For these meticulous chefs, the vessels that hold their food have to be the perfect canvas.
“I detest square plates,” declares Jason Tan, chef patron and co-owner of one-Michelin star Corner House, when I catch him in between lunch and dinner service. “Apart from that, I’m very open to patterns, shapes and colours that fit my gastro-botanica cuisine.”
Tan declares that he is addicted to tableware, a “personal hobby” that sees him buying pieces in countries he visits. “I can never have enough plates, but it’s too much for my team who has to find storage for them,” he admits. He has just returned from Thailand the day before, bearing new pearlware—bowls and spoons. A few months back, it was hawker bowls from China. His staff are meticulous about tableware so there is hardly any breakage—which means they are fast running out of space for Tan’s hobby.
Diners at Corner House will be familiar with his JT-emblazoned signature plate, a bold canvas for his beloved dish of carabinero prawns with variations of tomato. “I already had this dish in mind when I was looking for the plate,” Tan elaborates. “I knew about Luesma & Vega when I was working in Barcelona so I went to meet the founders to make the plate a reality to match this dish.” The Spanish design and production studio is a favourite of elBulli, Mugaritz and Gaggan, among others, and they customised the unique glass pieces Tan was seeking. The other signature plate is the leaf dish that holds his Botanica “garden” of over 40 vegetables. Aside from these two, he regularly switches around his plateware to change up the presentation of his dishes. He is already envisioning his next plate collaboration, and hoping to find a local or regional artisan. “Please recommend if you know anyone!”