The German language has adapted two terms in relation to formative terms for food consumption and slightly distorted them in their current use.
In its origin, the gourmet is a knowledgeable connoisseur of sophisticated food compositions with the gift of being able to recognise and appreciate these explosions of flavour. The gourmand, on the other hand, is a glutton who compensates for his lack of flavour with the quantity of food.
The Michelin Guide is probably one of the most important institutions in the world, awarding stars to recognise the quality of high-quality cuisine and its presentation. In second place in France, Germany and Switzerland is the Gault-Millau, which awards its judgements in chef's hats. The stars of national associations such as the German DeHoGa carry far less weight in the international professional world and 5-star ratings in Greece, Bulgaria or the Czech Republic show considerable differences compared to Austria and Germany. On the other hand, membership in co-operations that ensure quality standards such as "The Leading Hotels of the Word", "Relais & Châteaux" or "Romantik-Hotels" enjoy a much higher reputation among consumers and even surpass the quality statements of international chains such as Marriott, Hyatt or Hilton.
But all hosts in the gourmet segment, regardless of whether they have chef's hats, stars or other awards, have one thing in common: small portions!
Only the maître de cuisine can answer whether this is due to the value of the ingredients, the effort involved in preparation or the integration of a successive menu composition.
But many such fine dishes increase their impact and impression on the guest, especially when they are served in or on unusual china. In a nutshell: the aim is to maximise the opulence of a small amount of food. This is what we at Holst Porzellan call a gourmet plate.
In this section of our collection, we show you the plates that are ideal for emphasising small, exquisite dishes in particular.
Bon Appetit
