Table-side presentation - Top 3 benefits and future food trends

I must admit when I started the restaurant, Platypus Test Kitchen, with my business partner. I had no idea that we would eventually serve soups table-side at such casual cafe. But I am so glad we jumped in and presented some of our soups in this manner.

My Leek,potato & crab bisque in action

The first soup I did ‘tableside’ for the restaurant was a very luxurious Leek, potato and crab bisque; I designed it such that my kitchen could prepare individual components separately, then when an order came in, they would quickly fry up a crab fritter, set it at the bottom of a bowl and top it with a small salad of micro coriander and chilled crab meat. Upon reaching the table, the server would then pour the creamy bisque into the bowl to encapsulate the fritter.

So why did we do it? Well, it just made business sense to serve it that way.

1. Components can be prepared individually - reducing food wastage increasing kitchen efficancy Certain components can be stored in the chiller, some can be frozen and some items, well namely salads, have to be prepared a-la-minute. Having that in mind, it makes no sense at all to prepare the entire dish at one shot; kitchen efficiency comes with the management of processes and streamlining the assembly of food.
2. Marketing and vial appeal of the action After introducing the leek, potato and crab bisque to the restaurant, there was, very quickly an increase in orders. Customers would be delighted by the experience of their soup being poured ‘table-side’ and they would tell their friends about out it. Granted, we did have alot of customers just ordering soups for about a week. However, this brought about new hype to the restaurant and new customer loyalty to the business.
3. It just looks pretty darn good I don’t know anyone who would dislike presentation in this manner, especially if it costs the same price as other similar dishes.

So there we have it, increased efficiency in the kitchen, a reduction in food wastage, great marketing potential all from introducing a table-side presented dish and it looks so impressive and good. What’s not to love?

The final presentation of the bisque

This is not just limited to soups; gravy's, sauces, foams and even a sprinkle of gremolata (combination of chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest)  at the table-side can instantly add flare to your meal! So table-side presentations are here and are here to stay!

What do you think of table-side presentations and what are some of your experiences with them?