From Africa to Europe and the USA to Asia: If you look closely, you’ll discover products from HEPP all over the world. This trend began soon after the company was founded, when the “hotel silver” created by the Hepp brothers started to replace products made of pure silver. Although the requirements of the restaurateurs from all these countries are so different, they’re all united by the desire to offer their guests a special experience. This is why it’s important to understand the needs of customers from the individual countries and to identify and help shape trends.

The country of unlimited possibilities

The gastronomic variety in the USA is more or less infinite in all areas. Besides the individual food culture of each state, this is also thanks to the immigrants from all around the world who have a huge influence on the country’s cuisine. When it comes to sophisticated gastronomy, people in the USA still attach great value to using classic, heavy cutlery that sits well in the hand. It’s impossible to imagine country clubs without silver cutlery, while in scene gastronomy the trend leans toward finishing types like stonewashed or the velvety glass bead look – ideally combined with coloured PVD coatings. But what no restaurant should be without are jugs for ice-cold water. Usually, a glass of water is poured out for the guests at the table before they’ve even ordered one. Double-walled stainless steel jugs are a particularly popular choice as their contents stay cool for a very long time. Chafing dishes from HEPP are also very popular in the USA. Induction chafing dishes are a particular hit and are increasingly replacing the traditional roll-top models.

Europe – a continent bursting with exciting culinary influences

Europe is a huge colourful bouquet of different languages, cultures and culinary delights. From France’s starred cuisine and Southern European delicacies to classics from Germany, Austrian culinary treats and hearty dishes from the Eastern nations: there’s something for everyone. European restaurateurs are open to new trends like mix & match, where plates can come from different collections and cutlery makes a colourful statement thanks to PVD coating and surface finishing. Traditional cutlery collections still play an important role too. Individualised silverware, white tablecloths and simple crockery are still a familiar sight in sophisticated restaurants and hotels today. However, one aspect has been observed across many countries for some years now: everything doesn’t have to come from one collection. Styles can be mixed: rustic meets elegant, straightforward meets opulent, price-conscious meets refined.

Sweet and spicy: Africa’s exotic cuisine

African cuisine is strongly influenced by the regional variety, and this is also reflected in the gastronomy industry. Many restaurants, especially in the big cities, attach a great deal of importance to creating a traditional table ambience with fine cutlery as well as high-quality porcelain and glassware. There is also a steady rise in the number of restaurants that serve dishes from other continents or, in keeping with the principle of fusion cuisine, bring together different countries on one plate. This also increases the demand for unusual table arrangements, which means that guests in Africa are increasingly finding cutlery with a coloured PVD coating and surface treatments such as stonewashed or glass bead blasted at their place setting.

Helping to equip restaurants and hotels all over the world is an exciting process. After all, each establishment has its own individual history and every restaurateur or hotelier has their own idea of what the overall picture should look like. The focus is always on the harmonious combination of the interior decor, the laid table and the food and drinks that are served. Both at HEPP and at the many partners around the globe.