Crockery, or the dishes used when serving and eating food, comes from a variety of materials and is sold either as sets or individual pieces. Many think of china when they think of crockery, but this is not always the material used. Crockery used for eating food includes plates, sauces, dessert dishes, cups, mugs and bowls. Crockery used as serving dishes include anything سرویس چینی used to carry food from the kitchen to the table and serve it, including gravy boats, platters and trays. Some pieces make storage and transportation of crockery used in catering more simple. Plate carriers, for instance, allow for efficient stacking and storage of plates, with dishjacks keep plates safe during transport.

Crockery with little or no decoration is called whiteware. Crockery can have embellishments, such as colour decorations and embossing. Contemporary pieces may leave the traditional circular design behind in favour of something more geometric or eclectic, such as Energy and Atlantic sets from Churchill China’s Alchemy line.

The term crockery may also include items made from other materials, such as polycarbonate or melamine. Some will say that synthetic materials are not crockery, but since dishes made from synthetic materials perform the same function as others, they might as well be considered crockery. Melamine and polycarbonate crockery, which are available from Nisbets, are virtually unbreakable. Caterers often choose these lines because of their durability.

Crockery used for catering needs to be quite durable. In fact, durability is the most important feature of these pieces, because they will be used and washed repeatedly. When the glaze gets cracked and rims get chipped, the overall look of the crockery is destroyed, even if the piece is still usable. This destroys the image of the catering company, which needs to be seen as clean and professional.

Churchill China and Steelite are two well known, high quality crockery brands for caterers. These international crockery suppliers are both based in Stoke on Trent in England, an area known for creating some of the world’s best crockery and pottery.

The Churchill China lines include both commercial and home crockery. One line, the Super Vitrified, includes pieces with colourful and intricate patterns and embossing. The Alchemy line is more contemporary, featuring clean lines and few embellishments. The Art de Cuisine range features rustic designs.

Crockery from Steelite is created for the catering industry specifically. Steelite’s Performance collection is known for its durability and simple designs. The more distinguished Distinction collection, while also durable, is slightly more elegant in design, with a variety of patterns to choose from.

Caterers looking for durable crockery can now choose lines from Olympia Porcelain, a newer player in the industry. This more affordable option is also quite durable, offering whiteware as well as coloured and embossed crockery.