Glass crème brûlée and clay breadcrumbs: The creation of the Cooking the Craft cookware collection
I arrive slightly late at the UMPRUM Technology Centre, where I am greeted with a smile by designer Ivo Jedlička. Together, we walk through the large ceramic studio and Ivo describes with his own enthusiasm the creation of the Cooking the Craft tableware collection:
"At the beginning of the project, there was a seemingly simple brief – the design of a plate. When I discussed the topic with my roommate, he remarked that a great place to experiment and try new approaches is the UM Learning Center. So I reached out to František Skopec via Instagram, and that's where it all started."
František, the creative chef who is most often found at UM, played an important role in the whole process. "Together we were looking for a theme that could be reflected in the tableware collection. In the end, I thought I would go down the path of experimentation and apply the technologies used in cooking in an unconventional way to the processing of materials," Ivo recalls the birth of the collection. The includes six types of plates and glasses made of ceramic, porcelain and glass.
"It was interesting to see how František approached the collection from the perspective of a chef. For example, he was surprised that the clay takes two days to fire. I believe it was also enriching for him to have a glimpse into my world," says Ivo. The meetings with František took place from last autumn until the spring. After that Ivo closed himself in the workshop and worked on the collection.
A winding road to sweetness
Diving headfirst into unexplored techniques requires not only courage, but also time and patience. "I spent about six months making the dishes. I can still remember three weeks during which I only pulled shards out of the kiln. I tried to humble myself to the material and go against its basic principles," Ivo explains, adding that he found his greatest support in the workshop at school, in people who run the workshop and show the students how to work with the equipment. With them, Ivo consulted on all the technical pitfalls of each step of production.
"When something didn't work out, we tried to find out why it couldn't be done. It was a new experience for everyone involved," Ivo recalls. During the whole process, he gained a better understanding of exactly how the chosen materials work, and what happens to them at certain stages.
Cooked in the workshop
From the ceramics and glass studio, Ivo Jedlička made several trips to nearby UM, where he had the opportunity to be part of the The Siren Test pop-up. "At the January Siren Test, mainly meat dishes were prepared. Since I'm a vegetarian and don't like to process meat, I was put in charge of mainly vegetables. Then I also tried my hand at working on the floor, serving desserts," says Ivo. Even during his kitchen practice, he got most of his ideas and inspiration, which he then translated into his collection.
And so today I can admire a plate that has been created in a similar way to the way a baker prepares a puff pastry. "While the dough is covered with butter, I have covered the porcelain with glaze," Ivo explains the analogy.
There is also a plate, which was made using a trivet with "breadcrumbs" made of clay. "I took a stiffer clay and grated it on a classic grater. Then I fired it at 900 degrees so that it was hard but workable. I decided to coat the plate in slip, which is a soggy clay. The only problem is that the clay crumbs can fall off the plate. But this happens with breadcrumbs on meat too, so it actually underlines the idea of the whole project," says Ivo with a smile.
He also found inspiration in the crust of crème brûlée. "I made a granulate out of glass blocks, layering different colours into a mould and then baked it. Then the shards were connected in the same way as a crème brûlée crust.," Ivo describes the creation of his next product.
And what's next?
Looking at the dishes Ivo Jedlička has created, I ask the final question – what's next? The designer doesn't hesitate and invites me to an intimate pop-up, which he and František Skopec conceived and organised. It will take place in September in the premises of UMPRUM in Mikulandská Street.
The gentlemen will jointly prepare a multi-course vegetarian menu, served on dishes from the Cooking the Craft collection. "In addition, I plan to take it to exhibitions abroad and would like to put some pieces from the series on sale," reveals Ivo Jedlička.
From the school's point of view
"The purpose of studying at UMPRUM is to guide students through the various artistic disciplines, to introduce them not only to the fundamentals and historical context of the craft that they will further develop in their practice, but also to motivate them to find their own path and observe the world around them with the ability to listen, think critically and collaborate in interdisciplinary teams. Ivo Jedlička's diploma project from the Product Design Studio is an example of just such a collaboration under the auspices of the UMlab creative laboratory. The planned pop-up and the whole follow-up project Cooking the Craft represents one of the possible paths our graduates take after graduation. We really appreciate the mutual cooperation." adds Ida Chuchlíková, Vice-Chancellor of UMPRUM.
