FER EXCLUSIVE: Smallwares & Tabletop: The Next Big Things

When you’re seeking innovation, you can find it in several ways. You can attend tradeshows and spend hours walking the aisles with your eyes peeled. You can ask industry friends what cool new tools they’ve been using. Or you can go straight to the source—the manufacturers—and ask them what’s new and noteworthy.

Foodservice Equipment Reports took all three routes to uncover the Next Big Thing in the Smallwares/Tabletop world. We made notes as we walked the aisles at the National Restaurant Show, and we talked to our operator and dealer friends.

But the main work of tracking down the new and cool products you’ll be reading about here was simple. We asked. We emailed Smallwares and Tabletop suppliers in the FER Buyers Guide database requesting submissions to this year’s contest. When the email flurry ended, we had about 100 strong product candidates for the competition. FER editors handled the first round of judging, eliminating items that did not meet judging criteria. The result: 56 finalist products.

It was these 56 finalist products, sent in by their manufacturers (some 46 companies), that were arrayed on tables for judging in a meeting room at the offices of Edward Don & Co., Woodridge, Ill., on a warm day in August.

To review the collection and highlight the leading products, FER recruited a team of six judges. On the operator side, we welcomed Marc Jacobs, executive v.p. and partner, Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, Chicago; Matthew McMillin, culinary and beverage operations director, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, Countryside, Ill.; and David Reeves, hospitality services director, Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, Elmhurst, Ill. Our three national dealer representative judges included Mike Cooke, outside sales representative, Boelter Supply division of Boelter Cos., Waukesha, Wis.; Jeff Johnston, account manager-national foodservice smallwares division, The Wasserstrom Co., Columbus, Ohio; and Shannon Kroner, category manager-dinnerware, glassware and flatware, Edward Don & Co., Woodridge, Ill.

Despite the extreme variety represented by the products on display, judges identified a few trends. “Colors and texture are making a comeback in chinaware. We’re also seeing—and using—a lot more upscale melamine pieces,” Jacobs noted.

Faux finishes, done well, are another design trend represented at the competition, especially on the Tabletop side. Items appearing to be granite, marble, wood or china were in fact made of ABS plastic, melamine, china or metal, for a fun—and practical—twist.

“Durability is still critical,” added McMillin, describing his experience with splitting stainless seams, stemware tops separating from their bases and the generally short lifespan of kitchen equipment and tools. All judges kept durability and longevity top of mind as they reviewed entries.

Food safety was another concern for everyone on the judging panel. “We love anything that makes it easier to check temperatures,” McMillin added. To that end, products featuring temperature-induced color-changing technology and temperature-tracking devices scored high points during the judging process.

In the end, five Smallwares and six Tabletop items were chosen as leaders in their categories. (Read on for full details and photos of winners.)

Rules Of The Game

FER editors define Smallwares as back-of-the-house tools—usually hand-held, but always free of motors (although we allow batteries in items such as scales). Tabletop/Servingware candidates are anything that would be used on a well-dressed table, buffet or serving area.

To be eligible, products had to be new to the market since the 2013 National Restaurant Association Show. All entries were pre-judged by FER editors. Those that passed muster as innovative, new and problem-solving were named finalists. Manufacturers then were invited to send samples for the judging process.

The Judges

• Mike Cooke, a 28-year employee in the Boelter Supply division of Boelter Cos., Waukesha, Wis., has worked as an outside sales representative since day one. Cooke’s current focus lies in country clubs, independent restaurants, chains and hotels. Cooke, who interacts daily with chefs, restaurant owners, manufacturers’ reps and other foodservice industry pros, makes a point of keeping up with the latest innovations in tabletop design, food safety, kitchen equipment and disposable products.

