Events – Elite Global Solutions

An open bottle of champagne with a full champagne flute beside it on a black background with gold glitter on a table.

Prepping Your Bar or Restaurant for New Year’s Eve

February 20, 2024

Preparing your bar for New Year’s Eve can be a daunting and confusing task. There are so many responsibilities when prepping your bar or restaurant for a national holiday. Get ready for the big night by planning your drink menu, estimating quantities, purchasing the alcohol, deciding on drinkware, and decorating your party space. Remember, New Year’s Eve is a time for celebration, so enjoy the process of preparing your bar and be a responsible host by ensuring the safety and comfort of your guests.

Plan your necessary quantities of alcohol by deciding on your drink menu. Keep the ingredients simple while offering your guests a variety of drink options. Buying a diverse range of spirits will ensure that your guests will remain for the duration of your party. Be sure to offer non-alcoholic drink options for the guests who are designated drivers or don’t drink alcohol.

Stock up on a variety of mixers, including tonic water, soda, ginger beer, fruit juices, and bitters. Have sweeteners like simple syrup and grenadine on hand. Don’t forget to provide fresh herbs, such as mint, for cocktails. Popular alcoholic choices for New Year’s Eve include champagne, wine, beer, and spirits for cocktails. If possible, chill your spirits, wine and beer in advance to reduce the need for ice.

If you’re looking for the perfect drinkware for your bar or restaurant, you might have considered polycarbonate as an alternative to traditional glass. Drinkware is expensive to purchase and maintain, which has an impact on your overall budget. Let’s discuss some of the characteristics and costs associated with glass and polycarbonate drinkware.

Initially, the cost of polycarbonate drinkware is higher than glass. The reason behind the higher price tag is simple, polycarbonate has less breakage and will last much longer than glassware. The cost of ownership is where the value is realized based on the replacement rate. The annual replacement rate of plastic drinkware is anywhere from 10%-20%, whereas glass is more than double the rate at 50%-100%.

Glassware presents several safety issues when considering cuts and scrapes are the most common workplace injuries. Plastic drinkware is the most used material when considering outdoor restaurants due to its shatterproof design. Using plastic drinkware reduces the chances of injuries for your workers and guests. Finding solutions to minimize risks and reduce injury claims is critical to running a successful operation.

Consider adding some festive decorations to your bar area, such as New Year’s Eve banners, streamers, and confetti. Create a playlist or set up a music source to keep the party atmosphere lively. Offer some entertainment, such as games, photo booths or a countdown to the New Year. Encourage responsible drinking and be prepared to help guests find alternative transportation home if they’ve had too much to drink.

Dining

How to Set the Table for Christmas Dinner

February 20, 2024

Christmas dinner is a cherished tradition that brings friends and family together to celebrate the holiday season. Setting the table for a Christmas dinner party is a fun and festive way to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Remember that setting the table for a Christmas dinner party can be as formal or as casual as you prefer, depending on the style of your gathering. We chose to adorn our Christmas dining table with our Maya collection of dinnerware.

Decide on a color scheme that reflects the Christmas spirit. We designed our table setting around a traditional red, white, green, silver, and gold color scheme. You can also choose a more modern and elegant color palette, such as white and silver or blue and silver. If you are having trouble choosing the theme, consider going with something simple such as classic Christmas, winter wonderland, or Santa’s workshop.

Pictured above is our Maya dinnerware collection in Cream Glaze and Red Glaze

Start by laying down a tablecloth or a table runner that matches your chosen color scheme. Set individual place settings for each guest. Place the dinner plate in the center of each setting. If you’re serving salad, place the salad plate on top of the dinner plate. If you’re serving soup, you can place the soup spoon to the right of the dinner spoon. Set flatware on either side of the plates, with forks on the left and knives and spoons on the right. Place water glasses above and to the right of the knives. Fold cloth napkins and place them on the dinner plate or to the left of the forks.

Pictured above is our Maya dinnerware collection in Cream Glaze and Red Glaze

Create a festive Christmas centerpiece that suits your theme. You can include elements like holiday candles, miniature Christmas trees, or a combination of evergreen branches and ornaments. Consider adding candles, string lights, or other ambient lighting to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Scented candles with holiday scents like cinnamon or pine can also enhance the mood.

Add holiday-themed decorations like Christmas stockings, ornaments, pinecones, and even a holiday-themed table runner or tableware for an extra festive touch. Do a final check to make sure everything is in place and light any candles if you are using them to set the mood. Don’t forget to leave out some milk and cookies for Santa on a festive melamine tray!

