Schonwald

Schönwald: German Hotel Porcelain Since 1879

Schönwald is a German professional porcelain brand founded in Bavaria in 1879. It now operates as part of the BHS Tabletop Group and has long focused on hard-wearing hotel and restaurant tableware. Its porcelain serves upscale restaurants, hotels, banquet operations, and cafés that need durable tableware for professional service.

Chef's Deal organizes Schönwald's assortment around porcelain plates, bowls, cups & saucers, followed by platters, plate covers, and table accessories.

Schönwald Porcelain History

Schönwald porcelain history began in 1879, when Johann Nicol Müller converted his sawmill into a porcelain factory in Schönwald, Upper Franconia, Bavaria, where porcelain raw materials were available locally. Schönwald specialized in hotel porcelain and started exporting to international markets by the end of the 19th century. BHS Tabletop continues to produce Schönwald porcelain in Germany and currently serves over 100 countries.

Schönwald, BHS Tabletop & Libbey

Schönwald is a BHS Tabletop professional porcelain brand alongside Bauscher, while Playground forms part of the broader BHS portfolio. Libbey Foodservice sells Schönwald products in North America as a Libbey Select Partner brand; it does not own or manufacture the brand.

How Durable is Schönwald Porcelain?

Schönwald porcelain uses hard porcelain fired above 1,400°C (2,552°F), producing high edge-impact resistance and a highly scratch-resistant glaze for professional foodservice use. BHS Tabletop describes the porcelain surface as completely sealed and hygienic. Its dense mineral structure gives porcelain lower thermal conductivity than tempered glass or metal, helping it retain heat longer.

Schönwald decorations use an inglaze process that fuses the decoration into the glaze, protecting the colors from wear. BHS tests decorated porcelain for at least 3,000 dishwasher cycles, with the decoration retaining its color intensity. Noble China, used in collections such as Allure, is a thinner hard-porcelain body in a cream-colored BoneWhite shade that retains high edge-impact and glaze-durability properties.

Shop Schönwald by Category

Shop Schönwald by category to match Chef's Deal's assortment to each course and service need. Porcelain plates lead the assortment, followed by bowls and dip dishes, cups and tea service, platters, cloches and plate covers, and condiment and table accessories.

Schönwald Porcelain Plates

Schönwald porcelain plates form the largest Chef's Deal category, with flat, deep, and coupe plates ranging from smaller service sizes to charger formats. Current listings include 5.875-in (14.923-cm) coupe plates and larger 11-in (27.94-cm) models. The broader assortment extends to 12.25 in (31.115 cm) chargers. Use smaller plates for starters and desserts and larger formats for entrées and table settings.

Bowls & Dip Dishes

Bowls and dip dishes form the second-largest Schönwald category, covering soup, pasta, salad, deep-coupe, fruit, and small condiment formats. Chef's Deal listings include small dip dishes around 4 in (10.16 cm) and deep-coupe bowls with capacities around 47 (1.39 L) to 50 oz. (1.479 L). Selected Schönwald bowls also pair with matching covers or lids.

Cups, Mugs, Saucers & Tea Service

Cups, mugs, saucers, and tea service cover espresso and coffee cups, stacking cups, mugs, saucers, bouillon cups, creamers, coffee pots, and teapots. Match cups and saucers to the dinnerware pattern to keep coffee service consistent with the rest of the table.

Platters & Serving Trays

Platters and serving trays include oval and rectangular porcelain formats for shared plates, fish courses, banquet service, and buffet presentation. Chef's Deal listings include platters around 7.875 in (20.003 cm) and larger 15-in (38.1-cm) formats, with options in body colors including Continental White and BoneWhite.

Cloches, Lids & Plate Covers

Cloches, lids, and plate covers combine porcelain serving pieces with polypropylene covers for specific Schönwald patterns. Chef's Deal lists porcelain cloches and bowl lids alongside polypropylene plate covers designed to fit specified bowls or dishes; check each listing for the material, matching item, dishwasher or microwave rating, and temperature limit before ordering.

