In 5-star hotels, the buffet is not disappearing. It is evolving.
A hybrid model is emerging in which buffet service, express preparation and live cooking coexist within the same space. The buffet continues to offer variety, freedom of choice and strong visual impact, while selected preparations become moments of interaction between chef and guest.
An omelette prepared to order or a dish finished in a wok is no longer simply part of the service: it becomes part of the experience.
The change concerns the way the dining room itself is experienced. Alongside the buffet, there can be an egg station at breakfast, a carving station during brunch, a wok station for an event or an express preparation during a gala dinner.
For Executive Chefs and Banqueting Directors, however, a live cooking station must be much more than a scenic feature: it must provide ergonomics, operational speed, easy mobility and consistency with the interior design.
This is precisely the need behind La Tavola Action Stations, designed for live cooking and buffet service.
Our patented modular system can integrate different Cooking, Cold-Holding and Warm-Holding functions, including Induction Wok, Cold Plate, Teppanyaki, Carving Set, Induction Cooking Plate, Ice Well and Water Boiler, allowing the station to adapt to the menu and the type of service.
For banqueting, Libro responds to a very practical need: fast set-up and space optimisation. Thanks to its foldable structure, up to five units can be stored on a single trolley.
The point, therefore, is not to choose between buffet and plated service. The buffet remains central to hospitality, especially when it comes to variety, presentation and flow management. The CORE Buffet line continues to answer these needs perfectly. Action Stations add another layer: movement, personalisation and interaction with the chef.
The result is a smoother, more contemporary service model in which the buffet is no longer simply a display of food, but part of a true gastronomic experience.