Dining

Setting the Table for a Thanksgiving Party

November 10, 2023

Setting the mood for your Thanksgiving party can be a fun and memorable experience. Creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere is a wonderful way to evoke the essence of the season. The first step is creating a theme or color scheme for your décor. Traditional fall colors like deep reds, oranges, and browns work well for Thanksgiving, but you can also go for a more modern or elegant look with neutral colors or metallic accents.

Pictured above is our Stardust and Pebble Creek product lines in blue.

Making a beautiful and inviting table for your Thanksgiving party is a delicate balance of tradition and personal expression. Ensure you have enough place settings for all your guests, including plates, forks, knives, spoons, glasses, and napkins. Consider using our Elite Global Solutions melamine dinnerware or even special Thanksgiving-themed plates and glasses. Cover the table with a tablecloth that matches your theme or color scheme. Alternatively, use placemats for a more casual setting.

Crafting a Thanksgiving centerpiece is a delightful way to add a touch of elegance and warmth to your holiday table. A well-crafted Thanksgiving centerpiece not only enhances the beauty of your table but also sets the stage for a memorable and festive holiday gathering. Create a stunning centerpiece that serves as the focal point of the table. Consider using a floral arrangement, a cornucopia filled with seasonal fruits and vegetables, candles, or a combination of these elements. Make sure it’s not too tall, so guests can see each other across the table.

Pictured above is our Stardust and Pebble Creek product lines in blue.

Set the table with plates, utensils, and glassware in the order they will be used. Typically, the fork goes on the left, and the knife and spoon go on the right. Place the water glass above the knife and any wine glasses to the right of the water glass. Roll or fold cloth napkins and secure them with decorative napkin rings that match your theme or color scheme. Add decorative details like small pumpkins, gourds, or seasonal foliage to each place setting to enhance the Thanksgiving theme. Consider using candles to create a warm and cozy ambiance.

Pictured above is our Stardust and Pebble Creek product lines in blue.

If you’re not using a full tablecloth, a table runner can add a decorative element to the center of the table. If you have space and want to go all out, you can add additional decorations like seasonal wreaths, string lights, or even a garland along the center of the table. Step back and take a moment to assess the table’s overall look. Make any final adjustments or additions to ensure it looks just the way you want it.

Setting a beautiful Thanksgiving table can enhance the overall dining experience and make your guests feel appreciated. Don’t forget to take photos to capture the memories of your Thanksgiving celebration!

Dining

How to Set the Table for a Halloween Party

November 3, 2023

Setting the table for a Halloween party is a fun and creative task that allows you to embrace the spooky and festive spirit of the holiday. Decide on a specific Halloween theme for your party, such as a classic spooky, haunted house, a gothic vampire, or a cute and kid-friendly theme. Your theme will influence your table decor and color scheme.

Choosing the ideal dinnerware can be a daunting task, luckily, we are here to help! Paper plates are a convenient option, but they aren’t ideal for a formal dining room setting. If you are going through all the trouble of setting the table, you want to lead with your best plate forward. Our shatterproof melamine products are the safest option for a large holiday dinner party. We have some stunning black and white products that are sure to set the tone for your spooky Halloween-themed event.

Our premium Durango Formal dinnerware collection is sure to captivate your guests with the stark black and bright white color pattern. The brilliant white backdrop is the perfect blank canvas for your cuisine while the black accent color provides an ominous tone to your table setting. Try layering the dinnerware to give each place setting a dimensional expression. We recommend stacking the DB651GM soup bowl on top of the DG1098GM dinner plate respectively.

Place additional ingredients such as cranberry sauce or gravy in the middle of the table in a small bowl, preferably with a handle. We recommend using our D42RR small bowl with a handle in black and white.

If you are also serving a salad as an appetizer, place the salad bowl just above the dinner plate and slightly off-center. The salad being just slightly to the left will leave room for an optional name card or party favor to be placed in front of each guest. If you are looking for the perfect salad bowl, we recommend using our 40oz D1008RR bowl in black and white. The soft matte texture on the outside contrasts the glossy, white-dimpled surface on the inside.

Double-check that your final touches are in place. If you are serving drinks, make sure to have appropriate drinkware and serving stations for your beverages. You can also add Halloween-themed drink stirrers or straws for extra flair. Check your table for symmetry and turn on any lighting or props to enhance the spooky atmosphere. Remember that Halloween is all about creativity and having fun, so don’t be afraid to get creative with your table decorations and make your Halloween party a memorable and spooky experience. If you are looking for some other fun and festive dinnerware products for your Halloween-themed dinner party, consider checking out our Pebble Creek, Tenaya, and Della Terra product lines.