The Kaiseki table by Alessandro Isola and Supriya Mankad from I M Lab has been especially designed for the restaurant NYU located in the heart of the historical town of Oderzo, Italy. Located within the unique and fascinating surroundings of a roman ruin the restaurant shares the building with the Michelin starred restaurant Gellivs under the same chef.
Italian food cooked on a Tepenyaki. The tables can be moved around to suit the occasion and compliments this form of demonstrative cooking where the table surface becomes part of the food presentation. The table is one of the modular elements that include the Tepenyaki and mobile trolleys which join up with the table.
The table has been designed such that the surface becomes part of the meal experience. Modular metal elements slot into the central section of the table and can be changed very easily numerous times through the course of the meal itself.
For example at the start the central element holds a shallow metal tray with a plant or flower arrangement to be followed and replaced by a tray full of condiments or a deeper container with a wine bottle. The two flexible elements on either side can be used as surfaces to put the food or turned over to allow for 4 people to sit at the same table.
The metal also forms the support and base of the table with the main fixed surface elements being made of timber. The lightweight oak veneered timber elements sit on a metal frame. The powder coated metal base has been designed so that it can be used as a surface to stash a bag etc out of everyone’s way. The tables needed to be quite flexible, used for group of 2 and 4, or joined up for large single parties and therefore a simple square form was chosen.