Club/Resort
First Place: Kohanaiki, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Specifying Team: Josh Blitstein, President, Action Group; Charlene Gascon, Customer Service Rep, Bargreen Ellingson; Tim Irey, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Bargreen Ellingson; Ruby Makuch, President, Ruby and Company; Stephen Marquard, Dealer Sales Rep, Bargreen Ellingson; Bill Miller, Food & Beverage Director, Kohanaiki; Patrick Heymann, Executive Chef, Kohanaiki
- China: Steelite (Optik)
- Flatware: Corby Hall (Santa Fe)
- Glassware: Steelite (Rona)
- Accessories: 10th Strawberry Street, Chiliwich, Frette, Guy Degrenne, Front of the House, Korin, Libbey, Peugeot, Orion, Service Ideas, Fletcher Mill, Sambonet
Why it Won: This tabletop screams quality without actually screaming. They beautifully match plates to the food. The tabletop also uses beautiful accent pieces and a nice collection of varied items that coordinate well together. This installation really speaks to the restaurant's concept. It's very detail oriented, thoughtful and approachable. The glassware mirrors the foliage. It all feels very harmonious. The stemware adds to the appearance. The menu cover picks up the texture of flatware.
Honorable Mention: The Ridge, Lake Geneva, Wis.
Photos courtesy of Stella Lorens, Edward Don & Company
Specifying Team: Howard Cohen, Principal, Miller & Stryker Associates; Rob Johnson, Director of Food and Beverage, The Ridge; Drew Madden, Dealer Sales Rep, Edward Don & Company; Melissa Marguerite, Sales Representative, The Hodge Group; Kerry O'Connor, Tabletop Specialist, Page & Semro
- China: Bauscher (Born, Compliment, Options)
- Flatware: Bauscher Hepp (Royal), Walco (Ultimate)
- Glassware: Luigi Bormioli (Atelier, Strauss)
- Accessories: American Metalcraft
Worth Mentioning: The tabletop is minimal, clean and pretty. It provides a very elegant, sophisticated appearance. The brushed brass shakers and interestingly shaped items let the food be the star of this presentation. This tabletop thoughtfully uses metal items throughout and the branded pieces work well here, providing a very sophisticated and clean presentation.
