Setting a culinary stage: Your guide to the perfect table setup

Cooking food is an art and your table setup completes the tapestry. We all agree that a good presentation and setup inadvertently amps up our appetite and eventually the taste of food. Setting up your table requires some basic presentation skills and your creative flair in action, and once you get the right balance of both, it becomes a treat for your playful imagination.

Here are a few tips and tricks that can get you started with a great table setup if you are hosting a party.  

Setting the mood

A good ambience is what turns a meal into a memory and an unforgettable experience. It is important to decide on the setup based on the occasion. A formal dinner is best hosted in the dining room, but no place is better than the rooftop for barbeques during chilly nights, and if you are hosting something more casual like a hangout at your abode, something outdoorsy in the patio or garden seems befitting.

Whichever location you choose, it should be flooded with lights, whether they are bright for a fun outdoor party or exude a soft yellow glow for a more intimate affair. The ambience itself elevates the atmosphere even before the food arrives, making your guests feel more welcome.

The right fit for the right food

A thematic setup can never go wrong — whether you want an eclectic look with a medley of colours or want to go monochrome with black and white, consistency is key.  More so, it feels more festive and enjoyable when the setup is catered to the type of food.

If you are serving traditional Bengali food consisting of lentils, fish, bhorta, and the like, it is time to pull out that earthenware, placed neatly on a laced white crochet tablecloth. On the other hand, if it is a seafood fest you are hosting, you can opt for a combination of blue and white china to resemble the sea.

To make your friends try the recent Moroccan dishes you mastered, a boho chic look is the way to go, and nothing is more befitting than pink and pastels at a bridal shower. A garden party comes to life with a white and wooden ensemble for a rustic outlook, and adding a pop of colour here and there brings all the pieces together.

Accessorise to harmonise

After setting the right mood and theme, we move on to the fun part – accessorising! If you are not using a tablecloth, make sure to use a runner along with placemats. You can experiment with them as they are available in various prints, colours, and textures. A white one with yellow patterns can be a vibrant addition to your afternoon tea party, whereas a velvet one will add an elegant touch to your dinners.  

Although your main dish is the star of the show, your centrepiece should also be under the limelight, and there are so many ways you can go about this. A candlestand for an elegant touch, fresh flowers, or seasonal foliage for a refreshing look or a log topped with decorative ornaments for added festivity — you only need to rise to the occasion!   

Lastly, if you want to go all out and make our guests feel extra special, you can make customised place cards and a menu for them, which also goes on to show how elated you are to be hosting them.

When you master the basics and learn how to juggle between the bits and pieces, your table set-up can be a fun art project that will not stress you out. There is no set of rules, the sky is the limit!