Bespoke dinnerware gets a seat at the chef’s table

The best chefs have an eye for the smallest detail, especially when it comes to the plates on which they serve their culinary compositions. In the highest realms of fine dining, tableware is no longer just selected, it is designed and invented during a two-way creative process. Bespoke tableware is emerging as a new form of expression, and forms part of the sensory dining experience. As such, French houses are bringing the culinary dreams of top talents to life with their rare know-how.

Why are the greatest chefs choosing French tableware brands?

French manufacturers combine artisanal excellence with the latest innovations to attract the attention of the world’s best chefs.

Centuries of expertise to satisfy the highest demands

From Limoges to Paris, the French brands crafting plates for virtuoso chefs share a precious heritage: an art passed down from generation to generation.

Engraving, enamelling, sculpting, manual finishings; each piece is the result of a rigorous process where tradition and innovation strike just the right balance.

This certified and internationally recognised know-how guarantees a level of excellence that has established the reputation of French-made tableware all around the world.

The essentials: resistance, quality, diversity

To meet the requirements of dining room service, high-end tableware must look beautiful as well as serve a specific purpose. French manufacturers blend creative shapes and designs with the kind of robust quality top restaurants expect. Their ability to offer bespoke pieces that meet the chefs’ high-quality standards is becoming more and more valued by establishments seeking unique and durable frames for their culinary masterpieces.

J.L Coquet & Jaune de Chrome: the power of tailor-made tableware

Bringing together artisanal excellence and creative audacity, pieces by J.L Coquet & Jaune de Chrome are prized by the finest gourmet tables.

A traditional porcelain factory in the heart of Limousin

The J.L Coquet factory in Saint-Léonard de Noblat keeps local know-how alive and well with its 100% French production processes. From preparing the paste to applying the finishing touches, everything is carried out on site, according to traditional methods.

Hémisphère and Aguirre: exceptional ready-to-serve tableware for the finest restaurants

J.L Coquet’s collections are the epitome of excellence. Hémisphère, with its iconic engraved striations, has become iconic.

Meanwhile, the intensity of metallic enamelling in Aguirre, by Jaune de Chrome, is truly hypnotic. These are signature collections and top chefs often select them for use as they are – exceptional ready-to-serve pieces, worthy of the most demanding gastronomy.

An integrated creative studio providing tailor-made services

In addition to their undeniable porcelain know-how, J.L Coquet & Jaune de Chrome have an integrated creative studio, a greenhouse for the first seeds of their ideas, a workshop where the craziest tailor-made projects come to life. Working closely with the chefs, their teams transform a vision into reality, from the first sketch to the finished piece.

Perfect partnering in tableware design, a closer look at some prestigious collaborations

With each collaboration, a creation comes to life that embodies the encounter between a chef, a restaurant and a vision.

Johanne Paris: Arnaud Faye and Illusion Blanche, Kaviari and Eclypse Jaune

At Épicure in the Bristol Paris, chef Arnaud Faye chose to compose a variation on Johanne Paris’s Illusion Blanche collection with a refined and luminous white-on-white version, designed to bring the delicacy of his culinary creations into clear focus.

At Kaviari, the bright yellow hues from the Eclypse collection boldly light up the table with a contemporary mood.

In these two cases, the chef’s intention is perfectly illustrated through the use of tableware.

Bernardaud: from Ducasse dinners in Versailles to the art of detail at Lapérouse

To accompany the experience crafted by Alain Ducasse at the Palace of Versailles, Bernardaud has designed two tailor-made interiors and reissued emblematic pieces from the Ancienne Manufacture Royale, a tribute to Marie-Antoinette and a nod to the Gobelet du Roy.

At Lapérouse, a legendary address for Parisian literary types and high society, the house has created two bespoke designs that interact with the gold, velvet and history of the place.

The international influence of French-made products

Forever associated with refinement, precision and excellence, the appeal of custom-made French tableware extends well beyond the country’s borders. From Michelin-starred establishments to major culinary capitals, the appeal of French brands has gone global.

French porcelain, admired from New York to Tokyo

Used in the world’s finest restaurants, French porcelain is adored for its pristine whiteness, its finesse and the variety of its designs. In New York, Tokyo, Singapore and even Madrid, it is a hallmark of the very highest standards from the most demanding chefs. Sensational stars like Thomas Keller, Kei Kobayashi, Julien Royer and Pablo Laya all see porcelain as a visual signature that is as important as the dish. This global success confirms the prestige of French manufacturers and their ability to adapt to the most diverse food cultures.

A sign of distinction for chefs and their guests

When a fine-dining restaurant concocts a unique experience, the choice of tableware is essential. To assert their style and enhance the dining experience, the most renowned chefs turn to the finesse of porcelain, the brilliance of enamel, and the singular appeal of bespoke creations. Fine tableware serves as yet another outlet for their artistry.

French bespoke tableware is now established as a universal language of fine dining – cultural, aesthetic, and sensory.