• Marc Jacobs holds the position of executive v.p. of Antico Posto, Beatrix, Foodease, Foodlife and Mity Nice—all of which are under the umbrella of Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. Jacobs got his start with LEYE while working as a banquet server and busser at Bones, Lincolnwood, Ill. (now L. Woods Tap & Pine Lodge). After earning a degree in criminal investigation from the University of Illinois at Chicago, followed by general courses in management training, Jacobs returned to LEYE and has not looked back.

• Matthew McMillin serves as culinary and beverage operations director for Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, Countryside, Ill. Before joining Cooper’s Hawk, McMillin’s career path included executive-level postings with 3Sixty Dining Intelligence, Chicago; Food For Thought, Lincolnwood, Ill.; Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Chicago; and Brinker International, Dallas. McMillin launched his culinary life with an Associate of Applied Science degree from Kendall College, formerly in Evanston, Ill., now in Chicago.

• Shannon Kroner currently serves at Edward Don & Co. as category manager-dinnerware, glassware and flatware. Kroner has managed or merchandised nearly every category sold by the Woodridge, Ill.-based distributor, from “jan/san” to disposables to textiles to tabletop during her nine years of service with the company.

• Jeff Johnston’s work at numerous restaurants during high school and college led him straight to The Wasserstrom Co., Columbus, Ohio, after graduating from The Ohio State University. After two years in customer service, Johnston was promoted to sales, where he’s served as a national sales rep for full-service restaurants, healthcare facilities, supermarkets and retail stores for more than 12 years.

• David Reeves has spent the past seven years as director of hospitality services at the 315-bed Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, Elmhurst, Ill. He led the design of foodservice operations and operational planning for EMH’s new integrated campus, which opened in 2011. Prior to EMH, Reeves held foodservice management positions at another Chicago-area hospital as well as restaurants and hotels. He holds an MBA from Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Smallwares Sweepstakes

Nearly every aspect of back-of-house work—from food serving and dispensing to food prep, cooking and temperature tracking—was represented by the five Smallwares winners of FER’s 2014 Smallwares & Tabletop Awards.

The fun thing about kitchen tools is their delicious variety. During Foodservice Equipment Reports’ 2014 Smallwares & Tabletop Awards, hosted in August at the offices of Edward Don & Co., Woodridge, Ill., judges inspected Smallwares entries ranging from tiny—including special lids, timers and a spice grinder—to large, such as a manual vegetable cutter with an incredible and versatile array of cutting cartridges. They hefted prep tools, such as an ergonomic knife, a submersible scale and super-protective oven mitts; examined specialized serving tools from jazzed-up ice-cream scoops and grill/fry tongs to marrow spoons; and studied food-safety tools, such as digital temperature monitors, color-changing chilled food servers and a floating thermometer. And throughout it all, they discussed the tools’ merits with each other: “Would you use this in your kitchen? What about the price? How long would this last?”

In all, the Smallwares competition featured 22 finalists selected from an initial 35 entries. FER editors made the first judging pass to ensure all of the items met the entry criteria of being unique as well as new to the market since the 2013 National Restaurant Association Show. Manufacturers whose entries made the first cut were asked to send a sample of the finalist product for judging.

Smallwares eligible to compete include hand-operated, nonelectric kitchen tools created for commercial foodservice use. The category spreads across cookware and food prep, cleaning devices, food-safety items and the like.

To review the Smallwares collection and pinpoint the most innovative new kitchen tools, FER invited our six industry experts to evaluate each product’s originality, how well it solved a problem, its food- and labor-safety aspects and its durability.

The judging team was tough, but fair. “Is this a prototype or final product?” they asked about one item as they studied its welded seams. “Too niche-y,” was the verdict for another entry with a single, specialized use. Above all, discussion touched on durability. “These wouldn’t last in my kitchen,” noted one of the operator judges about a few of the hand-held prep tools.

Plenty of praise was dispensed, too. “Brilliant solution,” said one judge about a chilled food server. “Does it have a matching plate?” they asked of another item. They also considered the ergonomic advantages of an angled knife handle, wiggled their fingers inside protective oven mitts and discussed the advantages of an ice-cream scoop with a heat-conductive fluid in the handle.

