While tasting menus are all the rage, there is something about serving platters of food in the centre of a table and coming together for a meal
Growing up in a tight-knit family—and with a large extended family from both sides—eating together was an activity that I took for granted because it was always just there. Whether it was having dinner at home on a weekday or celebrating a milestone spinning around a Lazy Susan under the spell of a Cantonese feast, family-style eating was something we all did regularly. Until, we could not.
The pandemic showed us what life would be like without Sunday get-togethers at my mom’s where lunch seamlessly flowed into dinnertime as we just kept eating until all the food was gone, and then we would have more delivered. It gave us a glimpse into a world where people ate individually-portioned meals from boxes and celebrated through online parties, toasting each other through little squares on a screen with bottled Negronis, reminding one another to “stay safe.” That feels like a long time ago, especially now that we are once again able to gather and enjoy each other’s company without restrictions and limitations.
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Perhaps, it was during these times of isolation we realised that sharing a meal with loved ones—or even strangers—is one of the simplest and most indispensable pleasures in life. In 2022, communal dining was one of the rising trends globally in the restaurant industry as reported by Timeout.com. As to why it works, their explanation is simple: “A communal table, whatever the size, format or material, inevitably introduces people to one another. Even—and this is the best part—when they don’t want to.”
See also: Life of the party: What does it take to host a banquet?
