With the lockdowns, which made us all think more about being at home, a lot of people started updating their cooking skills, with some even extending their kitchens. It’s been such a good outcome with more variety of food at home and more people inviting friends for dinner and lunch parties.

When I shared a flat with my friends years ago, our cutlery and plates came from Ikea and Habitat. They were easy to replace and not too expensive, dishwasher safe and useful for the microwave. And nobody really minded if something got broken. It was popular, and you could see the same kind of thing being used in our friends’ houses, and in local cafes as well.

These days, I prefer to try and use things that are unique, and to try and appreciate the makers of objects. Of course I particularly love tea, and so my tea time is a very important moment in the day – both for relaxing and in terms of productivity. So I want to use one of my favourite tea cups.

Interesting plates can sometimes be a good talking point and the centre of attention, and sometimes help make food especially attractive when you are having friends round to eat. It’s a great topic of conversation, talking about the makers of plates and the 

personality of the makers, as well as different ways of creating ceramics. Quite a bit different from the mass-produced plates we had when we flat-shared! It is true that all handmade ceramics have a particular character, and whenever I am in the kitchen, cooking a meal, I will be thinking of how it will harmonise with the plates on the table.

To bring more beautiful ceramics to the table, we are now launching a series of handmade ceramics from Japan, as well as pieces by a Japanese artist who lives in Europe. These include the Wonky Mug from Yuta, a ceramic white tea set from 224 Porcelain, white porcelain Animal Dishes and Vases from Yukiko, and a sumo wrestler cup from Soetake. All of these have wonderful character and most importantly, they make me happy!

I hope you enjoy our new ceramics and I look forward to hearing about your new dinner parties!