Column HoReCa
Reflecting on the year
Valda and Paul Goodfellow enjoyed supporting Kristina Rugland (MD of Figgjo) at their showcase in the Norwegian Amabssador’s Residence , London. Pic: Pål Christensen, Stavanger Aftenblad
As we wrap up 2021, regular columnist Valda Goodfellow takes a look at the year that was, offering her top ten moments of note
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f, like me, you are determined to look at the past year positively, then you will realise that we have a lot to be thankful for and this might just help get you in the mood for a sparkling 2022! So, let’s hear it for the hits of 2021.
About G & G Founded by Paul and Valda Goodfellow, G & G Goodfellows is a highly creative design & Distribution Company with an amazing showroom in Little Portland Street. Offering a truly hands-on service, Goodfellows passion is to bring new and exciting, bespoke food presentation concepts to the UK’s culinary scene. As well as offering a wide variety of the world’s best branded tableware, kitchen equipment, clothing and machines, Goodfellows also collaborates closely with UK craft producers for totally unique products. It works with all sizes of restaurant and catering projects, happy to supply anything from an individual plate to a full restaurant concept.
40 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL
With a little help from my friends: We are incredibly lucky to work with some of the UK’s best chefs and restaurateurs, who have been on a very big rollercoaster. It was a joy and a privilege to help them generate awareness and income in supporting their online cooking ventures with commission on tableware sales, through our Goodfellows at Home website. It was really inspiring to see them pivot their capabilities and their brands to online activities. They created ‘Meal Boxes’ for home delivery, bringing fun and joy to many households, while at the same time cooking and delivering meals (for free) to hospital and healthcare workers. It is amazing that these enterprising chefs continue with these meal boxes, as they are a lucrative form of income
and reach people who cannot either travel to the restaurant, or who really enjoy cooking along to the videos in their own homes. This is an important new development and will undoubtedly evolve. Let’s get together: There was sheer joy in restaurants opening. Our London showroom was inundated with excited chefs and restaurateurs wanting to actually deliver more in terms of
leading the charts as the most popular cuisine, Italian flavours seem to signify joy. There is no holding diners back when it comes to sharing delicacies around the table. It seems to signify the basic human inclination to socialise and just be with each other. Sharing is very much on the menu again. Don’t stop me now: The sheer determination of amazing tableware manufacturers who kept
Never before have we seen such a demand for blue tableware experience, quality and enjoyment than ever before. They wanted to excel and exceed customer expectations desperate for memorable experiences. Thankfully for us, and our industry, they really value tableware as a big part of that experience. Mamma mia, here we go again: I thought diners might be a bit reticent about sharing menus. Boy, was I wrong! Returning with a vengeance with Italian food
on producing through the most challenging times in most of our living memories is astounding. Many have survived and some have thrived, with online sales bouncing back in a huge way, particularly in retail. We recognise that lead times have never been tougher to predict but we are so grateful that you just keep going and nothing will stop you. We can’t forget the casualties, but those stalwarts who go on are their torchbearers. I am so grateful that my suppliers strive every
