The First Annual International Table Setting Competition is one month away! As the event gets closer, we become increasingly excited and we are absolutely overjoyed to see the themed table entries we have received so far. There is still room for more competitors so if you were interested in exhibiting your penchant for outstanding table scaping and setting, please go to the website in our bio to read more and access the application for entry. The 2026 ITSC is being made possible thanks to @npu.live and our friends at @arcthrift

Meet The Judges, Part 3: The ITSA is honored to have Serita Sangimino contribute her knowledge and incredible eye for details as one of our panel members Serita Sangimino is an accomplished event designer and Chief Student Affairs Officer at the Academy of Art University, renowned for orchestrating some of the institution’s most prestigious and visually striking events. With a background in fashion and merchandising, she brings a sophisticated understanding of color, texture, and spatial composition to every production, seamlessly blending style with precision. Her work is distinguished by its elegance, innovation, and meticulous attention to detail. In her leadership role, Serita oversees the planning and execution of the university’s largest and most refined gatherings, setting a standard of excellence that reflects both creativity and professionalism. Her expertise in transforming environments into immersive, elevated experiences has established her as a respected authority in the world of event design and presentation.

Table setting has always been part of everyday life, shaped not just in grand halls, but around family dinners, holiday spreads and well-loved kitchen tables. It’s where care shows up in the details. A thoughtfully set table turns the ordinary into something special, where color, texture and placement become a quiet, beautiful form of art. We invite you to enter the first ever International Table Setting Competition and show the world how you express your table setting skills, in the most creative way possible. Applications are now open at internationaltablesettingassociation.org Slide 1- @addictedtochina Slide 2- @david_stark_design Slide 3- @llariega Slide 4- @casadeperrin #tablesetting #tablesettingcompetition #tablesetup

Meet The Judges, Part 2: Marco Braun! The ITSA is overjoyed to announce another incredible judge on our prestigious panel- @marcosfunhouse ! Marco Braun was born in the year of our lord and savior Taylor Swift, 1989. And to double his good fortune, he was born on the most perfect date, April 25th - “It’s not too hot, it’s not too cold, all you need is a light jacket.” With a birth date like that and the “homosexual audacity that leads Marco to believe he possesses any and all required skills to complete whatever project he’s set his mind to, despite having no previous experience in that particular craft,” Marco always knew he was destined to make people laugh and gag at the same time by making funny videos online. Marco started his downward spiral into the depths of the internet by selling antiques (As described by People Magazine, yes this actually happened, Marco is an “antique salesman”. Cue Musical Theater fast patter song about antiques!). Since then, he’s expanded his bag of tricks with vintage recipes, lawn geese, healing his inner child, and doing whatever it takes to fill the world with color, joy and more perfect days. He’s no stranger to antiques, dining tables, a masterful floral arrangement or a gut-busting laugh fit. For these reasons and more, we cannot wait to have him critique the competition! The International Table Setting Competition is open for entries! Click the link in our bio to read more about the rules, categories and application.

Meet The Judges, Part 1- The ITSA is proud to announce @alysewhitney as one of the members of our esteemed panel of judges! Alyse Whitney is the Dip Queen and author and creative mastermind behind cookbook Big Dip Energy. She was Cosmopolitan’s first-ever food columnist (Doing the Least with Alyse) and has a series called “Amused Bouche” at SAVEUR magazine (a culinary proust questionnaire for celebs and chefs). She is a TV personality who has hosted and judged on Netflix’s Easy-Bake Battle, The Big Nailed It! Baking Challenge, and Pressure Cooker, and is a three-time judge on Food Network’s Chopped. She has been cooking ever since she could reach the countertop, and spent most of her 15-year journalism career in magazines (Bon Appétit and Rachael Ray Every Day), entertainment publications (TVLine, POPSUGAR, Glamour, The Hollywood Reporter), and food-focused brands (Cooking Channel and Cravings by Chrissy Teigen). As a food and entertaining expert, she uses her gift of gab and fun and funky approach to food to get people cooking and finding community together. She is a Korean American Jewish adoptee who resides in Los Angeles with her two rescue pups, Miso and Ritz, and is always looking for a new dish to transform into a dip—and her next go-to karaoke song. She even wrote and released a theme song for “Big Dip Energy,” streaming everywhere now. Stay tuned for more!

Okay creatives, this one’s for YOU ✨🍽️ Our girl Leanne from @mexakitsch is bringing the vibes with a tablescape design contest you do NOT want to miss at @intltablesettingcomp 💐 Think: bold colors, unique finds, thrifted treasures, and a table that tells a story. Whether you’re hosting, styling, or just love a good aesthetic moment, this is your sign to get involved. Enter your own tablescape, show off your creativity, and be part of a community that celebrates design, culture, and self-expression 💛 And you already know… arc is the perfect place to find one-of-a-kind pieces to bring your table to life 😉 #internationaltablesettingcompetiton #tablesetting #tabledecor #tablescapestyling #ThriftedDecor #arcthriftstores

THE ENTRY FORM IS OPEN! Head to the link in our bio to enter the very first ITSC Have questions? Drop them here so we can answer for everyone and please share this post with the world!

The entry form for the inaugural International Table Setting Competition will open in just a few hours. Prospective entrants are encouraged to review the ITSA website and the entry guidelines carefully before submitting their application. Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out here or through the ITSA website linked in our bio. Our mission is to reinvigorate a timeless tradition and celebrate the art of table setting as a meaningful form of creative expression. We warmly welcome participants from all backgrounds who share a passion for design, hospitality, and thoughtful presentation. We look forward to reviewing your entries🍽️ Entries open March 14 internationaltablesettingassociation.org

Welcome to the official page for the inaugural International Table Setting Competition! Our mission is to establish a distinguished assembly of creativity, tradition, and will be the West Coast’s premier competitive setting event. This June, we are inviting competitors from all over the world to join us in San Francisco at the historic SF Mint for a two day event where 30 teams will compete for awards in 3 categories but only one table will be named BEST IN SHOW. 3 categories. 30 teams. 1 time honored tradition. Follow this page for news and updates, entries will open MARCH 14! #internationaltablesettingcompetiton #tablesetting #makersofinstgram #tabledecor #tablescapestyling