As the end of the year draws near and the festive season approaches, we asked the students and chef lecturers at Capsicum Culinary Studio and the IIE School of Hospitality & Service Management (IIE HSM) how they would arrange a lunch or dinner table setting that was not only fun but also environmentally friendly.
Fresh and inviting
Here’s what they said:
The hospitality industry is very much about creating a unique experience for guests, so when we were thinking about how we would plan a festive table, we tried to take the focus away from the traditional and rather think out of the box, while still keeping current trends in mind.
Combining greenery, flowers and even fruits or vegetables adds a very natural feel to the atmosphere of the table and is also very sustainable. Keeping this in mind, our table setting décor also forms part of the menu and creates a fun and playful interaction for the guests – both adults and children.
Summer’s bounty
We like the idea of a festive picnic, with the focus being on sustainability, minimal waste and using what you have around you to create a beautiful table for a Christmas lunch or dinner.
What you will need is:
- A roll of brown gift-wrapping paper to use as a runner
- Colourful twine or any string or ribbon you have in your house
- Disposable and biodegradable napkins
- Greenery and flowers from your garden or local nursery
- Seasonal fruit such as nectarines, cherries, plums and apricots
- Assorted nuts (after ensuring none of your guests has a nut allergy!)
- Cheeses and charcuterie
- A silver or gold marker
- Recycled glassware
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Let the game begin!
Start by placing the brown paper down the middle of the table from end to end. Add foliage and flowers and spread the fruit around and in-between – keeping in mind that you want a variety of fruit to be distributed over the whole table. Add nuts, crackers, small jars of preserves and different types of cheeses and charcuterie. Tuck a string of LED lights in and around and under the foliage to add an extra sparkle to the table. Finally, use a length of twine or ribbon to tie together a set of cutlery and add a stalk of rosemary which, besides looking good, also helps to keep away any bugs.
The personal touch
To add a personal touch – and instead of making name cards – take your marker and write the names of your guest on the brown gift-wrapping paper to indicate where they will be sitting. To make the table even more playful you can also write the names of the food items on the paper to indicate what each item is.
A place for you
And there you go, a beautiful and fun festive table that will not only impress your guests, be cost-effective and something the whole family can contribute to putting together, but also be good for the planet too!