Blog posts tagged with 'caterers'

Stainless Steel is an often misunderstood alloy, particularly when it comes to cutlery. As a result we hope to improve your understanding of stainless steel cutlery with this blog post. To do so we have compiled a list of questions that we are often asked about our stainless steel flatware.

What's the difference between 18/10, 18/8 and 18/0 stainless steel cutlery?

National Event Supply currently offers two levels of cutlery being 18/8 and 18/0. The difference between them is the nickel content in the flatware. The 18 stands for 18% chromium which gives the steel its hardness as well as stain, heat and corrosion resistant properties. The 10, 8 or 0 stands for 10%, 8% or 0% Nickel. Nickel gives flatware its soft feeling and fantastic shine. In terms of the hardness and fantastic shine, the best cutlery that we offer is made of 18/8 stainless steel.

Can stainless steel stain?

It is important to remember that it is called stainless steel, not stainproof steel. We have worked extremely hard over the years to ensure we only provide high quality stainless steel cutlery. With that said it is not stainproof as there are ingredients found in many citrus products, coffee, tea, salad dressing, salt (or foods with high salt content), and vinegar that can cause discolouration in your flatware. Additionally, hard water can cause putting or spotting on your flatware. It is also important to note that soaking your flatware for extended periods of time, particularly when the soap used has a citrus/lemon additive, is bad for the longevity of your flatware and we do not recommend it.

Why should I pick stainless steel flatware versus another material?

There are many reasons to select stainless steel for your cutlery when you are looking at the different options available. The first reason is that it is dishwasher safe making it easy and convenient to clean. Every caterer, banquet hall, golf course and party rental company knows what a hassle and time consuming process hand-washing cutlery can be! Many won't even stock cutlery that can’t be washed in a dishwasher because time is money-especially when you need to turnover cutlery fast. Another reason to select stainless steel cutlery-ownership is relatively carefree and practical as it is resistant to corrosion, rust and staining. It is also very economical because it has a long life while in use and is relatively inexpensive to purchase. Finally and perhaps most importantly, it looks good! A nice set of cutlery can really add a pop to your table top.

Why do your flatware prices vary even though they are equal quality?

Beyond the material used (18/10 versus 18/0), which causes a difference in the price. There are many other factors that come into play in the manufacturing and price of our cutlery. One key factor is weight; generally the heavier the pieces are, the more they cost. That is why knives and large serving pieces are more expensive. Another key factor relating directly to cost is the level of detail in the flatware. Other factors that come into play are pattern detail, extra finishing, and additional pieces available.

Is your flatware dishwasher safe?

Yes, all of the flatware sold by National Event Supply is dishwasher/commercial dishwasher safe. We recommend that any National Event Supply flatware placed in a dishwasher in such a way that the water and soap will not pool on any part of the flatware. This ensures you have the shiniest cutlery ready for your next event at a moment’s notice.

If you’re interested in learning more about the cutlery lines that National Event Supply stocks, feel free to contact us.

Our Serenity Crystal stemware along with our Copa / Eclisse glassware is a popular choice for commercial businesses including party rental companies, caterers, hotels, restaurants and banquet halls. With crystal and glass bearing striking similarities in aesthetics, we thought it made sense to clear up some of the top asked questions.

What is the difference between glass and crystal?

There are a number of differences between glass and crystal that should be known before purchasing stemware. Glass tends to be thicker than crystal as crystal is stronger so it can be worked thinner than glass. While glass can look quite similar to crystal, if you hold up a piece of crystal stemware to the light, the crystal will act as a prism. Crystal also produces a musical tone when you run a wet finger along the rim or when struck, though I wouldn’t recommend striking a suppliers’ crystal – it might not leave the best impression. Glass also tends to have a rolled / rounded rim while crystal tends to have a clean, straight cut rim.

Traditional crystal contains lead. The lead addition adds sparkle, gives more weight to the stemware, and increases its durability. There can be health concerns associated with the addition of lead oxide so many suppliers now have lead-free crystal – which is what National Event Supply carries.

Is lead crystal safe?

Lead crystal has been the primary form of crystal glassware since its inception. With the recent awareness and movement away from BPA due to health concerns, there has been debate on the use of lead in crystal. It is advised that you should not use lead crystal containers to store beverages for periods of time longer than a day. As per Riedel’s website, assuming that "worldwide legal standards are met and also surpassed", there are no issues or concerns with using lead crystal on a daily basis.

