Rely on a professional catering specialist for your buffet displays and other refrigerated showcases and label your breakfast buffet with style and elegance with a varied composition of hot drinks, tea, chocolate and coffee, as well as accessories and presentation materials. For breakfast in bedrooms, see our range of trays.
The breakfast buffet
Long neglected in the French tradition in favour of the traditional 'butter and jam' sandwich, the buffet breakfast has been widespread for many years. This is a crucial issue for hoteliers who cater to a multinational clientele and need to stand out from the crowd with the quality of their breakfast. With an increasingly international clientele, it is essential to be able to offer a breakfast service that blends cultural habits from all over the world. Of course there will be sweets (bread, jam), but also cereals, pastries, cold meats, dairy products, hot cooked meals, fruit, gluten-free, vegan, etc. Customers expect to be able to serve themselves quickly and easily. Stellinox offers a very wide range of equipment and accessories to help with serving, keeping food hot or cold, as well as many items to help you decorate your buffets.
What is a breakfast buffet?
A buffet breakfast is a type of morning meal where the food is presented in a buffet style. This means that guests can serve themselves as much as they like. There is usually a variety of options such as pastries, bread, fruit, cereals, yoghurts and hot or cold drinks. It's a friendly way of eating breakfast in hotels.
How should a breakfast buffet be presented?
Presenting a breakfast buffet in an attractive and functional way requires good organisation and attention to detail. Here are some tips on how to create a successful breakfast buffet that is appreciated for its variety, organisation and aesthetics:
- Planning and preparation, selection of food: pastries with croissants, pains aux chocolats, muffins, etc., bread and spreads with baguettes, sandwich bread, butter, jams, honey and spreads, fruit with whole and cut fresh fruit and fruit salads, dairy products with yoghurts, cheeses, milk, cereals of all kinds, muesli, granola, drinks with coffee, tea, fruit juices and water, and hot products with eggs, bacon, sausages and pancakes.
- Arrangement of the breakfast room: Use one or more large tables, depending on the space available. Make sure the tables are sturdy and covered with clean tablecloths. Place drinks at one end, followed by dry food, then fresh produce and hot meals. Provide space for plates, cutlery, cups and glasses at the entrance to the buffet. Use small labels to indicate each food, mentioning any potential allergens.
- Visual presentation: Use displays of different heights to add dimension and visual interest. Make sure that all food is easily accessible and that nothing is too far away or difficult to reach. Keep the buffet clean and tidy. Replace empty dishes promptly and clean up spills immediately.
- Comfort and atmosphere: Arrange the space so that people can move freely around the buffet. Create a pleasant atmosphere with soft music in the background, natural light or good artificial lighting.
- Hygiene and safety: keep hot food at an appropriate temperature with a chafing dish or oven, and fresh food well chilled with appropriate display units. Provide tongs, spoons and other utensils to prevent customers from touching food with their hands. Ensure that serving utensils are changed or cleaned regularly.
- Examples of layouts:
Drinks area: coffee machines, insulated jugs, juice carafes and glasses.
Bread and pastries area: baskets of croissants, bread, toast, butter dishes and jam jars.
Fruit and yoghurt section: cereal pots and bowls with serving spoons.
Hot meals : chafing dishes with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages and pancakes, served with syrup (e.g. maple syrup) and condiments.
What types of buffet are there?
Each type of buffet can be personalised to suit the tastes and preferences of the guests, as well as the occasion and theme of the event. The important thing is to ensure the variety, presentation and quality of the food to satisfy all the guests.
- Breakfast buffet, with pastries, bread, fruit, yoghurts, cereals, eggs, bacon, fruit juices, coffee, tea... served in hotels, seminars, conferences and brunches.
- The brunch buffet, which is a combination of breakfast and lunch food, such as salads, cold meats, quiches, pastries, cheeses and drinks. These are served at family gatherings, weddings and special weekend events.
- Lunch/dinner buffets with a variety of starters, main courses, side meals, salads, breads and desserts. Served at receptions, weddings, corporate events and parties.
- Themed buffets, with a specific cuisine, for example Italian, Mexican, Asian, barbecue, seafood, etc. These are served at theme parties, cultural events and themed evenings.
- The aperitif/dinner buffet, with amuse-bouche, canapés, snacks, cold meats, cheeses, crunchy vegetables, dips and mini desserts. This buffet is used for cocktails, parties and informal receptions.
- The dessert buffet, with pastries, cakes, tarts, mousses, fruit, sweets, chocolates and chocolate fountains. Presented at weddings, birthdays and special events.
- Salad buffet, with a variety of salads and side meals such as nuts, seeds, cheeses and dressings.
- Seafood buffet with oysters, prawns, crab, smoked fish, sushi, sashimi, sauces and breads. This buffet is served at weddings, luxury parties and seaside events.
- Vegetarian/Vegan Buffet: featuring meatless food such as roasted vegetables, salads, grains, pulses, tofu and plant-based meals. Served at vegetarian/vegan meetings and organic events.
- Cheese and charcuterie buffet: with a variety of cheeses, delicatessen, breads, crackers, dried fruit, jams and olives. This buffet is served at aperitifs, receptions and wine tastings.
