HM PICKS

HOTEL CROCKERY

By Olivia Jayne Shepherd

With constant daily use, hotel crockery must be able to cope with constant handling and repeated wash cycles in order to function flawlessly day after day. In addition to this, hotel crockery must also create a warm and welcoming atmosphere to make dining a true delight, no matter what the meal.

The traditional plain whiteware is still the backbone of most hotels’ crockery requirements but the introduction of patterns and colours is starting to add character to the hotel dining experience.

Nick Hart of Hotel Buyer said: “We are seeing a real appetite for strong colours and different materials, like glass and stoneware from hotels looking to make the hotel dining experience a little less routine.” Commenting on the recent agreement that Hotel Buyer reached with Steelite International to supply the entire Steelite offering to their hotel customer base, Hart added; “We chose to work with Steelite because of their vast range of both traditional and more contemporary crockery. Steelite is already a firm favourite of our hotel customers, but recent developments with the colours and materials used makes it more desirable to some of the boutique hoteliers we work with”.

Start slowly

unsightly clash or indeed the cost of a completely new set of crockery. Adding in coloured ramekin or a glass coupe plate is an easy way to enhance the table setting whilst continuing to make use of your whiteware investment.

Does it have to be round?

The days when plates, bowls and other eating vessels are made using traditional potter’s wheel methods are long gone for the most part. Despite that, the majority of plates are still circular, creating another opportunity to break with tradition. Whilst you might want to avoid serving lamb shanks on a sheep-shaped plate, serving seafood in a clamshell inspired glass dish can look spectacular. Square plates are practical for both the diner and hotel operator, where mis-shaped ‘round’ and triangular plates create a bit of interest to your table setting.

Make it last

Many crockery manufacturers offer an edge-chip warranty on their plates, covering as the name implies chips to the edges of the plates during the normal use of the product. As with most guarantees, manufacturers do not get huge number of claims, it is there to provide confidence that the plates are not easily chipped in a busy hotel context. It’s always worth looking out for this.

www.hotel-buyer.co.uk/steelite

GAGGIA MILANO

Coffee Machines for the Visionaries

Please introduce the brand?

The Gaggia story dates back to 1930s Milan. In 1938, one barista – Achille Gaggia – signalled a revolution in coffee making when he discovered a new way to extract the aromas from coffee, allowing us to taste the perfect espresso, complete with its “crema” for the very first time.

Gaggia’s craftsmanship and flair are still evident in the machines that bear his name today. Nowadays, Gaggia Milano’s professional coffee machine range encompasses a variety of traditional espresso machines as well as La Radiosa, the brand’s first super automatic machine that offers barista-style coffee with foamed milk.

What does Gaggia strive to achieve within the hotel sector?

Gaggia (along with its sister brands under the Evoca Group umbrella, Necta and Saeco) have the coffee day covered, from La Radiosa - an automatic machine that can be used for a self-service breakfast option, through to La Reale, La Precisa and La Decisa – stunning flagship espresso machines that any barista serving coffee in the restaurant, lounge or bar, would be proud to be associated with. Combined with the opportunities presented by serving coffee to delegates at conferences, to guests wanting a leisurely mid-morning drink or in-room coffee, Gaggia and its sister brands have the entire day covered.

Gaggia Milano professional machines are designed with baristas in mind. Italian flair runs through the heart of every machine – they combine style and sophistication with state-of-the-art technology. Each one is packed with features such as cool touch steam wands, quarter turn valves, super quick power up out of eco mode – these are just some of the characteristics designed to make the barista’s life easier. Visionary machines that meet every need.

In a time where ‘perfection’ is sought after during a hotel stay by both hoteliers and consumers, how can Gaggia coffee machines align with this in order to provide a seamless experience?

In a post-pandemic world, consumers have returned to travel more hungry for great experiences than ever before, as they seek to make up for lost time. Beautiful machines, creating stunning drinks that are pleasing to the eyes and to the tastebuds – this is the perfect combination to meet the needs of the most discerning guests.

The work of the barista is to create coffee, in the

same way as an artist would create a piece of artwork. Indeed “The Art of Perfection” is Gaggia’s mantra. Gaggia professional espresso machines are available in a variety of different colours to match any hotel’s décor – from the sophisticated red La Precisa, to the sleek white La Giusta or even the stunning La Reale with its copper-coloured accents. Two groups or three, standard height or tall cup options are available across the range – to fit any size or space. Italian design flair means that choosing Gaggia is like having a piece of artwork on your counter-top.

Providing great coffee is becoming more and more popular when guests are searching for a hotel, why is it so important for hoteliers to get it right and how can they do so?

With coffee nowadays being an intrinsic part of our daily lives, from breakfast through to dinner, a bad coffee experience reflects negatively on the entire hotel stay. Many a guest has suffered with the bitter after taste of a coffee that doesn’t live up to expectations. Why should the breakfast or after dinner drink experience be the part of the stay that lives long in the memory – for the wrong reasons?

Well, with simple to use, barista-friendly machines – paired with the “right” coffee partner, of course – Achille Gaggia’s vision for coffee perfection is within the grasp of every hotel in the country.

The hotels that respond to this will be those that stand to gain the most in this brave new world.

CUSTOMER SERVICE