The Fashion-Inspired Food Trends We Love

HANDS – the brainchild of Charlotte Forsyth and Sofie Thompson – is a London-based tablescaping, food styling and events consultancy which has styled food for Loewe, Mejuri and Ba&sh. The pair are well-loved for their striking photography, stainless steel plating (think roe-topped devilled eggs on shiny platters and metal toothpick-pierced gildas piled high) and architectural towers of martinis. Charlotte agrees with Anna: “Food has become more of a moment in every sphere – from hosting dinners at home to the knock-on effect of events and weddings. This partly coincided with the rise of Instagram, of course, but I think it’s also a reference to the post-Covid world. During lockdown, we all yearned to be together around a table again and many people had a lot of time on their hands, so food became a focus. Going big on food presentation is such an easy way to make an event feel special and make your guests feel loved. And in terms of events and weddings, these days, it’s a marker of a brand or couple caring about putting on a show, rather than the food being an afterthought.” Inspired? Here are four of the biggest trends to know about – and take inspiration from – if you’re planning your own wedding food and drinks…

In February, HANDS held its first ticketed event at restaurant of the moment, Bistro Freddie. Among the restaurant’s Instagram-famous sharing pies, there was an abundance of stainless steel spied atop crisp, starched tablecloths – from prettily presented prawn cocktails in metal coupes to platters of chips. Charlotte explains: “As a generation, we’re less glam and generally seem more nostalgic – perhaps a response to living so much of our lives online. I think the trend for silver platters has stemmed from our reconnection to being around the table for a long lavish lunch or dinner. They hugely elevate a table, particularly against a white tablecloth.”

At first glance, metal might seem a bit industrial and abrasive among the staples of a traditional sit-down wedding breakfast. So how could the look work for a wedding? “A mixture of heights in silver pieces, such as a three-tier cake stand against a candelabra and then some flat trays, immediately looks very effective,” Charlotte says. “We use them for all our events to ensure an abundant and beautiful spread, where everything looks and tastes delicious. For us, stainless steel serving platters instantly make any dish look chic. A lot of our inspiration and references come from recipes of the past – the 50s and 80s especially, when food was playful, colourful and far less serious. Stainless steel was often used as a big part of these grand centrepieces and made food and dining feel really special.”

They’ve always been cool – but a new generation of London bar staples (think Rita’s Mini Gilda Martinis and Tayēr + Elementary’s One Sip Martinis) mean that martinis are fast usurping margaritas to become the cocktail of the decade. Charlotte has thoughts on their 2020s endurance: “During lockdown we all needed to make the small moments at home feel more exciting – and almost everyone took to making cocktails. The first iteration of HANDS began in lockdown – and it was then that the HANDS Martini was born.” 

With structured glassware and embellished garnishes, the HANDS Martini translated perfectly to live events. “The impact of a martini at an event is quite magic – people love a well-made cocktail, and they get everyone talking and mingling as they’re so boozy,” Charlotte continues. “Passing round a tray of beautiful drinks makes everything feel immediately fun. They also look incredibly chic (our mezcal martini towers always go down well) and the cocktail can be garnished to fit your tastes or look on the day – we often play around with adding a giant olive, maraschino cherry or whole red chilli to the bottom of the glass.” For added style points – and a wedding day ‘moment’ – make like the heavily awarded Connaught Bar and ask your venue to serve your sips on a drinks trolley. This could also work well for late-night espresso martinis and midnight bloody marys if you need help to keep the party going.

At a recent event for French candle brand Carrière Frères, most of the guests’ post-event posting centred on one thing: food stylist and cook Kirthanaa Naidu’s dessert trolley, which was piled high with six puddings, including her signature green pandan cheesecake. “From a visual point of view, towers of desserts or architectural arrangements add height and texture to the table, which is key to making the table feel more creative and fun,” says Anna. But, she says, the element of height and abundance is as much about making a visual impact as it is creating a talking point for guests. “I’m often working on press launches, exhibitions, dinners and breakfasts where guests may sometimes know each other but more often than not, don’t. Having a theatrical element to the food and styling provides a fun moment for guests but also bit of an ice breaker. Something that’s even more useful at a wedding when you have whole groups of people sitting next to each other for the first time.”

“I think wedding trends have coincided with food trends and we’ve fallen back in love with cakes being a huge moment at weddings, birthdays and events,” says Charlotte, who, along with Sofie, styled multiple vintage-inspired cakes at their Bistro Freddie party. “A celebration cake at an event is always fun – it immediately creates a fun atmosphere and ensures people stay until the end to try it – and cutting and passing round slices of cake is such a buzz. Again, it’s all about that shift to elevate the ordinary moments, which then means you need to go extra big on those celebratory moments.”

While one clear winner for leaning into these visual trends will be your wedding album, it’s important to note that trends are not hard-and-fast rules – and you should only take inspiration from the elements that speak to you as a couple and fill you with joy – after all, food is meant to be enjoyed. Anna puts it better: “Embracing these trends should be about having fun and experimenting. When I’ve most enjoyed coming up with concepts, I’ve usually had a dream or a thought in the shower about something that seems totally non-sensical and I have no idea if it will work. But if I follow it through and play around, it ends up working out in some way or changes along the way into something better.” Wherever you land on the tablescaping landscape one thing’s for sure – Anna’s beautiful butter pearls will elevate any dining table.