Interactive dessert tables are the way to go. They are big, offer guests with miniature bites of magic, and can even appear from under a cloud of smoke. Having experienced our first interactive dessert table at an event at Hampton Court Palace, we felt we needed to share the love, and enlighten you on this spoke to Sarah Wilson, Senior Event Planner from rhubarb, the catering company behind this dessert wizardry.
An interactive dessert table is an immersive, theatrical experience that allows our talented chefs to create edible art from miniature puddings, delicious sauces and accompaniments, laid out on a table.
The table starts as a blank canvas; the edible art is added and crafted in front of the wedding guests and (venue permitting) finished off with cascading dry ice for that extra ‘wow. It is an intricate food experience which has emerged slowly over the last few years and that is becoming increasingly popular amongst our clients, probably because it is so different.
Two chefs work their wizardry per table. They like to get everyone involved and talk the guests through what they’re doing to fully immerse them into the experience. They also have the creativity and flair to wow the guests as well as show off their passion for the art of cooking.
If you have a skilled culinary team who are able to plan ahead and get all the elements prepared, they don’t require too much coordination; just a beautiful surface on which to create the masterpiece. Compared to a traditional dessert stall, where all the desserts are assembled before being unveiled to the guests, the interactive dessert table takes much less preparation as our chefs start with a complete blank canvas and build the art as the guests watch on and enjoy.
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They’re also instantly instagrammable; we typically serve between 8-10 different desserts on our tables, ranging from mini choux buns and parfait balls to delicious sauces or popping candies and everything in between, and with the chefs working in harmony, moving around the table to create a dynamic display for the guests, it elevates the whole dessert experience to become the star of the show.
Interactive dessert tables break the ice. Because they are so novel, interactive food tables encourage guests to gather round, chat, mingle, and ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ together, which makes them a fantastic icebreaker. They also leave a lasting memory and we often find guests recommending our interactive food table experiences to their friends!
They work for savoury foods, too. Although we believe interactive food tables work best for desserts as it’s the final course before guests go off to mingle and dance into the early hours, it can also work for mains, depending on the party size. At an intimate dinner we catered for recently, we showcased a wonderful chicken main course with an interactive table, and it worked perfectly.
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Stagger the table times so that everyone gets to see the magic. The most interactive dessert tables we have ever created in one evening was four table. They were slightly staggered in terms of timings, meaning that everyone got to see the magic unfold.
Take a look at this Autumn/Winter dessert menu, close your eyes, and imagine the deliciousness…
Chocolate, Malt, Barley & Orange
Mini chocolate crémeux tarts
Chocolate oil
Mini choux buns & malt cream
Orange parfait
Pearl barley bomb & orange curd
Orange panna cotta
Guinness ice cream
Malt & Oreo crumb
Horlicks espuma
Orange gel
Want to stop imagining and savour the experience instead? Get in touch with rhubarb direct.
About rhubarb
Founded in 1996, rhubarb has earned itself a place amongst London’s most celebrated caterers and it’s not difficult to understand why. Its team of talented chefs create and deliver culinary memories for guests as weddings, events and its restaurants. Discover more or make your own catering enquiry at rhubarb.co.uk