Small hospitable gestures | Telescopic spoon, ‘First Dates for Kids’ or dessert served on a spoon
A blog by Marjolein van Spronsen featuring some small hospitable gestures she has seen recently. From small desserts served on a spoon to a telescopic spoon to pick at your tablemate’s dessert.
This blog was previously published in Dutch on the Van Spronsen & Partners Group’s website.
2 minutes read
Small hospitable gestures | For example a telescopic spoon
In our ‘trends we spotted’ articles we regularly write about simple and small hospitable gestures, for example in the ‘trends we spotted week 4’ article we wrote about restaurant 10williamst in Sydney that offers their guests the option to order a spoonful of their favourite dessert. Nice and simple, preparing large trays of, say, tiramisu, flan caramel or chocolate mousse and offering ‘spoonful’ service. It reminded me of a ‘feet long’ lemon cake from Auberge Saint-Gabriel in Montréal, of which, as a guest, you could specify how big a piece you wanted. You paid by the inch. The serving method also provides instant interaction with your guests.
Coincidentally, I recently had a, slightly different, experience with a spoon. After our dinner at Landhaus Feckl (*), great overnight stop on your way to Austria by the way, I didn’t want dessert anymore but my husband did. I was given a telescopic spoon to be able to “sneak some bites” from his dessert. Small gesture that makes you smile!
Around Valentine’s Day, I received a newsletter from restaurant Het Noorden van Aalten announcing that they were also hosting a ‘First Date for kids’ on Feb. 14. From 3:30 to 5 p.m., kids ages 7 to 12 could enjoy a Valentine’s dinner including an “everything with love” dessert and a carafe of lemonade. Great idea! Whether it was a huge success or not, it already made newsletter readers smile.
Another lovely hospitable gesture is the cooperation between restaurant Parkheuvel and Parkcafé Parqiet. Both located on the same park: every Friday and Saturday, a soup from Parkheuvel is available on the menu of Parqiet. The soup is available to eat there, but also as a to-go in a cup – perfect for a walk in the park. Simple and delicious!
In the past we have published a number of booklets in which we feature “small hospitable gestures” from the hospitality industry around special themes. From now on, I will be writing short blogs on this topic again, because I believe in the value of these gestures. Sometimes it’s a smile, the telling of a ‘joke’, but it can also help start the conversation with your guests at the table.
Website: Marjolein van Spronsen
