“I was immediately fascinated by the concept of the Arboretum line when Martin first showed me the renderings. The flexibility and versatility of the pieces became quickly evident when the first prototype with its carefully crafted wooden base and variety of service pieces arrived. As a single piece it was stunning but the real payoff became evident when we looked at several pieces and the collection of them together. This immediately set my mind thinking of the possibilities: a styled-out caviar service, mignardises selection, canapé service, bar snacks and the list goes on.
The idea that got me most excited was to use a selection of stands together to create a more refined version of the traditional fruits de mer plateau with its towering selection of crab, oysters, cockles, etc. While there are few things better than a pristine selection of shellfish on ice with a bottle of Sancerre; the pile of shells, melting ice and the sheer size of a plateau don't lend themselves to a more refined dining experience. The fruits de mer "plateau" we now offer at Press restaurant here in St. Helena, has come alive on the Arboretum pieces and I can't express how excited I am for the endless possibilities. We are already looking at new materials, different shapes and colors!
We are considering other uses across the restaurant and have to exercise some significant restraint not to use them for each and every dish :)”
Philip Tessier