Read on for full details about the Smallwares winners and finalists in FER’s 2014 Smallwares & Tabletop Awards.

The Winner’s Envelope, Please…

Innovative, brilliant problem-solvers: These were just a few of the judges’ comments about Carlisle FoodService Products’ new CoolCheck Food Storage Units. The concept is simple: Insulated, color-changing food pans turn deep blue when frozen and fade to white as they approach room temperature. The units, when frozen overnight at 0˚F, will stay cold for 6-8 hours and eliminate the messy alternative of traditional food pans on ice or in ice baths. Most of all, CoolCheck’s patent-pending color-shift technology eliminates the food-safety guessing game by showing temps at a glance. They’re dishmachine safe, too.
CoolCheck Food Storage Units
Carlisle FoodService Products
carlislefsp.com

Comark’s HT100 HACCP Touch won a thumbs-up from our judging panel for its sturdy, easy-to-use solution to monitoring temperature data throughout the supply chain. The HT100 tracks and displays critical HACCP temperatures on a four-part, color touchscreen. The unit provides tamper-proof records that can be exported for analysis and reports. It also records corrective actions to ensure a complete audit trail. The hand-held unit, which comes with a rubber boot for added durability, supports J-, K-, N- and T-type thermocouple probes.
HT100 HACCP Touch
Comark
comarkusa.com

Edlund Co.’s Titan Max-Cut impressed judges with its versatility, durability and capacity to quickly slice, dice, wedge, core and French-fry-cut high volumes of produce with minimal operator effort. You can dice French fries and other produce in 3 sizes (1/4-, 3⁄8- or ½-in. square and up to 6½-in.L), cut potatoes in either 6 or 8 wedges and core and wedge-cut fruits and vegetables including lemons, limes, apples, tomatoes and more. Each blade cartridge comes with a matching “wash guard” that enables safe handling when changing blades or running them through the dishmachine. The Max-Cut can be wall- or counter-mounted thanks to quick-disconnect bases. “It’s good for super-high-volume operations,” noted one of our operator judges.
Titan Max-Cut
Edlund Co.
edlundco.com

High-tech heat-sink “fins” on the base of the Turbo Pot/Fry Pan by Eneron Inc. improve heat transfer from flame to cookware by increasing the surface area of the base. Judges hefted and examined the 14-in. fry pan (also available in a 12-in. size and as a pot) and discussed how the speedier heating and heat retention would improve sauteing and searing performance. The heavy-duty fins lining the pan’s base also reduce chances that the pan will warp or dent. Eneron introduced the fry-pan line at the 2014 NRA Show.
Turbo Pot/Fry Pan
Eneron Inc.
turbopot.com

Sweet innovation earned top marks for Server Products’ SweetStation. The wall-mounted bulk dispenser, designed with drive-through windows in mind, will speed coffee and tea service by allowing single-handed dispensing of sugar or sweeteners. Color-coded portion triggers make it easy to spot brand identification, and the portion calibrations match those of sugar packets. SweetStation is available with 24-oz. or low-profile 14-oz. dispensers.
SweetStation
Server Products
server-products.com

Smallwares Finalists

Manufacturers sent us information on 35 products, and we asked 22 of them to send in the actual products in time for the day-long judging session at Edward Don & Co., Woodridge, Ill.

