The Food & Serving Trends To Try This Christmas

Anna Singleton – also known as The Table Edit – is a food stylist whose work has appeared in Architectural Digest and whose clients include the likes of Selfridges, The Own Studio and Glossier. She has a checklist of fun, simple things that can be done in combination or solo to make an impact at your own parties this Christmas: “Theme everything silver; serve cocktails in your special glassware; use an abundance of candles; make the outside entrance appealing by using candles, fairy lights and greenery; and finally scrap the traditional beige buffet and serve tasty, seasonal, lighter bites that will keep people lasting longer and dancing into the night.”

Need more ideas? Here are five of the biggest trends to take inspiration from...

In February, HANDS held its first ticketed event at restaurant-of-the-moment Bistro Freddie. Among the restaurant’s Instagram-famous sharing pies, there was a lot of stainless steel spied atop crisp, starched tablecloths – from prettily presented prawn cocktails in metal coupes to platters of chips. Charlotte explains: “As a generation, we’re less glam and generally seem more nostalgic – perhaps a response to living so much of our lives online. I think the trend for silver platters has stemmed from our reconnection to being around the table for a long lavish lunch or dinner. They hugely elevate a table, particularly against a white tablecloth.”

At first glance, metal might seem a bit industrial and abrasive among traditional festive colours. So how could the look work for an at-home gathering? “A mixture of heights in silver pieces, such as a three-tier cake stand against a candelabra and then some flat trays immediately looks very effective,” Charlotte says. “We use them for all our events to ensure an abundant and beautiful spread, where everything looks and tastes delicious. For us, stainless steel serving platters instantly make any dish look chic. A lot of our inspiration and references come from recipes of the past – the 50s and 80s especially, when food was playful, colourful and far less serious. Stainless steel was often used as a big part of these grand centrepieces, and made food and dining feel really special.”

You don’t have to spend a fortune to jump on the trend. “They’re fun and playful and instantly elevate food, making it feel more considered – yet they’re fairly purse friendly,” the pair explain. “Go hunting for second-hand silverware at antiques shops, charity shops and markets; then there’s a story behind the pieces on your table.” Anna agrees that stainless steel trays and dishes add a bit of modernity and texture to the table. “The contrast of the sleek, shiny material against the organic texture of food is really appealing,” she says. “For recent events I’ve used them a lot for canapés – lining them in rows to give an architectural quality.”

From serving trollies piled high with jellies and tiramisu to towers of arancini, everything looks better when it’s elevated. “I always think about height when I want to bring a bit of drama to the table” says Alexandra. “Clementines are inexpensive and easy to find. Piled high into a tower they look brilliant as a centerpiece. Go for leafy ones if you can and use toothpicks to stud them together if you need a bit of help constructing a tower. If you don’t have a raised bowl or stand you could upturn a bowl and top it with a plate as a makeshift one. And if you have a sideboard or surface nearby it’s a fun idea to do the same with mince pies as well.” This line of thought can continue all the way up to Christmas Day itself. “Pile the sprouts up into a perhaps a smaller bowl than you would usually so that they get some good height, finish by sprinkling over a generous handful of crispy bacon,” she continues. “Or roast squash in thick wedges with some cinnamon, chilli, olive oil and sea salt and pile them up like Jenga on whipped ricotta, just whisked with a little sea salt. Finish them with crispy sage (fried for a few seconds in a thin layer of olive oil) spoonfuls of cranberry sauce and roasted pecans or walnuts.”  

Height applies to butter too, which has been a star at many events this year. But you don’t have to make like Gohar World and create Greek statue replicas out of it. “At Christmas I think something chic like butter curls, made using a serrated knife, or a tray of a few different butters with various herb mixes always goes down well,” says Anna. The girls at HANDS have a great styling idea that doubles up as an event in itself: “Use warm hands and get moulding to transform butter into soft pebble shapes. It’s so easy to make and is a nice festive activity.”

They’ve always been cool, but a new generation of London bar signatures (think Rita’s Mini Gilda Martinis and Tayēr + Elementary’s One Sip Martinis) mean that martinis are usurping margaritas as the cocktail of the decade. “The impact of a martini at an event is quite magic – people love a well-made cocktail, and they get everyone talking and mingling as they’re so boozy,” Charlotte says. “Passing round a tray of beautiful drinks makes everything feel immediately fun. They also look incredibly chic, and the cocktail can be garnished to fit your tastes or look on the day – we often play around with adding a giant olive, maraschino cherry or whole red chilli to the bottom of the glass.” The HANDS mezcal martinis are a particular hit – and can be replicated at home. “They really are easy to do,” she says. “Get an empty sturdy martini glass and practise three-glass height layering without any liquid until you feel confident.” Anna has a top tip for anyone a bit nervous to attempt the feat at home: “You can create something modern using other elements than the glasses themselves to add the height. I recently did a job where I used stainless steel trays stacked on top of breeze blocks to make the cocktail display feel a bit less traditional.”

In fact, your welcome drinks are the easiest way to make an impact. Sandra Barrio Gonzalez of lovely glass jewellery and homewares brand Sandralexandra thinks a humble cocktail stick can take things up a notch. “Even if it’s just for decoration, they really elevate the drink and add that little extra touch. I’ve just launched a set of cocktail sticks inspired by Gaudi’s work. They're like tiny sculptures, each one is designed to catch the eye, making your drinks not just taste great but look extraordinary.” You can also get creative with glassware across your spread. Alexandra suggests thinking about how you can use beautiful items you already have in other ways. “Champagne coupes or martini glasses filled with chocolates and truffles look brilliant when it’s time for pudding. Even Maltesers and Minstrels look elevated this way.”

Sandra has also been inspired by puddings. “We’ve just finished our Christmas shoot, where we played around with jelly as a decorative element. Now I’m definitely going to use it for my own Christmas gatherings. It's such a fun and unexpected way to add a festive touch because of its vibrant colours and glossy texture, which creates an element of surprise and brings a playful energy to the table. For me, it’s all about those little touches that make the difference. It’s the mix of the unexpected and the thoughtful that brings it all together.”

Fruit will be a staple around Caroline’s dinner table come Christmas Day itself. “Amy Merrick recently introduced me to Camilla Wynne’s new book Nature’s Candy. Having sugared fruits piled high on a Christmas cake with thin beeswax tapers from Wax Atelier poked into the extra thick icing would make an amazing centrepiece for a Christmas feast. Fruits also make for perfect impromptu candle holders – pomegranates are the best, with their little crowns just the right size for a dinner candle, but clementines also work nicely with thin tapers. Group them in threes, scatter the length of the table, or put one by each place setting with a name tag tied around with ribbon.”

Anna, meanwhile, thinks veg also has its place on a festive table. “Last year, I got obsessed with cabbages and Brussels sprout stalks. If you want to use veg as part of a display, then stick to what’s in season – it will cost less and feel less random. I also think it’s quite fun to take inspiration from unexpected Christmas elements or something a bit naff like a Viennetta.”

We’ll toast to that – using a glass with a ribbon tied around the stem, naturally.