Inspiration and Information for your Tabletop

“We can never have enough of nature.” - Henry David Thoreau

This year, The Pantone Color Institute invites us to explore the Magentaverse with Viva Magenta, its 2023 Color of the Year. 

The exact origin of ramen is disputed, but most historians believe the dish we know and love today is a Japanese adaptation of a Chinese dish. Ramen noodle shops became popular in both Japan and China in the early 20^th century and were popularized in America in the 1970s with Momofuku Ando’s invention of the instant noodle. Since then, this comfort food has become a staple in American cities.

It’s the start of a new decade, and the year ended as it has for the past 20 years, with Pantone Color Institute declaring its Color of The Year. The chosen hue is “Classic Blue,” a cool shade reminiscent of the wide-open twilit sky.

The tabletop has become a place of exploration. Between the chefs who are more creative than ever and the dinnerware that is bolder than ever, an explosion of patterns, shapes, textures, colors, and materials are becoming commonplace.

When we think about dinner service in Western culture, it typically involves sitting down to rolled cutlery, maybe a bread plate, a water glass, possibly a candle, or even a salt and pepper shaker. What you typically don’t see is an empty plate, as plates are most often brought from the back-of-the-house with food on them.

Color plays a huge role in our dining experiences.

We've already talked about the love/hate relationship chefs have with the current sauce dot trend, but a recent article in Restaurant Hospitality brought up another popular plating concept - simplicity.

Almost nothing inspires passionate debate like food. And in the age of Instagram, those passions are apparently spilling out onto the plate, as well. Literally.