Sharing makes you happy, eating together brings people closer. So it stands to reason that sharing food would be especially fulfilling, that's the idea behind the dining trend "sharing plates" (sometimes also called "family style"). One advantage: getting to try as many dishes as possible and talk about them together. What's long been common in families and relationships is now reaching a wider audience as a trend. Among friends, at a birthday or bachelorette party, or with your team. Let's introduce you to the "sharing plates" trend.

What does sharing plates mean?

"Sharing" means to share, "plates" are, well, plates, so translated, "sharing plates" simply means shared plates. The choice of tableware isn't fixed, of course, bowls or platters can be shared too. What matters is that not everyone eats from their own plate, instead, all dishes are placed in the middle of the table, accessible to everyone.

What's the difference between sharing plates and a buffet?

A buffet is one of the most popular types of catering. Here too, everyone helps themselves from different platters or plates. The difference: a buffet is set up separately, and everyone serves themselves food from the buffet onto their own plate.

Sharing plates, on the other hand, means different smaller portions placed in the center of the table. This familiar way of eating is best known from restaurants or family meals, but it can be brought to life just as well at another event location or in your own office.

Pros and cons

There are plenty of good reasons to try sharing plates, but it's not right for every occasion or group of people. The following pros and cons should make the decision easier for you:

Pros

• Guests don't have to commit to just one dish.
• The many different dishes give everyone the chance to try a wide range of foods.
• Trying things together fosters a sense of community and
• Provides an easy conversation starter
• Many small dishes allow for greater variety, for example, especially useful if you want to give your guests a taste of a specific national cuisine.

Cons

• Not everyone likes sharing their food, especially when a dish tastes exceptionally good ;)
• Not everyone feels comfortable serving themselves from the same plate or platter.
• Guests may find the family-style atmosphere uncomfortable.

What occasions suit sharing plates?

Since a sharing plates meal has a more casual, family-style feel, it's not suited to formal occasions and events. For any catering occasion involving clients or guests, you should be absolutely sure they won't find shared plates uncomfortable. When in doubt, opt for a classic buffet or another type of catering, so no one feels uneasy.

Sharing plates work well at team events attended only by teammates, without additional guests like family members, business partners, or clients. The family-style atmosphere is even especially well suited as a team building event. That said, you should make sure in advance that there's something suitable for every colleague, and that everyone is clearly informed about which dishes are, for example, halal, gluten-free, or vegan.

Sharing food as a team - sharing plates catering

Sharing plates as a catering option offers a wide range of possibilities for a shared breakfast, lunch, or dinner. To give you a sense of the possibilities, we've gathered some example dishes that work as sharing plates or are often already served that way:

• Turkish and Arabic meze with grape leaves, hummus, falafel, and köfte
• Greek mezedes with gigantes (giant beans in tomato sauce), tzatziki, spetzofai (sausage salad), and grilled vegetables
• Italian antipasti with olives, focaccia, pickled vegetables, bruschetta, and cold cuts
• Swedish smörrebröd with fish, vegetarian, or vegan
• Chinese tapas with dumplings, Chinese pancakes with and without meat, fried tofu, and grilled octopus
• South African starters with lemon chicken, samosas, potato wedges, and samosas with or without meat
• Spanish tapas with Serrano ham, pimientos, allioli, and paella
• Sushi variations with and without fish
• Other well-known dishes include fondue or raclette

Tips for caterers: implementing the sharing plates concept

A quick note first: the "sharing plates" concept is already a few years old, but the trend still isn't universally known, and may need some explaining. A brief explanation in the menu description, or during the catering itself, can help avoid misunderstandings, so everyone can enjoy the shared experience.

For putting together a suitable menu, we have a few tips for you:

• Sharing plates doesn't require completely new dishes. You can build your menu from different, already tested and popular sides or starters.
• You can serve dishes from your regular menu in smaller portions.
• Maybe you're already applying the "sharing plates" principle in your menus, and can rename them to indicate they're meant to be shared plates or bowls.
• Examples of international dishes often already served as sharing plates include tapas, antipasti, or mezze.
• There's essentially no limit to the type of cuisine, though overly complex dishes tend to be less suitable.
• The classic cheese platter or cold cuts platter, fruit platter, or fish platter, by the way, follows a similar principle, except sharing plates also applies to warm dishes.

Sharing plates catering with heycater!

Want to try the sharing plates trend for your next team event? Our portfolio includes different caterers who implement the concept in different ways. One example is grazing boards, overflowing with cheese, cold cuts, fruit, crackers, or other treats, that everyone can help themselves to. Other warm and cold starters and main courses can also be served as a shared platter or bowl. Feel free to send us a request, or get advice from our customer service team!