“Lightly used” could truthfully describe the collection of plates, bowls, chopsticks and cutlery being offered for sale on conclusion of Noma restaurant’s five-week residency at the Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo. More than 60,000 diners applied to experience René Redzepi’s winter menu featuring local Japanese ingredients, and around 3,000 were successful in securing a reservation.
The items offered for sale are those that were actually used during service. The collection of tableware was “curated”, by fashion stylist Sonya Park, who drew on the work of 13 Japanese artists and potters and one Australian designer.
The restaurant closed its doors at last weekend and items are now being shipped, but you’ll have to move quickly to snap up a sliver of Noma Japan as about a third of the stock is already sold out.
"Some people buy in sets, while others buy individual pieces. It's quite varied," says Noma spokesman Ben Mervis. In general, the smaller pieces sold out first, however there is a good choice of serving plates (up to $320 each) and bowls ($130), and lots of very elegant cutlery – but a single setting fork and spoon carries a $330 price tag. See tokyostore.noma.dk
