Every space deserves its own design. So does every dish.
This is the foundation of our architecture-led approach to crafting one-of-a-kind pieces for restaurants and chefs around the world.
It’s not only about a colour palette that aligns with a venue’s brand book, or a collection that syncs with the concept of the desired dining experience. When we approach a serving need one dish at a time, the most extraordinary, yet uncompromisingly functional designs are born
When the most iconic menu items require extra effort
But what about a slice of pizza? Or a bowl of the iconic Caesar salad? What if they are not just “pizza” and “salad,” but statement items in high-end restaurants that strive for perfection in every aspect of the dining experience — from the chef’s vision to the guest’s comfort?
Recently, we worked on two chef briefs like these, both combining problem-solving across functional and aesthetic challenges.
Not all pizzas are created equal
The restaurant’s aesthetics are all about a dark, deep-ocean mood, sea creatures, watery abysses. The interior has won design awards; the concept is visible in every detail. Black plates, in theory, should fit perfectly with the creators’ intentions. And for some dishes, they absolutely do.
Not for the yellowtail tuna “pizza,” though.
Two colourful triangles (green, yellow, red) are placed on black plates, with fake charcoal underneath. It just doesn’t feel right. And the executive chef knows it.
“We can make something uniquely for you, your restaurant, your culinary vision.”
That’s how we approach world-class chefs. “Let’s do something about my ‘pizza,’” the Dubai chef wrote to us. “I’ve been struggling to find the right plating since we created this dish.”
“Hold my teacup,” our founder and chief designer-architect, Maria Baleva, replied.
And she came back with three options:
Two fishbone-shaped holders for the slices, placed on a deep green, irregular, elongated plate. Still ocean-inspired, but without the black that clashes with the dish’s colours—and a clever way to eliminate the fake charcoal.
Two wavy, marbled trays that allow air underneath so the crust remains crunchy. The chef’s imagination ran wild with these, and he immediately envisioned them as a solution for another experimental dish on the menu.
A Caesar salad that falls from grace
In another high-end restaurant group where just one location welcomes over a thousand guests daily, the creative team faced a surprisingly banal issue: the iconic Caesar salad was falling apart.
The initial presentation was beautiful, but once cut into four and shared, it would spill from the plate onto the table.
“We’ll share some references for salad bowls, but we’re flexible with the form. We just need something functional, beautiful, aligned with our brand book aesthetics, and durable enough for a heavy-duty kitchen like ours.”
We love briefs like this — specific, solution-driven, yet open to creative freedom and experimentation.
Meet La Sculpture, La Forme Libre and La Onde
(Yes, it’s a place celebrating French culinary artistry and hospitality.)
Our architectural thinking treated the Caesar salad as a composition built in layers. Hence La Sculpture: a form that acts as the outermost layer of the dish, holding it together rather than decorating it. Minimal, timeless, crafted from pure porcelain, with no accents. The form speaks through light, shadow, and proportion.
With La Forme Libre, we introduce balance through movement. A calm, open shape with a classical centre. The contour moves freely — asymmetrical, light, almost choreographed. The structure remains disciplined; the expression lives at the edge.
La Onde is all about controlled freedom. The inner geometry brings clarity and focus, while the surrounding line is intentionally fluid and imperfect. Precision at the centre, spontaneity at the perimeter.
Functional structures in service of cuisine. That's what we do.
Dish. Plating issue. Conversation. Brief. Experimentation with clay, glazes, forms, and techniques. First samples. De-brief. Kitchen testing. Redesign if needed. Then, finally, the first real product batches emerge from the kilns.
It’s not a short process, but this is how bespoke, beautiful, functional, and durable objects are created in the craftsmanship world we’re proud to be part of.
Doing the same, familiar, “proven” items is not our goal. That leads to boredom, complacency, and creative fatigue. Our craftsmen’s hands and minds feed on new challenges and unconventional briefs.
Do you have one? Let’s create something extraordinary together.
Nadya Zdravkova, key partners & new business @potteryand poetry; plates design and craftsmanship by arch. Maria Baleva, founder and chief designer , images: Maria Baleva
All items are conceived, designed and produced in our atelier.