A base plate is a piece of tableware in the hospitality industry. It's a big flat plate that's the base for the place setting in formal dining. Base plates are bigger than dinner plates and often decorative, setting the scene for the meal to come. They're not used for food service but stay on the table throughout the meal as a decoration and to catch any spills or crumbs.
Base plates are important in hospitality because they enhance the dining experience and the overall ambiance of the restaurant or event space. They allow for creative table settings and add a layer of sophistication to any dining occasion. Base plates also serve a practical purpose by protecting the tablecloth and making it easier to clean the dining area.
You're a banquet manager at a 5-star hotel and you're preparing for a wedding reception with 200 guests. As you're setting the tables you decide to use gold-rimmed base plates to match the couple's colour scheme. You instruct your team to put the base plates down first, centred at each place setting. Then you add the dinner plates, cutlery and glassware on top. When the guests arrive they're wowed by the beautiful table settings, the base plates providing a luxurious base for the whole meal. Throughout the evening the base plates catch any spills, keeping the tablecloths spotless and reducing the need for mid-event cleanups.