CHILI HEAT, DIRECT FROM SOURCE
The flame-shaped Pepe Chili Cutter from AdHoc adds chili-pepper heat direct from the source using patented stainless blades with sharply etched teeth. The cutter, ideal for small dried chilies, such as Bird’s Tongue, African Devils and Piri Piri, measures 1.7 in. in diameter x 8-in.H and features stainless/acrylic construction plus an aroma-sealing bottom cap.
AdHoc/Browne
browneusa.com

SEAL OF APPROVAL
Cambro’s Translucent Seal Covers fit the company’s Camwear polycarbonate food pan containers to the proverbial “T.” The lids stop leaks in their tracks thanks to an inner seal and super-tight fit. The see-through design allows for a quick check of pan contents for speedier handling and lower risk of cross-contamination.
Cambro Mfg.
cambro.com

IT’S ABOUT TIME
CDN’s Easy-View Round Mechanical Timers feature stainless tops with bases of white, black, silver or red. There are no buttons to press—simply twist to the desired time and go, go, GO. The cylindrical, mechanical minute tracker measures 2¼ in. in diameter and sports a loud, 3-second alarm.
Component Design Northwest
cdn-timeandtemp.com

NOTIFY ME RIGHT NOW
The NotifEye Cloud-based Wireless Monitoring System by Cooper-Atkins offers a wireless temperature-tracking solution right out of the box. The self-installable system sends email or text alerts when temperatures go out of the safety range set by the user. You can access data via the Internet and expand the system as your business grows.
Cooper-Atkins
cooper-atkins.com

TONG AND GROOVE
Cuisipro’s stainless, 12-in.L Grill/Fry Tongs feature drainage holes at the business ends to quickly drain excess fats and oils for the ultimate in low-fat solutions. A loop at the top lets you hang the tongs when not in use. The tongs are available in narrow and wide versions and are dishmachine safe.
Cuisipro/Browne
browneusa.com

WATER-FRIENDLY WEIGHT WATCHING
Water’s no threat to Detecto’s new Mariner Submersible Portion Scale. The waterproof, digital portion-control scale handles even the messiest of food portions up to 10 lb., measured in 0.1-oz. increments. Cleanup afterward is easy with a bath of soapy water. Its small 7½-in.W x 9¾-in.D footprint occupies minimal counter space.
Detecto Scale Co.
detecto.com

COLD UNDER THE PLATE
Keep room-service salads and chilled entrees delightfully cold for up to an hour with CoolBase by Dinex/Carlisle. A freezable liquid inside the bases chills in only 2 hours, so the units can be used several times per day. Compatible with Dinex entrée plates and domes, the units are dishmachine safe.
Dinex by Carlisle FoodService Products
carlislefsp.com

CHAFER HEAT, AGAIN AND AGAIN
Eco-Burner’s refillable, reusable buffet Chafo chafer keeps users safe thanks to its cool-to-touch design. What’s more, an overturn safety device will extinguish the flame should the unit tip over, and an over-temperature valve extinguishes the flame should the unit overheat because of lack of water in the chafing dish.
Eco-Burner
ecoburner.com

ERGO-CUT, ERGO-CHOP, ERGO-KNIFE
From Ergo Chef comes the Prodigy Series 10-in. Chef’s Knife; its angled handle design reduces repetitive stress and tension on the hand, wrist and forearm. The knife’s non-slip handle provides better control in all working conditions. The one-piece, high-carbon stainless blade has full tang for top strength and balance.
Ergo Chef
ergochef.com

PERFECTLY PRACTICAL PORTION CONTROL
Escali’s R-Series Portion Control Scales can be customized to meet your needs precisely. Multiple platform sizes, 4 mounting configurations, a wired remote display and optional tare foot pedal all add up to optimize workplace efficiency. Choose from 6½- or 12-in. platforms, removable for easy cleaning.
Escali
escali.com

TAKE THE STRAIN OUT OF STRAINING
The Strainer Boss is a sturdy, heavy-gauge stainless device designed to hold china caps and other cone-style strainers steady and stationary while cooks strain menu items. With a 3-point stabilizing design, the unit fits over stockpots, steam kettles, mixing bowls, sinks and even 35-gal. containers. It eliminates situations where the strainer slips, shifts or spills contents as they’re being strained.
Franklin Machine Products
fmponline.com

