Embracing the Vibrance: My Love Affair with Ottolenghi's FEAST Tableware

Welcome to my latest blog post where I do my best to introduce you to the vibrant world of the newly launched FEAST tableware range by none other than the British-Israeli culinary genius, Yotam Ottolenghi. Bursting with an array of colours and engaging vegetable prints, this collection embodies the positivity and passion Ottolenghi is famed for. Crafted with the jubilant spirit of communal dining at its heart, this expressive range is the perfect partner for those joyous occasions of gathering around a table, breaking bread with loved ones, and engaging in the age-old tradition of sharing stories.

To create FEAST the renowned chef joined hands with Italian artist Ivo Bisignano. “Ivo is a good friend as well as a soul-mate for the creative process in all Ottolenghi graphics”, Yotam Ottolenghi states. “His art, in whatever medium, is honest, expressive, bold, joyful and colourful. Attributes we strive to achieve in our food.”

The FEAST collection is characterised by an impulsive gesture of an ‘O’ shaped brush stroke. “I have an obsession for the O”, Ivo Bisignano explains. “The O shape of a face, the O of a circle, a dot, a double dot and of course: the O of Ottolenghi. The continuum of the O shape is something I find very intriguing.” Apart from the graphic language of the O the artist also incorporates abstract images of vegetables, an essential ingredient in Ottolenghi’s signature cuisine. “I have drawn thousands of vegetables in this process trying to achieve the effect of stamping actual vegetables on a plate”, he says. The result is a colourful aesthetic that gives every user the personal freedom to create a celebration, a true feast, every single day. “The plates are like different spices”, Bisignano explains. “It is the combination and proportion of the different components that will define the flavour.”

The various sizes in plates, the vibrant colours and different patterns all evoke the typical Ottolenghi feeling of ‘outrageous casualness’. Of creating tables that are informal but very abundant, eccentric even, at the same time. “We have tried to tell the Ottolenghi story in objects. It is a story of the tension between the earthy and the sophisticated, between passion and refinement, tradition and novelty. Ostensible opposites, existing together in dynamic harmony”, Ottolenghi says. “This collection is a collaboration nourished by camaraderie and by the sharing of lovingly-made food around a beautifully-laid table. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.”

I must confess, I've been completely charmed by FEAST, and I've already started to snag pieces for my own little home - not to mention, I've got plans to surprise my loved ones with these vibrant gems too! If you're ever in a gift-giving quandary, this tableware has got your back. Just imagine the surprise on their faces when they unwrap their first piece! The best part? Future gifts just became a no-brainer - they'll always be thrilled to unwrap another delightful addition to their FEAST collection. So go on, spread the joy - one colourful, unforgettable piece at a time!