy your tableware is to clean. In busy settings, using dishwasher-safe tableware can reduce labour costs and improve turnaround times.
Storage and Handling: Do your plates fit on your current shelves, or will new storage solutions be needed? Also, think about the weight and size—are they easy for servers to carry without being too heavy or awkward?
Heat Retention: Do the dishes hold heat well, ensuring that your food stays warm for guests? This is indispensable for guest satisfaction, as cold food can quickly diminish from an otherwise excellent meal.
A restaurant's tableware is fundamental to the dining experience, serving both functional functions as well as influencing guests' perceptions and enjoyment of the meal. APS, Creative Hospitality, and RAK Porcelain are all reputable tableware suppliers that will provide your establishment with products that are not only elegant but also comfortable and enjoyable for guests. For hotel suppliers in Dubai, these brands offer mixed options to suit various dining environments, whether your priority is innovation, creativity, or durability.