What is a continental breakfast?
A continental breakfast is a type of morning meal often offered in hotels, guest rooms and guesthouses. It is lighter and simpler than an English or American breakfast. It is ideal for those who prefer a light meal in the morning or are in a hurry. It offers enough variety to satisfy most tastes, while remaining simple and quick to prepare.
Here are the most common foods offered in this type of breakfast:
- Pastries and bread: croissants, pains au chocolat, various types of bread (baguette, sandwich loaf, toast), brioches
- Spreads: butter, various jams, honey, spreadable paste
- Fruit: fresh fruit such as apples, oranges and bananas, cut fruit and fruit salads
- Dairy products: yoghurt, plain or with fruit, cheese (optional, but often present!)
- Drinks: coffee, tea, fruit juices (orange, apple), milk
- Cereals: cornflakes, muesli, cereals
This type of breakfast combines simplicity and speed; it is designed to be prepared and consumed quickly. It is light and does not require cooking, and unlike other types of breakfast, it does not include foods that require complex cooking, such as eggs or bacon.
Inspired by Europe, this type of breakfast originated in Europe, particularly in countries such as France, Italy and Spain.
What is the best breakfast?
The best breakfast can vary depending on personal preferences and individual nutritional needs: the important thing is to choose a variety of high-quality foods to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to well start the day.
Here are some general principles for a balanced and healthy breakfast
- Proteins: they help you feel full and maintain muscle mass. You can eat eggs, Greek yoghurt, cheese or tofu.
- Complex carbohydrates: they provide long-term energy. Choose whole grains such as oats or quinoa, fruit, vegetables and wholemeal bread.
- Healthy fats: important for heart health and vitamin absorption. They can be found in avocados, nuts, chia seeds and olive oil.
- Fibre: helps digestion and keeps you feeling full. Eat fibre-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
- Vitamins and minerals: Fresh fruit and vegetables are excellent sources of essential vitamins and minerals.
Examples of a balanced breakfast
- Bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit and chia seeds
- Scrambled eggs with vegetables and a slice of wholemeal bread
- Spinach smoothie with fruit, Greek yoghurt and flax seeds
- Plain yoghurt with nuts, berries and a drizzle of honey.
What equipment do I need to serve drinks at a breakfast buffet?
When serving drinks at a breakfast buffet, it is important to choose equipment that is functional, practical and aesthetically pleasing. A good choice of equipment for serving drinks at a breakfast buffet not only contributes to the practicality of the service, but also to the overall aesthetics of the buffet, providing a pleasant and seamless experience for guests.
Jugs and carafes: glass or transparent plastic jugs for fruit juices, water or milk. Glass is elegant, but plastic is lighter and mostly unbreakable. Insulated jugs keep hot drinks such as coffee, tea and hot chocolate at the right temperature. They are practical for long service.
Insulated dispensers: Stainless steel insulated dispensers are ideal for keeping coffee or tea hot. They are sturdy and maintain their temperature for longer. For tea, you can also choose a samovar.
Cold drink dispensers: for fruit juices and water, they are easy and hygienic to use and keep drinks fresh. Stellinox offers you a choice of fruit juice or milk dispensers cooled by one or more eutectic plates.
Drinking fountains: Drinking fountains allow you to present fruit juices or flavoured waters in an elegant way. They are often fitted with a tap for ease of use. You can also offer hot water fountains so customers can help themselves to hot water for tea or other drinks.
Consider serving cups and mugs, either ceramic or porcelain for a classic look or stainless steel for a modern and durable look, as well as glasses in a variety of sizes for juice, milk or water. Clear glass or reusable plastic glasses are often preferred.
Other items include serving trays to organise cups, glasses and teaspoons to keep the buffet clean and tidy, and stackable cup or glass holders to maximise space and ensure a neat presentation.
Small accessories, such as bowls for lemons, sugar and sweeteners, will accompany hot drinks such as coffee or tea. Provide wooden or metal stirrers for stirring drinks, as well as teaspoons, napkins and coasters to prevent spills and keep the buffet clean.
A wood or metal drinks display to raise the pitchers or carafes creates a more aesthetic presentation and makes it easier to access the drinks.
For more modern buffets, automatic coffee or juice dispensers can be installed to provide quick and personalised service.
Install signs and labels to clearly indicate the contents of the jugs and carafes.
Among the equipment presented in this category, here are some essentials for a successful presentation:
Caterer dish warmers: essential for breakfast buffets for the hot buffet and for the reception buffet, discover a range of professional chafing dishes for the presentation of hot dishes.
Equipment for professional caterers, catering displays will also find their place on your buffets, whether they are dinner buffets, breakfast buffets or hot buffets.
Buffet presentation stands: essential for a successful presentation, the buffet presentation stand allow you to play with the height to give volume to all your buffets.
Delivery times: Stellinox ships your order within 24 to 48 hours if the product is in stock, otherwise it generally takes 10 working days. Free delivery in Metropolitan France for orders over 300 euros excluding VAT, or collection at our plant with an appointment (we do not have a retail shop).
