Welcome to FE&S magazine's newest section. Here you'll find the latest trends in anything from tabletop design to kitchen equipment, plus tips and other newsy tidbits every month at the front of the book.

At Marcus Samuelsson's C-House in Chicago's Affinia hotel, sleek placemats in woven bamboo take center stage on tabletops alongside padded banquettes with lounge pillows in orange and natural tones. The seafood and chop house also uses white, rectangular dishes with multiple egg-shaped containers for oysters and sauces, plus square, wood plates and bowls for bread and butter, and small, blue-toned glass dishes for holding homemade candies and truffles on the dessert menu.

62% The percentage of diners that say they would prefer to eat at an environmentally friendly restaurant. Source: National Restaurant Association 2008 Survey

 








Cool Concept

What seems to be the new, hot trend in healthy eating? Yogurt. In the Chicago market, Berry Chill continues to emerge as a frozen yogurt lover's dream for healthy meal replacements. The store, which sells chilled yogurt (including lactose-free varieties) with toppings like fresh fruits, nuts and cereals, has capitalized on the “yogurt culture” in light of health concerns among consumers. The growing concept, with two stores downtown and seven more on the way this year along with three suburban units, also plays on the trend toward more wholesome, natural ingredients. On the West and East Coasts, yogurt shops like Cefiore in Southern California and Florida; Pinkberry throughout California and New York; and Red Mango, a South Korean chain that expanded to L.A., the Bay Area and Las Vegas also continue to grow their units.

For additional energy-efficient ideas, check out Energy Aware under Hot Topics at www.fesmag.com.

2	The number of easy steps foodservice operators can take when reducing loads on refrigerators: thawing frozen food in the refrigerator, and letting hot food cool on the counter before putting it in the refrigerator. Source: 2008 E Source Companies LLC

Tabletop Talk

What's In:

• Coupe plates
• Tear-drop and unique shapes
• Multi-use plates for holding soup and other bowls
• Colored glass
• Iron baskets for french fries

What's Out:

• Square plates
• Wide-rimmed plates
• Patterned china

On the Fence:

• Stark white china

Trends in Catering  The holiday season is just around the corner and that means party time, plus it's also fall football season. FE&S asked the catering experts what their picks are for this year's most popular trends.

Interactive, chef-attended action stations vs. buffets with pre-cooked foods Passed small plates vs. seated dinners Mini desserts in shot and martini glasses, other cool vessels Disposables that look like chinaware