When designer Maham Anjum’s old friend reached out to tell her about his new Japanese restaurant in the bustling heart of London’s Shoreditch, a creative collaboration was born. What Maham and Aaj Fernando, executive chef at Mitsu, now present is a perfect demonstration of how collaborative design can truly capture the spirit of a venue…
Maham, how did you first start working with the team at Mitsu London?
I met Aaj (Fernando, executive chef at Mitsu) many years ago when he was a young chef working at E&O in Notting Hill. Aaj is originally from Sri Lanka, and that became an immediate connection for us. I had been working in Sri Lanka on my craft revival work, the Terracotta Design Project, focusing on wheel-thrown, high-fired tableware for Western markets. We stayed in touch over the years, and when Mitsu was being planned, Aaj got in touch.
What was your original brief?
It really began with Aaj’s food. He talked me through the dishes he had in mind, I presented some initial pieces, and then Aaj and the team came to my studio and workshop where we explored different options and how best to present the Japanese-inspired dishes. The concept was East Tokyo meets East London. Aaj had been travelling in Japan and came back with ideas and references. Having previously worked with Narumi, I brought an understanding of Japanese tableware and presentation to the project, alongside a deep respect for Japanese craft and methods of production. We took inspiration from the menu, Japanese craft techniques, and some of the glaze effects I had already been developing in my own work.
Some of the pieces you have created for Mitsu are particularly unique talk us through what those are and the process involved in designing them?
One is the Temaki stand. It is a flowing wave of clay, raised on small feet so it has the illusion of floating above the table. Aaj’s handmade temaki are presented on it in twos or fours. It is a sculptural piece, but ultimately it is there to frame the food.
CLICK HERE to read the full interview in Tableware International’s HoReCa edition.