Grazing platters are the answer to your dinner party prayers
Grazing platters are savoury, sweet and stunning. They're also the new way for busy hosts to throw a dinner party - and enjoy themselves
There's something irresistible about a spread overflowing like a Roman banquet with the colours, variety and freshness of a bustling weekend market. Even better? If we didn't have to prepare a thing, and could get it delivered straight to us.
Well, whether you're a keen home entertainer or a gourmand looking for London's latest food craze, it's arrived: grazing tables are here, combining an array of savoury and sweet foods, different textures and colours and gorgeous extras (foliage, rustic serving platters, tablescaping and other props) so they're styled to perfection. They can also be themed depending on the occasion - and can be adapted to suit any dietary needs.
Grazing tables - already a huge Australasian phenomenon - are predicted to be one of 2020's top wedding trends, but they're not just for major events and parties.
Londoners can get grazing platters delivered to their homes for book nights, casual dinner parties, breakfasts, kids' parties and more. They save you the mess of prep and cleanup, are likely to result in less food waste on the night and typically start around £50 a platter - which feeds several.
Keen to graze? Forget everything you think you know about home catering and check out these grazing platter dynamos in London. Cue mouth watering...
Launched by an SW11 mum a few years ago, KV Creates is an events, interiors and food styling business that also specialises in divine grazing platters that can be prepared for kids’ birthday parties, girls’ nights in, milestone birthdays, business launches - you name it, you'll get it. The decadent-yet-casual displays typically include specialty cheeses, cold cuts and cured meats, dips, crackers, bread, chutney, dried fruit, mixed nuts, seasonal fresh fruits and garnishes, and can be made gluten-free on request. Platters start from £50 for up to six people, and can be delivered to SW11 addresses or prepared onsite anywhere in London. Look out for seasonal events, like wreath making and platter workshops in 2020.
GRAPE & Fig
This specialist grazing caterer might just be who you call for a breathtaking grazing table wedding display. Serving London and the greater London area, Grape & Fig also do grazing tables and boxes for smaller groups, from £68 for up to eight people. They can accommodate a variety of dietary requirements, including halal, vegetarian and vegan.
dishdelish
Former fashion buyer Katy has translated her keen eye for colour and styling to the culinary world with dishdelish, a business launched last year, providing gorgeous bespoke centrepieces and grazing platters, which can be accommodated for various dietary needs (gluten-free, vegan, low sugar, etc). Choose from wholesome breakfast platters, kids' fare, delectable desserts and dinner spreads with tortilla bites, crostini, homemade tarts, homemade seasonal dips with crudités and crackers and more. Platters start at £150 for 12-15 people.
BORD Food
In need of a striking cheese, charcuterie and crudités platter, vegan spread or fruit board? Then you've come to the right place with Hackney-based BORD Food, which also specialises in weddings and events. The company handpicks the producers they work with, like Wildes Cheese, homemade in Tottenham, and Moons Green in Kent for charcuterie.
Ex-backing singer Sherina White is the woman behind GDL - Gourmet Dinner Lady - which not only provides picture-perfect grazing tables strewn with artisan cheeses, cured meats, fresh seasonal fruit and veg, nuts and chocolate bark but also does one better: grazing salad bars with yummy dishes like spicy couscous with pomegranate and rocket and pesto and walnut potato salad with herb feta. Sherina caters for any meal of the day, dietary requirements and kids, with 1m grazing tables (for up to 30 people) starting at £295.
Rose Lloyd Owen's bespoke London catering company has just launched its grazing table selection, the Moveable Feast, in time for Christmas. Expect sophisticated savoury canapés like smoked salmon beetroot blinis, ham and stilton croquetas, chicken liver parfait macarons and cranberry, soy and sesame glazed cocktail sausage salami. Pudding is yet another eye-catching table centrepiece - a statement pavlova wreath. Orders must be placed 48 hours ahead of time and platters start at £65 for 15.
