White plates and bowls made of porcelain, melamine and Vitrelle glass laminate are disappearing from the dining table. Stoneware ceramics are taking the lead, and their earthy, imperfect, soft finishes please diners and their followers on Instagram.

The catering team is working with pottery studios to customize their pottery to match their menu, interior design and dining concept. This trend is an extension of the renewed love for ancient and handcraft-pottery is an ancient art.

Chef Udayshankar Shenoy said that his pastry shop turned into a cafe Lazy Suzy was the first person in Bangalore to switch to stoneware. That was in 2015. “For a chef, food is art and plates are canvases,” he said, recalling his decision to make pottery in Clay Studio in HSR Layout.

Robin Batra, executive chef of The Oberoi Hotel, agrees: "The carefully researched and executed dishes are worthy of matching with pottery to provide a wholesome dining experience."

Display is the core of Nouvelle cuisine, a trend that appeared in the 1990s. “I made a 12-inch plate instead of a standard 8-inch plate. The food shouldn’t look cramped,” Udayshankar said.

TV shows like Masterchef promoted the electroplating business, and Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller from the United States continued to retail his own line of stoneware tableware.

Batra said that unconventional tableware looks good, but the function cannot be compromised when it comes to restaurant layout. He used a deep bowl for gravy and a shallow dish for dry food. Sushi is served on tableware to help use chopsticks.

Chef Kavan Kuttappa uses stoneware to make ramen bowls because it retains heat and is not easily scratched. The person behind the light pink Naru Noodle Bar in collaboration with Trayah Pottery of Koramangala said that light and dark soups look great in them. He uses these bowls in pop-up events and retails them.

Good-looking food has become a hit on Instagram, which is also a good exercise for marketing. 

Suzy Q by 1522 is a bar and kitchen located on Queens Road. Its chef worked with Second Design + Media, a design agency from Bangalore, to crack their electroplating code. Partner Anirudh Kheny said that stoneware is a natural force, not subject to rules, and suitable for "young, energetic and feminine brands."

The team goes one step further. "We printed clever lines on them. You will find an exclamation mark at the bottom of the soup bowl," he said.

Pottery is very popular in restaurants and even at home, because pottery studios are everywhere. Batra said that ceramists wanted to create novel designs to support themed restaurants and their innovative menus.

The ceramic artist received requests for unconventional designs-rectangles, triangles, and fish shapes.

In terms of color and texture, handprinted gray and creamy white tableware are the most popular in shops in a green environment, while cafes choose blue, turquoise, yellow, pink and red.

*You can customize the stoneware in terms of shape, color, texture, carving and glazing (matte to shiny).

*The stoneware is durable, very scratch-resistant, and can be cleaned in the dishwasher.

*It looks good in all settings.

* Stoneware is not suitable for use in restaurants and cafeterias with a lot of people because of the high probability of damage. It is best for boutiques.

*Some people say that mainland food is better than Indian food.

* Stoneware is 20-35% more expensive than porcelain.

* Difficult to stack because it may have uneven edges and shapes.

The Oberoi, MG Road

In their Asian restaurant Wabi Sabi, the white plates are "cracks" patched with golden enamel. This is the Japanese philosophy of accepting imperfection, also known as Wabi Sabi. The tableware was developed by the German company Rosenthal.

In the Lapis main restaurant, the pottery is made of five different textures of local clay. It was created by Art Evo from Mysuru to celebrate the restaurant’s key regional products and specialties. 

Chef Udayshankar Shenoy hopes that his pottery will complement the environment of his art cafe. Sea green and coffee brown platter and teacup sets also appeared, they have rich luster and spots, and free-form delicious bowls.

Shenoy got a custom-made plate to serve panna cotta, passion jam and pasta: "It's like an upside-down hat. The center prevents the sauce from flowing out."

Suzy Q by 1522, Queens Road

Stoneware also has interesting colors. Here, you will find a bubblegum-toned bowl with the edges folded to secure the pasta. Or a bordered flat plate whose light blue center contrasts sharply with wontons and sauces. The green contrasts sharply on the white and pink salad plates. Their heavy dessert platter is like a waning moon. “Desserts are served where whites and blacks meet. This provides a balance for the image. When people eat desserts, the thickness keeps the plate stable,” explains business partner Anirudh Kheny.

Porcelain is divided into three types: pottery, stoneware and porcelain. They differ in burning temperature, porosity and durability. The stoneware is fired at 1,200°C. It is more porous than porcelain, but stronger.

Naveen Kumar of Mysuru's Zarava studio was asked to make a wine glass with seahorse details out of stoneware. Some bars serve tiki cocktails in ceramic cups inspired by totem poles.

This kind of requirement is rare, because glass is still the first choice for beverages. Unobstructed colors and hiss play a key role in the drinking experience.

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