Rebecca Catteral on mon 23 jul 12
Hi all, I've been asked to work with a local restaurant to make some low=3D=
20=3D
bowls and plates. This is an advantage to the Foodie Craze and chefs want=
=3D
ing=3D20=3D20
to have their own look as well as taste. I usually use Laguna ^5 bmix wit=
=3D
h=3D20
grog. Would you stay with this clay? Do you think I should go with a ^5=3D=
20=3D
porcelain to make the dishes more durable? And if so, any suggestions for=
=3D
=3D20
which porcelain?
Thanks,=3D20
Rebecca
Steve Mills on tue 24 jul 12
Hi Rebecca,
Making cold table and serving wares for small Hotels and Restaurants was wh=
a=3D
t I did for years here in the UK. I was working at cone 9 then with a mediu=
m=3D
grogged stoneware clay which didn't chip easily. If the clay you are using=
i=3D
s strong and reasonably chip resistant I would stay with it.=3D20
I would not recommend changing to porcelain. Stay with a clay you know well=
;=3D
changing just for an order can open a whole Pandora's box of problems.=3D2=
0
I loved doing that sort of work, you can build a really creative relationsh=
i=3D
p with a good Chef that will stretch you both in the best possible way.=3D2=
0
Steve M
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my iPod
On 24 Jul 2012, at 00:43, Rebecca Catteral wrote:
> Hi all, I've been asked to work with a local restaurant to make some low=
=3D20=3D
> bowls and plates. This is an advantage to the Foodie Craze and chefs want=
i=3D
ng =3D20
> to have their own look as well as taste. I usually use Laguna ^5 bmix wit=
h=3D
=3D20
> grog. Would you stay with this clay? Do you think I should go with a ^5=
=3D20=3D
> porcelain to make the dishes more durable? And if so, any suggestions for=
=3D20=3D
> which porcelain?
> Thanks,=3D20
> Rebecca
David Woof on wed 25 jul 12
Hi Rebecca=3D2C
I have always considered Laguna B-mix to be a "dirty porcelain" that is mor=
=3D
e user friendly than porcelain to folks who don't work with porcelain enoug=
=3D
h to get the experience necessary to get the most out of its unique tempera=
=3D
ment=3D2C idiosyncrasies and character.
It is a travesty to see folks try to work in porcelain and produce work tha=
=3D
t a appears as a bad unrefined=3D2C clunky imitation of stone ware forms.
So if B-mix has been your comfortable clay medium of choice=3D2C then by al=
l =3D
means stick with it for this commission. You will have enough to concern yo=
=3D
urself with in production of food service forms and the technicalities of g=
=3D
ood restaurant duty pottery.
Unless you have a solid experience in production of porcelain ware=3D2C exe=
cu=3D
ting a new commission in a strange medium is just added weight toward frust=
=3D
ration and possible failure in what could be a good experience financially =
=3D
as well as career advancement.
Your reputation hangs on things like this.
Especially at cone 5 you will find the porcelains to be an added challenge =
=3D
because of the added non-plastic fluxes needed to vitrify the body to tran=
=3D
slucency that consequently are at odds with the plastic qualities you utili=
=3D
ze for expression and control of form in the stoneware body.
Be sure to bevel and burnish trimmed feet. Take care to have generous round=
=3D
ed rims and edges=3D2C taking note not to sponge off the surfaces so as to =
ex=3D
pose the gritty grog=3D2C or create sharp edges and angles that are prone t=
o =3D
chip. Test and chose glazes that resist chipping=3D2C utensil marking and s=
cr=3D
atches. (all things we should do anyway)
Your forms must be "utilitarian sturdy=3D2C" (but not clunky) and with good=
b=3D
alance in the hand when bearing the weight of food. The "art" of good utili=
=3D
tarian craft must play a vital supporting role for the "art" of serving fin=
=3D
e food.
When it is a collaborative effort between two equally passionate people=3D3=
B =3D
you and the Chef=3D2C great things happen.
Serving ware takes abuse even in the best of restaurant conditions. Every t=
=3D
able busser gets distracted=3D2C disgusted=3D2C and doesn't always like his=
/her=3D
job. Make sure you do your job so the problem doesn't come back to you.
Best wishes=3D2C
David Woof
***Putting in a shameless plug for Chef John (my son) who gets published in=
=3D
the slick food magazines in Minneapolis.
John talks about food=3D2C heat and cooking chemistry with the same excited=
p=3D
assion that some of us talk about glaze chemistry=3D2C kilns and firing pro=
ce=3D
sses.
Don't we just love it when we see the next generation light up.
___________________________________________________________
bowls for a restaurant=3D20
Posted by: "Rebecca Catteral" rebeccacatter@YAHOO.COM=3D20
Date: Mon Jul 23=3D2C 2012 6:30 pm ((PDT))=3D20
Hi all=3D2C I've been asked to work with a local restaurant to make some lo=
w =3D
bowls and plates. This is an advantage to the Foodie Craze and chefs wantin=
=3D
g to have their own look as well as taste. I usually use Laguna ^5 bmix wit=
=3D
h grog. Would you stay with this clay? Do you think I should go with a ^5 p=
=3D
orcelain to make the dishes more durable? And if so=3D2C any suggestions fo=
r =3D
which porcelain?
Thanks=3D2C=3D20
Rebecca =3D
Rebecca Catteral on fri 27 jul 12
Thanks to everybody who responded here and directly to my email about=3D20
making dishes for a local restaurant. As usual, great advice.
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