Ever since I could remember, I have dreamed of designing my own restaurant. After visiting Lima, the food capital of South America, I was captivated by Nikkei food, which draws parallels between Japanese and Peruvian cuisines. I, along with Donald, took on the culinary challenge of creating a 7-course Nikkei dining experience that celebrated the diverse landscapes and ingredients of Peru.
Nicholas designed the ceramic pieces around the trans-Pacific journey taken by Japanese immigrating to Peru. The dining experience starts with ceramics that were heavily sea-inspired—blue ocean plates and sandy wave bowls to hold dishes from the sea. Boat-shaped trays and wheat-colored bowls hosted foods that drew ingredients from land as the voyage progressed from water to land. Finally, red, iron-rich clay-bodied bowls and tea cups finished the night in a new home, with red and white coloring, which was a nod to the flag of Peru.