Condiment & Table Accessories

Condiment and table accessories complete the Schönwald assortment with sauce boats, sauce dishes, salt and pepper shakers, sugar holders, condiment servers, condiment jars, and tasting spoons. These pieces support sauce, seasoning, sugar, and tableside service while keeping accessories coordinated with the broader Schönwald tabletop program.

Schönwald Patterns & Collections

Schönwald patterns and collections span more than 40 porcelain lines and over 1,700 items, from fine-dining porcelain to banquet-ready hard china.

• Allure: Allure is a Schönwald Noble China collection in the cream-colored BoneWhite shade, with fine faceting that reflects light across the tableware. The full BHS assortment includes flag and coupe plates, round bowls, oval and asymmetrical platters, cloches, and specialty accessories, making Allure suitable for fine-dining restaurants and upscale hotel service.
• Donna: Donna is a porcelain collection with softly curved relief arches that give its plates, cups, and other pieces a distinctive classic look. BHS positions Donna for all-day and casual dining, functional dining, and banquet service, while the Chef's Deal assortment includes stacking cups, plates, and sauce boats.
• Event: Event combines functional porcelain with space-saving plates and platters designed to work across buffet and table service. BHS describes the collection as suitable for modern buffet concepts and upscale table settings, with accessories including a dressing pot and vinegar/oil bottle; Chef's Deal also lists Event pieces such as a condiment jar.
• Other Schönwald Collections: Other Schönwald collections extend the BHS range beyond Allure, Donna, and Event. Chef's Deal's plate and bowl assortment also includes pieces from its Vibes and Shiro lines. Collections such as Connect, Unlimited, Delight, Grace, and Avanti Gusto, along with its glassware, are available to quote on request.

Schönwald for Hotels, Fine Dining & Banquets

Schönwald porcelain supports hotel, restaurant, banquet, and beverage-service workflows with coordinated plates, bowls, cups, platters, and service accessories.

• Hotel breakfast: Cups, creamers, sugar service, bowls, and serving pieces support buffet and table service.
• Fine dining: BoneWhite Allure porcelain provides a refined presentation surface for plated dishes, with plates, bowls, platters, and other coordinated pieces.
• Banquets & room service: Platters, cloches, and plate covers help protect and cover food during banquet, buffet, and room-service handling.
• Cafés & tea service: Espresso cups, saucers, mugs, creamers, and teapots support coffee, breakfast, and tea service.

How to Choose Schönwald Porcelain

Choose Schönwald porcelain by comparing the body, white tone, shape, storage requirements, and collection before ordering.

• White tone: Compare Continental White with BoneWhite, the softer cream-colored shade used for Noble China, and match the tone to the dinnerware already in service.
• Porcelain body: Compare standard hard porcelain with Noble China, the thinner hard-porcelain body used in collections including Allure.
• Rim and shape: Choose coupe, flat, deep, or embossed-rim pieces according to the plating style and handling requirements of the operation.
• Stackable shapes: Select stackable cups, bowls, plates, and other suitable pieces when storage and dish-room space are limited.
• One collection: Standardize on a collection where possible to keep place settings consistent and simplify replacement orders.
• Matching lids: Check the individual product listing to confirm which lid, cloche, or cover fits the selected bowl or dish.

Is Schönwald Porcelain Worth It?

Schönwald porcelain is worth the higher upfront cost for commercial operations. A long service life offsets that cost, with fewer replacements and collections designed to stay in production for straightforward reorders. Operators who standardize on one collection typically spend less over time than those replacing mismatched budget patterns piece by piece.

Why Buy Schönwald from Chef's Deal

Chef's Deal lists Schönwald plates, bowls, cups, platters, and other tabletop pieces by category, with case pricing shown on individual product pages. Operators can request a quote when they need a specific item or assortment that requires availability confirmation. Chef's Deal also offers a price-match program and operates warehouse and showroom locations in Nashville and Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Shop Schönwald plates, bowls, cups, platters, and table accessories by the case at Chef's Deal, or request a quote when you need a specific Schönwald collection or product not shown in the standard online assortment.