MARROW SPOON IS NARROW
The HIC Bone Marrow Spoon makes quick work of a high-end task: Scooping marrow from any size bone. At 9¼-in.L and with a small scoop for small bones on one end and a larger scoop for osso buco or beef bones on the other end, this specialty tool helps chefs collect every bit of marrow. Made of stainless, the utensil is dishmachine safe.
Harold Import Co.
haroldimport.com

SOMMELIERS TAKE NOTE
La Clef du Vin is a wine accessory that accelerates the oxydoreduction process of all wine varieties, bringing them to the peak of flavor in seconds. With 4 international patents, this tool is the result of 10 years of research. To use, servers dip the metallic tool, which comes in 7¼- or 6-in. sizes, into a wine glass or bottle. It accelerates the wine’s flavor development, balancing the taste profile and highlighting and heightening the wine’s particular flavor notes and bouquet.
Peugeot
peugeot-saveurs.com

PUT UP YOUR MITTS!
Don’t worry about getting burned with the RITZ 685˚ Silicone Oven Mitt. Protects up to 685˚F whether it’s up against hot metal, hot oil, boiling water, steam—even flames. Greasy or wet, it grips and protects. Mitts are easy to clean and sanitize with regular detergent and bleach, or pop them in the laundry or dishmachine. Four sizes from 10-17-in.L are available.
John Ritzenthaler Co.
ritzfs.com

SERVERS WILL LOVE FASTFILL
FastFill bottle filler makes servers’ sidework a breeze. This wall-mounted, lever-operated filler dispenses condiments into bottles, ramekins and other containers from 1½-gal. pouches with a 16-mm fitment. The unit is NSF listed and comes with a 2-year warranty.
Server Products
server-products.com

KEEP FOOD QUALITY AFLOAT
Taylor’s Floating Thermometer monitors the temperature of liquids that need to reach or be held at a specific temperature range for food quality and safety. Measuring temps between 120˚F-185˚F, the unit lets cooks know when contents are simmering, poaching and boiling with color temperature indicators. NSF listed, the thermometer floats back to the surface after stirring.
Taylor Precision Products
taylorusa.com

HERE’S THE SCOOP
The patent is pending on Vollrath’s Ice Cream Scoop. It covers the assembly process that ensures the end cap on each scoop will never loosen. That means the heat-conductive fluid inside the scoop—that enables it to cut so easily through hard, frozen ice cream—will stay encapsulated for the life of the utensil. The cast-aluminum scoop is ergonomically designed to ease hand fatigue.
The Vollrath Co.
vollrath.com

Tabletop Triumphs

China, granite, marble, glass—four fool-the-eye synthetic items, a unique catering plate and stay-cold/look-nice buffet pans earned top honors in FER’s 2014 Smallwares & Tabletop Awards.

For the first time in the 10+-year history of Foodservice Equipment Reports’ Smallwares & Tabletop Awards, a manufacturer actually submitted a tabletop—and won. The table cap, done in sturdy ABS plastic with a realistic brown granite design, was one of six winners this year from a varied field of entries.

“Fine faux” was a recurring theme. In addition to the granite-look table cap, FER’s 2014 Tabletop winners—six in all—include melamine dinnerware that so closely resembles china it fooled judges until they picked it up as well as a semi-transparent pitcher and platter made of sturdy resin that resembles marble. Other winners include a new take on beer glasses, an innovative catering plate and stay-cold buffet pans.

The competition, which took place in August at the offices of Edward Don & Co., Woodridge, Ill., featured 37 finalist products (pared down by FER editors from nearly 70 initial entries). Tabletop and Servingware candidates included anything that could be used on a well-dressed table or buffet. To be eligible, products had to be new to market since the 2013 National Restaurant Association Show.

Manufacturers were asked to send product samples for the judging process. When everything was arranged on tables in Edward Don’s meeting room, one thing was clear: creativity abounded.

