The rare art of setting a stylish table

New dinnerware from two pro soiree throwers has your socials all set

Amy Burstyn Fritz’s two daughters aren’t old enough to crack an egg, but they know where to put a salad fork. For the Toronto event planner, it’s part of a time-honoured tradition. Her bubbe would always say the highest compliment you could give a host was that they set a beautiful table. Now, Burstyn Fritz and her sister, Sarah Pecaut, are turning a family passion into a new venture.

The idea for Misette — a line of artful but approachable tableware that lands somewhere in between wedding china and last night’s takeout containers — was a bit of a pandemic pivot, one that crystallized last summer, back when it seemed like our social lives were moving back toward normal (ha!).

“I was doing a lot of smaller events at that point, like private dinners at people’s homes,” says Burstyn Fritz, who also did the “Schitt’s Creek” Emmy celebration at Casa Loma. After the first lockdown lifted, she noticed how much people were enjoying the everyday act of gathering in each other’s company. “It was very pared down, minimal fuss, and I remember thinking to myself, ‘These people don’t need an event planner; they just need to set a great table.’ ”

It’s a skill that tends to intimidate. We all have that one friend who can produce a Martha Stewart-worthy spread with seemingly little effort, but for everyone else, executing a gorgeous tablescape is like baking a soufflé — way too much work, too difficult and likely to collapse.

“People tend to make it overly complicated,” says Pecaut, who knows something about complicated table arrangements, having spent seven years producing events in New York City, including the annual Met Gala. (So technically she’s set tables for everyone from Gwyneth to the Kardashians.) “The thing I’ve learned is that it doesn’t matter the guest list or the environment — a beautiful table is about bringing people together.”

To that end, think of Misette (pronounced “my set”) as a cheat sheet. Sold in sets of two (two salad plates, two dinner plates, plus placemats, napkins and glasses), the debut offering comes in three esthetics: Color Block borrows hues and patterns from nature (ocean-inspired blues and greens); Natural is a mix of calming neutrals; and Monochrome is “sort of a romantic vibe,” says Burstyn Fritz. The idea is to start small and build a collection over time with add-ons like utensils, tablecloths and centrepieces.

It took almost a year to go from the initial concept to an actual line, which launches next Tuesday on misettetable.com, but has already earned a shoutout in Vogue. The sisters worked with makers and craftspeople in Portugal, India, Italy, France and the U.S. — minus the usual travel perks. “When it’s safe to travel again, we can’t wait to visit all the suppliers in person,” Burstyn Fritz says.

For now, though, she’d be happy to have some IRL time with her business partner — they haven’t seen each other since last summer. Everything, from brainstorming sessions to material sampling to the occasional virtual dinner date, has been over Zoom.

Burstyn Fritz, the older sister by eight years, lives with her family in Toronto, while Pecaut lives with her boyfriend in Brooklyn. The latter’s twentysomething lifestyle was part of what inspired the decision to sell Misette in pairs rather than more standard sets of six or eight.

“We want to encourage people to use nice tableware whenever they want to — even if it’s just dinner at home on a Tuesday,” Pecaut says.

Burstyn Fritz uses Misette to plate takeout. “I’m a better table-setter than I am a cook,” she jokes, but it’s also about not waiting for major occasions to add a feeling of festivity.

Here the conversation about table-setting takes a philosophical turn. “I think there is this idea that you have your ‘good china’ for special occasions, but then it just ends up sitting in the cupboard for some future event,” Burstyn Fritz says.

If there’s anything we’ve learned in the past year, though, it’s that we have no idea what the future holds. Spending time with the people we care about is reason enough to celebrate — and when you think of it that way, there’s really no excuse to serve them on Styrofoam.

Pro tips for your post-pandemic soirees (because we’re all a little rusty) Share the info in advance. When Toronto emerges from lockdown, there’s no question that people will have different opinions on what constitutes safe behaviour. “It’s not so much about what we ‘can do,’ but about what different people feel comfortable doing,” says Burstyn Fritz. A host’s most important task is making guests comfortable, and post-COVID, that will mean setting expectations in advance. “Take the time to send an email letting everyone know details about things like bathrooms, how many people will attend and whether you’re planning to be indoors or outdoors.”

Don’t bite off more than you can cook. The idea of finally being able to socialize may inspire you to go big, but resist the temptation to cook a 10course tasting menu — at least on your first go out. “You’re probably going to have your hands full hosting, which is harder if you’re glued to the stove.” Give yourself a break and make something easy, or order in. “Now is definitely a great time to support restaurants,” says Burstyn Fritz.

Less is lots. So maybe you don’t have a proper centrepiece and your “good cutlery” is the kind that isn’t plastic. But you do have those antique candlesticks you picked up at a flea market and have tucked on top of the fridge ever since. “I think the idea that ‘everything has to be perfect — otherwise why bother?’ can really get in the way,” says Pecaut. Just adding little touches — cloth napkins, fresh flowers, DIY name cards or a single beautiful serving tray — can bring a sense of occasion, even if you’re sitting on milk crates.