How do you clean crystal & glass stemware?

Always make sure to ask the supplier this question before purchasing as there’s no hard and fast rule that all crystal needs to be hand washed and all glass can be placed in a dishwasher. For businesses that deal with large quantities of stemware, it is recommended you look for crystal or glass stemware that is dishwasher safe as this will allow you to turn around your inventory faster while utilizing less man hours to do so. Imagine having to clean the glassware for a 500 person event? Not a fast or easy job.  Being able to use a dishwasher can save you thousands of dollars. National Event Supply only offers Crystal and Glass stemware that is dishwasher safe – keeping our customer’s in mind.

Should I be purchasing handmade or machine made glassware?

This is really a matter of personal preference. Handmade crystal and glass can lack the consistency of machine made crystal and glass. Handmade crystal in particular can be more costly than machine made crystal as some manufacturers employ master craftsman to produce their crystal glasses. While machine made glass and crystal can lack the artisans touch, they generally look more consistent and can be less expensive depending on your supplier.

In our post last Wednesday on the first 4 most important questions to ask before buying plastic folding tables, we referenced load capacity weight, locking mechanisms, table leg gauges and the weight of the tables themselves. What else should you be asking your plastic folding table supplier before purchasing? Without further ado, check out the last 4 most important questions to ask before buying plastic folding tables.

1. Are the tables suitable for both indoor and outdoor events?

Plastic folding tables are the most durable table for indoor and outdoor events and are great for businesses that require lots of moving of furniture like party rental because they’re far more lightweight and durable than plywood folding tables.

2. If Yes, can they withstand the elements?

We wrote a blog post to answer this very question – compared to wood folding tables, plastic folding tables last extremely well to the elements – they’ve currently been outside for greater than 88 days and still going strong. Just give them a wipe and they’re ready for your next event.

3. Does the table have a warranty associated with it?

Making sure that the tables you are buying have a warranty of some kind is a good way to protect yourself in case manufacturing defects show themselves after purchase. All NES Reliable Plastic Folding Tables come with a Two Year Warranty against material or manufacturing defects.

4. What structure supports the weight on the table?

Does the table have a frame? How thick is the blow-mold (plastic) table top? Table frames are an extremely important aspect of plastic folding tables, particularly for commercial quality plastic folding tables as they provide structure, durability and ample load support. Combine a high quality table frame with a high quality blow-mold top and you are sure to have a table that can stand up to your needs. You can do this by checking out the table in person or by looking on your supplier’s website. It is often very obvious when a supplier has skimped on either aspect of the table; the top will look too thin for heavy use and the frame will look unsubstantial. An additional clue can be had by looking at the suggested weight rating for the table (especially if it is not published).

In case you haven’t already heard, National Event Supply will be exhibiting in Booth #340/441 October 27 & 28th 2013 at the BC Connect Show, BC’s largest foodservice and hospitality industry event which brings together thousands of food, drink and lodging decision makers. In our previous blog post, we highlighted the Five Reasons to Attend the BC Connect Show. With the BC Connect Show less than a week away, we thought it made sense to showcase what to expect to see from National Event Supply at the trade show.

With the addition of our warehouse in the Vancouver area, we can more easily, quickly and cost-effectively ship many of our products to BC, Alberta and the surrounding areas. Because of this, we’re able to showcase the following items at the show:

If you’re interested in getting a quote on some of our tabletop items, request a quote here. We look forward to seeing you at the show!

Often blocks in creativity can be likened to writers block. When I experience a block to creativity or writer’s block, I often find that reviewing inspirational content helps to stimulate my creativity. I find this generally works (at least for me) because it allows me to take a step back from my day-to-day life and examine the current problem from a different angle.

With the competitiveness of the restaurant and catering industry, introducing new and exciting products onto the market can be the catalyst needed to differentiate from the competition and thrive. Finding sparks of genius can sometimes be daunting – so without further ado, I’d like to share with you the 2 TED talk videos I think are fascinating, awe inspiring (in some cases) and cause you to take a step back and evaluate your menu from a different angle.

First, David Kelley suggests that creativity is not the domain of only a chosen few but something everyone can do – to turn fear into familiarity and build confidence to create

And my personal favourite, Homaro Cantu + Ben Roche, of Chicago’s Moto restaurant, play with new ways to cook and eat food that is beyond fun and flavour-tripping.

I hope these video offer some inspiration. Make sure to send myself and the NES team some samples of your new inventions.