Entries ranged from new takes on beer and drink trays (with holes and cutouts to keep drinks and bottles steady), handheld tabletop nut dispensers, a tall spiral-wire fruit dispenser, a folding breath guard for buffets, a portable LED-powered menu display pad, trays suitable for high-end catering and other trays inspired by seaside colors and shapes. Judges found mason-jar glasses with handles next to faux-wood baskets and platters made of metal or ceramic next to new serving options for buffet action stations.

We asked our judges to identify products with visual appeal, innovative design and ease of use. The judges also took into account price points, practicality and the perennial question: “How long would it last in the real world?” Read on for full details about the Tabletop winning products as well as the remaining finalists in FER’s 2014 Smallwares & Tabletop Awards.

The Winner’s Envelope, Please…

The Translucence Collection by American Metalcraft, represented at FER’s Tabletop competition by a pitcher and platter, caught judges’ attention with their semitransparent, marble-like appearances. The handcrafted resin pieces earned points for their good looks and durability, plus bonus points for very minimal condensation when the pitcher was filled with ice water during the event. The collection includes 9 tabletop serving pieces (6 round bowls ranging from 5-84 oz., 2 oblong bowls and a 21-in. x 10-in. platter) plus 2 salad-server sets. “A great look, nice style,” the judges agreed.
Translucence Collection
American Metalcraft
amnow.com

Appearance and functionality also played a role in moving the Designer Coldmaster line of buffet servingware by Carlisle Foodservice Products to the judging forefront. The collection features thick-walled containers that, after having been “charged” overnight in the freezer, can hold cold food at 40˚F for up to 4 hours. The containers, made of high-impact ABS material, come in an array of colors with white or black interiors. “Unique, aesthetically pleasing and practical,” one judge noted.
Designer Coldmaster
Carlisle FoodService Products
carlislefsp.com

“Looks like china!” exclaimed several judges about the 2-toned melamine Durango dinnerware collection, submitted by Elite Global Solutions. The plates and bowls feature high-gloss, slightly pebbled, light-colored centers with a ridged, darker matte finish around the rims. The duality of colors and finishes, plus the collection’s scratch-, chip- and break-resistant melamine construction, made this submission a clear favorite in the competition.
Durango
Elite Global Solutions
egsfoodservice.com

Holdaplates, made by Holdaplate LLC, impressed our judges with a “eureka” design that allows catering event guests to safely hold plates and beverages in one hand. The small plates feature an indentation—called the LipGrip—for the index finger to brace the plate and, together with the thumb, hold any type of drinking vessel, be it cup, wine glass or bottle. Holdaplates come in reusable, dishmachine-safe, heavy-duty BPA-free plastic. They also are available in compostable bagasse (paper), melamine and porcelain. “Unique and functional,” one judge noted.
Holdaplate
Holdaplate LLC
holdaplate.com

Another catering solution won points in FER’s Tabletop competition for its innovative method of table dressing without the ongoing expense of linens and laundry. Faux Table Caps/Urban Naturals Collection, from SDI Brands, are made of lightweight (less than 10 lb.) ABS plastic. As their name implies, you simply place the cap atop a skirted table for instant elegance. The caps come in 6-ft.L x 30-in.D, 8-ft.L x 30-in.D, 30-in. rounds and 60-in.-radius serpentine table shapes. Colors include white marble, taupe granite and slate.
Faux Table Caps/Urban Naturals Collection
SDI Brands
sdibrands.com

Beer connoisseurs among our judging panel applauded the entry from Spiegelau/Libbey Foodservice—the Beer Classics IPA Glass. Designed to showcase the “hop-forward” aromas of India Pale Ales, the glass features a wide opening and a narrow, contoured base. Although the vessel may feel lightweight, its Platinum Glass construction promises better durability, scratch resistance and continued brilliance despite repeated dishmachine cycles. “A clean, overall look—great weight,” one judge wrote.
Beer Classics IPA Glass
Spiegelau/Libbey Foodservice
foodservice.libbey.com

Tabletop Finalists

Nearly 40 manufacturers entered 69 products, and 34 of those tabletop items made it to the finalist judging held at Edward Don & Co. in August.

