Get Decorative With These Tablescape Ideas

How many times have you been to an event where the food was clumsily arranged, hard to get to or just plain boring? Don’t let your next event be another in the list—learn the two “P’s” instead.

Practicality

Let’s face it, the actual job of a buffet table is to give people at your event easy access to the food they crave, and to do so in a manner that makes sense. To reach this goal, follow these fundamentals:

1. Establish the flow: Have a clearly marked beginning and end to your table, so that guests know where to start and where to end. The quickest route to chaos is to have guests reaching in here, there and everywhere when mealtime comes. If possible, make your table two-sided so guests have easy access from both sides. If not, make sure the entrance and exit to the area are free from obstacles that might slow things down.
2. Save utensils for last: Trying to carry a plate, load it up with food AND tote utensils makes things awkward, and potentially messy, for everyone. Put the plates upfront, but position utensils and napkins at the very end of your buffet. That way, guests can grab them and go on their way to sit down instead of juggling them all the way down the buffet line.
3. Identify dishes: Clearly labeling each food or drink item will speed guests through the line quickly, eliminating guesswork and letting them make decisions quickly. It’s also essential if you have guests with any allergies or dietary restrictions.
4. Keep your cool: Trying to keep a full table of hot food at the right temperature is difficult, even if you’re a professional caterer. So…don’t. Make 80% of your table cold or room-temperature items that can sit longer and still be fresh and delicious. Breads, crudité, cured meats and plenty of other items are delicious without requiring cumbersome chafing dishes or constant reheating.
5. Buy some time: Chances are, you have a special recipe or two you plan to show off at your event (these Chocolate Cupcakes with Golden Coffee Buttercream made with Domino® Golden Sugar, perhaps?), but there’s no reason you have to make everything on the menu from scratch the day of your event. Instead, try making some items ahead of time so you’re less busy and less stressed when the company arrives.

Presentation

Now comes the fun part. Properly presenting your spread can make the delicious food you’ll serve even more appealing, so get creative. Themed events provide the perfect opportunity to create interesting décor and to display your cuisine with pride.

1. Beautify your backdrop: From spooky Halloween skeletons to patriotic Independence Day fireworks & flags, creating a themed tablescape will help tie your events together the whole year through. Everything from driftwood and seashells to fall leaves and fake snow is fair game, just keep things unscented (so they won’t compete with the aroma of your food) and sanitary if it’s going on the table.
2. Level up: Varying the heights of your trays, platters and serving dishes will add depth and beauty to your table’s appearance, and it’s a great way to maximize space as well. It’s also a great way to keep sweets (like these amazing Brown Sugar Brownies) out of the reach of tiny hands.
3. Give beverages their space: Cold or hot, beverages tend to splash, drip and wet whatever’s around them. So instead of having them on your buffet table, create a stunning, separate drink station. This will ease crowding around where the food is displayed, and give you the perfect chance to highlight everything from sweet tea to fine wines.
4. Make it Insta-worthy: Before guests pluck your table clean be sure to capture a few photos of your spread to share on social media. Months, even years later, it’s the images our guests will remember, along with all the fun you had together.
5. Show love to leftovers: Buy some color-coordinated, food-safe boxes or containers for guests to use as “doggie bags” when they depart. It’ll cut down on the amount of cleaning you have to do afterward, and on the amount of food that is wasted as well. After all, when you’re cooking with Domino® Sugar, every bite is precious.