Restaurant MAISON (Paris)

Fusion of Nabeshima’s traditional techniques and botanical art

The Restaurant MAISON (Paris) series is a collaboration series produced under the supervision of MAISON, a restaurant led by chef Sota Atsumi, who is active mainly in Paris, France.

The idea came from the chef’s passion for ingredients.

“For MAISON, which values producers and seasonal ingredients, the existence of producers is the most important thing.And the ingredients they produce are what make up our dishes.”

Chef Atsumi visited Hataman Toen to develop his pottery, and was struck by the richness of the colors of Nabeshima ware, as well as the history and techniques that had been cultivated there.

“I felt that by combining the techniques of Hataman Toen, which has inherited the tradition of Nabeshima ware, with European culture, a traditional and new expression could be born.”

The motif I chose was antique botanical art from European culture.

Botanical means“plants” or “derived from plants” in English, and detailed paintings have existed as botanical art (illustrated encyclopedias of plants) since ancient times.

Pursuing the precise and delicate depiction of realistic botanical art using the limited number of colors in the Nabeshima style, we announced a total of 10 types of Restaurant MAISON (Paris) series in 2020 after about a year of development. As the second step, in 2022 we announced a total of six types of slightly smaller plates.

This is the birth of a new expressive technique, created through the painstaking efforts of Hataman Toen’s painters.

A reinterpretation of traditional painting techniques and a new expressive technique that creates a sense of three-dimensionality and depth.

It was extremely difficult to express the detailed realism of botanical art in pottery, which required a high level of skill.

One of the traditional expressions of Nabeshima ware is the sense of depth created by overlapping layers of underglaze and overglaze, but with the newly established technique for the Restaurant MAISON (Paris) series, only the layered design is glazed. The white porcelain part is air-fired to give it a matte texture, making the three-dimensionality and depth of the painting even more prominent.

By reinterpreting this traditional technique and using a unique expression method, the original texture of porcelain and the glossy painting create a contrast, making the plants and fruits depicted even more fresh and rich in beauty.

A new expression that can only be created by the artisans of Hataman Toen, who have inherited the traditional painting techniques of Nabeshima ware. ”Restaurant MAISON (Paris)” is a series where you can enjoy its delicate beauty.

Of course you can enjoy it as a decorative plate, but since this plate was created by order from a restaurant chef, we are also particular about its shape, which takes into account the presentation of food.

The shape of the bowl curves outward from the center, which allows the sauce to gather in the center when food is served. In addition, by making the height small, you can enjoy the outline of the shadow that is created on the outside when placing dishes, and the gap between the ground surface and the ground surface becomes a handhold, making it easy to serve.

Attention to shape with consideration for presentation

”Producers (Hataman Toen) and seasonal ingredients (botanical art) that we value in our restaurants have become an indispensable dish for our restaurant maison.” (Chef Atsumi)

For those of us who were involved in the production together, hearing the chef’s words is the most rewarding treat.