Note: Companies were permitted to submit up to three products per brand.

LIGHTEN UP
Light-Up LED Menus light up when opened, making them easy to read even in low-lit restaurants and bars. Featuring a polyurethane cover, the menu holders are shockproof and stain-resistant. Just transfer your menu onto the provided transparencies and insert into the menu case. Battery recharges completely in 3 hours and will last a total of 50,000 hours. Choose from single-page, double-page and narrow double-page bar-menu versions.
American Metalcraft
amnow.com

FINE AS WINE
Supremo stemglasses were created by Luigi Bormioli designers collaborating with international specialists in wine sensorial analysis. Break resistant, the glasses are produced with machine-blown SON.hyn crystal, and the stems feature a permanent titanium-reinforced anti-abrasion treatment. The collection features 6 wine-specific glasses: Burgundy, Bordeaux, Chianti/Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Champagne and Pinot Nero. Their bowl shape directs wine to the center of the tongue and forces alcohol odors to the bottom of the glass, allowing a wine’s characteristic aromas to rise to the top.
Bauscher Hepp
bauscherhepp.com

GLASS-LIKE DRINKWARE
You get all of the beauty and clarity of glass and all of the durability of shatterproof plastic with the Astaire line of polycarbonate drinkware. The line, ideal for patios, poolsides and other outdoor venues, includes 7 glass shapes. Choose from white and red wine stemware, stemless wine glass, martini glass, highball, champagne and water glass. Items can be imprinted, too.
Carlisle Foodservice Products
carlislefsp.com

SEASIDE STUNNERS
The Seaside collection of servingware is made of semitranslucent matte acrylic in the beautiful hues of the sea and shore (smoke, amber, seafoam). Available in 25 shape-and-size combinations, the line includes bowls, trays and platters with clean or free-form organic-shape edges. Sold in packs of 6.
Delfin
delfinfs.com

NOT A PRODUCT, BUT A PROCESS
Tired of the stainless look in hollowware? Glass or aluminum items too boring? Color Concepts is a patented powder-coating process that applies finishes to all of these materials. Choose any color (sports or school colors, too), any pattern or design (such as logos) and faux looks including marble, stone, bark, bamboo, wood grains, psychedelic ’60s patterns—you name it. Guaranteed not to chip or peel, the finishes are durable, fire-retardant and anti-microbial.
Eastern Tabletop Mfg. Co.
easterntabletop.com

RUSTIC GRATIN DISH IS HARDY
Made in France, this generously sized oval gratin dish goes from freezer to oven (to 500˚F) to table. Made from Burgundy clay, the lead- and cadmium-free dish is 14-in.L and holds 3½ qt. Dishmachine-safe, the dish resists physical and thermal shock. Burgundy clay slowly and evenly diffuses heat while cooking and retains it for service.
Emile Henry
emilehenryusa.com

SERVERS WILL SALUTE YOU
Bottle Buddy, the rigid, circular, black foam tray liner from Franmara, holds up to 12 beer bottles, cans or glasses securely as servers work their way through busy bars. Foam cutouts each feature 8 ribs to enhance grip and stabilizing effect. Tray liner measures 12 11⁄16-in. diameter and is ¾-in. thick.
Franmara Inc.
franmara.com

NO MORE BALANCING ACT
The Vino8 stemware tray holds up to 8 wine glasses where the bowl meets the stem for totally secure transport with no threat of tipping. The tray is hard ABS plastic, 0.2-in. thick, lined with a soft gray thermoplastic rubber (TPR). The handhold cutout in the tray is positioned so that the tray rests on the server’s forearm; forearm pad on the underside is TPR, too. R