As a caterer I’ve seen my clients stray farther away from the usual three-course-meal menus. Instead they want more selection and in smaller portions—they want to taste more while being mobile at the same time. After all, it’s far sexier to peruse a party holding a cute one- or two-biter instead of a loaded dinner plate while balancing a cocktail or glass of wine.
Whether you’re a caterer or the hostess with the mostess, this trend—that doesn’t seem to be quitting means more dishes. So, thank goodness for disposables. But kiss your mother’s plastic forks and knives goodbye, along with anything Styrofoam. The latest trends in disposables will tickle you in so many ways and the best part is you can throw them away.
I first discovered this convenient trend when I attended the annual Catersource and Event Solutions Conference & Tradeshow in Las Vegas almost three years ago. And this year, there were more vendors showcasing pressed leaf plates, bowls and wooden cutlery. While this has been an emerging trend, the increased availability of it has helped bring the prices down, and there are a lot more available styles to chose from.
Companies are now carrying extensive lines of these eco-friendly disposable serveware made from pressed palm leaves as well as bamboo. The products are biodegradable, so they can be thrown into the same bin as any scraps of food—no more fishing in the trash.
If you’re looking for a sleek look, plastic serveware has done a complete 180. Metallic finishes are hot in shades of silver, gold, rose gold, gun metal, and even multi-colored. Until your guests actually pick up each piece, they won’t be able to tell that it’s plastic. Plates can also be found in the same finishes so you can get glam with ease.
But where would we be if we didn’t have something equally as pretty to wipe our mouth with? The latest disposable napkins feel like Charmin against your mouth. Blended with bamboo, the colors and patterns are as elegant as they are durable. Add the option of silk screening these babies, and you’ve got something that Grandma will be stuffing her pockets and leaving the party with.
The evolution of disposables is a nod to practicality, throwing our arms up and choosing that we’re no longer going to be slaving over the kitchen sink and dishwasher. But we’re also saying that we’re not going to skimp on the details either. As menus continue to evolve along with palates, disposable serveware is running right alongside to give cooks the perfect vessel to get each delicate morsel beautifully and conveniently into the mouths of yearning guests. This is where our food is taking us, and as many vendors told me at the show, it’s just the beginning.
Product recommendations
Kimberley’s Picks
1. VerTerra, www.verterra.com—
Great event and catering disposable dishware made from fallen palm and reclaimed wood. Chemical and BPI Certified.
2. Solia Inc., www.solia-usa.com—
Bamboo and plastic appetizer/single-bite size disposable dishware. Contemporary
and progressive design.
3. Eco-Eats, www.ecoeatspartyware.com—Plate-A-Cup disposable product made from sugarcane is great for receptions and parties and allows guests to keep a free hand while dining and drinking.
