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The best-dressed tables are “waring” unusual shapes of plates, bowls, and sauce
dishes. That's just one trend that Paul Baughman, owner/president of BIA Cordon
Bleu, South San Francisco, sees among the hotel and restaurant trade.
“Customers are asking for unusual shapes,” says Baughman. “They're not just
differentiating themselves with food and place settings.”
Other trends include mixing and matching of texture and shape; new shapes, including
freeform or organic; layering of shapes—oval with square with round; and larger use
of buffetware and small dishes, including ramekins and creme brulées.
According to Baughman, customization is another way for customers to distinguish
themselves, and BIA Cordon Bleu's “willingness to do customization” sets them apart
from other china companies.
“We’re not the largest. We’re not the smallest,” says Baughman. “We're the little
company that can. We’re a little more agile.”
Baughman says examples of customization include taking a shape and adding a decal
or logo, or taking a shape and making a color. He adds that BIA Cordon Bleu offers
“real depth of color, shape, and size.”
Baughman expressed excitement about their new affiliation with Philippe Deshoulieres.
As an investor and distributor, BIA Cordon Bleu is poised to offer this line of
Porcelain Limoges. Particularly popular are the degustation plates and sauce dishes,
Baughman says.—SBH
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