". The art of tableware elevates the skilled mastery of the chef to new levels and brings soul and meaning to the meal."
In 2010, led by a group of chefs and food experts, ‘the French gastronomic meal’ was added to Unesco’s intangible heritage list. With this distinction, UNESCO recognises France’s culinary excellence and demonstrates that the social customs involved in sharing a meal around a table is part of France’s cultural identity.
Yet if gastronomy, as theorised by Brillat-Savarin in the 19th century, is the art of eating well, it is nothing without the rituals of the service and all that this entails. The art of tableware elevates the skilled mastery of the chef to new levels and brings soul and meaning to the meal.
Since the Middle Ages, long before the advent of crockery and cutlery, mealtimes were already bound by certain rules and rituals. Over time, the social customs and table manners associated with serving food gradually became standard, accepted practice, seeing kitchen utensils introduced throughout the Renaissance, carved out of wood for the more modest echelons of society, and silver or gold for the aristocracy. Take the fork for example, adopted by the nobility in the 16th century to facilitate eating, while avoiding spillage on collars and shirts.
As the dining experience became increasingly sophisticated over the centuries, it reached its zenith during the reign of Louis XIV. Indeed the King positively encouraged refinement and opulence, in a bid to parade the splendour of the kingdom and the mastery of his artistic craftsmen. From Parisian goldsmiths to the finest crystal experts of Lorraine and porcelain craftsmen of Limoges, these leading lights in manufacturing continue to set the standard today.
Showcasing craftsmanship the envy of the world over, excellence is their watchword and they adorn and bring splendour to tables in the finest restaurants and private homes alike.
From the late 19th century, pure ostentation was replaced by a new approach to entertaining and tableware, as production became increasingly industrialised, and social habits increasingly informal. Extremely regimented classicism was traded for a style arguably less sophisticated, yet still shaped by the desire to create a certain mood, and by the necessary paraphernalia to do justice to great food.
And in a nutshell, this is what it is all about: by enhancing the decor, the art of tableware makes the moment special. The choice of furniture, floral arrangements and table settings are not only a unique way to create a lasting first impression, they also bring the space to life and reflect a distinctive style, be it the understated elegance of a Michelin-starred restaurant, the traditional Belle Epoque feel of a Parisian bistro, or the warm, convivial ambiance of a French brasserie.
"By enhancing the decor, the art of tableware makes the moment special"
And in the restaurant world, these choices take on even greater significance. It’s up to each establishment to create a certain style and develop a distinct identity, or even surprise its clientele. The chef and the Maître D (Maître d’hôtel – quite literally master of the house) together construct a whole new world, a beautiful and functional space.
From the silky touch of a napkin to the delicate rim of a glass, the caress of a china cup to the shape of a plate and dimmed lighting; every tiny detail is carefully curated to appeal to the senses in a single, all-consuming experience. Some chefs make their mark with a new, radical approach, drawing their inspiration from designers flaunting an endless variety of materials and forms.
Others go so far as to eschew tradition with abandon, offering a serving of theatre to sculpt their identity.
As for Michelin-starred chef David Charrier of Belles Perdrix de Troplong Mondot, understated elegance is the chosen path. Deploying a palette of neutral colours, clean lines and playing with materials, every aspect plays its part in glorifying the contents of the dish, which remains resolutely centre stage. While food is subject to constant change, the tableware acts as a canvas, where the food remains king.
Complementing every creative mouthful, from canapé to dessert, the correct crockery brings the dish to life, and glorifies its contents. And herein lies the creativity of theChef.
French art de vivre is ultimately the ability to ally taste and style in a cultural, multi-sensory experience. Enough to keep the glory days of gastronomy alive and well for many years to come.
