guéridon

Guéridon refers to a small, usually circular table with a single central support or pedestal, prominent in French furniture of the 17th–19th centuries. In interior design, guéridons were used as ornamental and functional accents in salons and boudoirs, often supporting a lamp, a vase, or a decanter.

The top is typically marble, wood, or pietra dura, frequently mounted with ormolu or gilded bronzes; the base might be a single turned column ending in a round plinth or a tripod of delicate legs. The style is associated with Rococo and Neoclassical designs and was produced by many French makers along with regional workshops across Europe.

In the context of culinary service, "service à guéridon" describes a method of serving dishes at the table. A waiter or chef would perform finishing touches, carving, flambéing, and presenting plates on a portable guéridon or small trolley, often at the guest's table. This practice peaked in the 19th and early 20th centuries and remains a hallmark of traditional fine dining in some establishments.

Today, guéridon tables are collected as antiques and are admired for their slender profiles and decorative marquetry, ormolu mounts, and the craftsmanship of 18th-century French furniture. The term also extends to contemporary reproductions and to the practice of guéridon service in high-end dining settings.