There is no doubt that the popularity of smart phones has had an impact on the restaurant business. Customers have a way to express their delight in what they see by snapping images of their food and posting it on their own social media sites, or review sites like Yelp. While creating tasty vittles has been, and continues to be, the benchmark for restaurant success, chefs are employing a new way to create a distinctive dining experience for patrons: behold, the artisan collaborators!
In an age where dining fare is forever documented in cyberspace, how that food is highlighted, and the space in which it is presented, has become a focus. Instead of perusing catalogs for mass produced tableware, more and more restaurants and chefs are commissioning their own earthenware, contracting special art for the walls, and even working with furniture and lighting designers.
This Washington Post article notes some independent artists who create dishes (read: actual plates to eat off) for some of the most renowned restaurants in the world, such as designer Martin Kastner for Alinea in Chicago.
A couple of years ago, I photographed ceramicist, Lisa Neimath,who sells her tableware to restaurants directly, wineries like Silver Oak Vineyards , and also cool retailers like Anthropologie.
Lisa Neimath © Caren Alpert Photography
Neimath Studio © Caren Alpert Photography
Neimath tableware © Caren Alpert Photography
If you have favorite tableware you’ve run into, I’d love to see some photos of them! Tag me on your social media, or pop it into a comment below! Instagram: @carenalpert, Twitter @carenalpert, Facebook: Caren Alpert Photography
For More: