Family-Style Dining
Featuring Chef Adrian Lipscombe @adie_eats
October 2022
Create community, connection with family-style dining
Think back to the most memorable meals of your childhood. They’re probably ones where you were surrounded by family and friends, enjoying dishes made with care and love.
Family-style dining seeks to replicate that warm, comforting feeling of special shared meals with food served up on large platters meant for passing between diners. And in an age where we are so often missing community and connection, it’s no wonder that this style of service is a growing trend in restaurants and banquet settings.
Chef Adrian Lipscombe is a fan of creating family-style dining experiences, especially to bring an intimate feel to large gatherings. “I even served family style at my own wedding,” she says. “We made the decision to do family-style because family and friends that had never met were coming from all around the world, and eating together as a family was important to us.”
The arrangement, she says, fosters an atmosphere that is calm and inviting, allowing the food to become “the icebreaker and commonality” among guests.
From Sunday dinners to dim sum and tapas, sharable plates are engrained in nearly every culture. “Having communal experiences brings people closer together,” Adrian says. “It creates a warm atmosphere and allows people to bond and trust over a common goal of ordering as they experience a meal together.”
Family-style dining also allows guests to sample a larger array of dishes, control their own portion sizes and expand their culinary horizons – especially important for picky eaters or children. For those planning large events, it can even be more cost-effective than a plated meal.
For restaurants and buffets, family-style dining also has its advantages, from streamlining a menu and improving food costs to reducing staffing needs and creating the efficient delivery of dishes from appetizer to dessert, Adrian says. Because you’re not taking each individual guest’s order, you’ve also eliminated potential errors between front of house and the kitchen.
Successful family-style dining starts with thorough training. Make sure your staff knows the menu well and can also clearly explain the family-style concept and ordering process.
“One thing I express to staff when providing family-style service is to imagine this is your family for Thanksgiving and you are the host,” Adrian says. “You want to make sure everything is going according to plan. Notice the rhythm that each table is going at. Not all tables will finish at the same time, and you need to know when to be a gracious host and recognize when to give a little bit more time.”
Dishes should be thoughtfully plated so that every guest can try a little of each ingredient. Consider offering a variety of sizes – i.e. for two, four or six – so guests can customize their selections. And, Adrian adds, be cautious of when to clear plates. “Family-style service can be a little messier and you may need to provide more hands-on approach to clearing and exchanging dishes and silverware among guests,” she says.
As for the best dinnerware for family-style service, Adrian looks for products that are durable and reliable. “Dishes must be able to withstand the heat and weight of a lot of food being placed on a dish,” she says. “It must have a wide enough base to show the food or ‘allow it to breathe and be seen’ and have a wide brim plate for passing.”
She also chooses dishes with a variety of heights and unique colors and shapes to reinforce a visual difference with each meal. Having unique dinnerware also makes it easier for someone to ask for a particular plate at a full table.
“I love family-style service for many reasons, but I especially like it because everyone, from the service team to the guests, young and old, are involved in making the whole event experience amazing,” Adrian says.
Ultimately, “I hope the guest walks away from a family style service feeling they were a guest at my dining room table. Family-style service is more than just about food, it is about the experience of creating a strong bond with people.”
Chef Adrian Lipscombe is the founder of the 40 Acres Project, which seeks to preserve the legacy of Black agriculture and foodways through the purchase of Black-owned land. Adrian is also a founding member of the Muloma Heritage Center and a board member of the Edna Lewis Foundation.
Libbey proudly supports end users and is dedicated to building relationships with members of the culinary industry. To learn more and connect with Chef Adrian, follow her on Instagram @adie_eats.
