Kaiseki Dinner

The Kaiseki Dinner began as an 8 week class at Red Star Studios in Kansas City, Missouri. Each student’s assignment was to design and create a special serving dish that would be paired with a specific course for our Japanese Kaiseki dinner finale.

: Our Kaiseki Ryori celebration begins with a traditional tea ceremony given by Linda Lighton, one of our class members.

: Our class of 16 students produced over 300 pots for tonight’s dinner.

: I decided to take the class ” Form/Function & Fabulous Food” because it paired 2 passions of mine; food and pots!

: Lynn, Laura DeAngelis( Redstar’s gallery manager) and Debbe Wald enjoy each other’s company before dinner starts.

: Chef Rosenblum welcomes his hosts, quests and pottery class. He includes a description of the 1st course we are about to receive; “vegetable mochi and coal-roasted shishamo smelt & grilled hama oyster”

: Chef Micharl Rosenblum co-taught the class at Redstar with Michael Fujita. Michael, a former resident artist at Redstar is now at Alfred University working on his master degree.

: Our teacher, Michael Fujita’s pottery set holds a yummy “chawan mushi and soba shellfish custard.

: The thrill of seeing 30 of Michael Fujita’s soda fired trays, inscribed with a calligrapher’s kaiku, come out of the kitchen with the exquisite 1st course made you understand the important connection pottery and food share in the Japanese culture.

: Amanda Ramsey gets her 1st glimpse of the “kelp-marinated aji mackerel & assorted aromatics” on her leaf inspired trays.

: Andrew Gilliatt (Redstar resident) ponders the saki paired with the “forest mushroom nigiri”; resting appropriately on his tree bark inspired tray.

: “Duo of summer poke on forest ice & fresh limu” rest perfectly in the 3 shallows provided by Todd Carlgren for this specific dish.

: Close up of Duo of summer poke

: Our evening’s hosts, Fran and Charlene Lemery, graciously allowed the event to take place in their Japanese inspired garden. Gertrude Ferguson (end of table) was a guest of Michael Fujita.

: Between courses we took advantage of walks around the Lemery’s garden.

: Between courses we took advantage of walks around the Lemery’s garden.

: Potters Al King and Nancy Bean use her saki cups to toast the evening.

: Chef Rosenblum’s staff carefully prepares the next course.

: Laura DeAngelis’ scalloped plates perfects the connection to chef’s dish of ” carpaccio of yali pears, hirame and suzuki fish. The celadon glaze appears through the transparent slices of pear and fish.

: Laura DeAngelis’ scalloped plates

: Close up Laura DeAngelis’ scalloped plates

: Laura also made the “octapus” chopstick rests.

: Bradley’s porcelain plates in perfect harmony with Chef’s mousse of sweet shrimp & avocado parfait.

: Bradley Stout anticipates the arrival of this vessel!

: Susan Hill, owner of Redstar Studios, conceived the class idea.

: Cindy Shoup’s square bowls compliment ” agedashi tofu & baby anchovies”.

: Close up.

: Ok- so I got alittle inapporiate when I thought the anchovies were netted out of some kid’s aquarium!

: Al King’s shino glazed hot pots worked impeccably.

: Jennifer Tuttle’s elegant plates set the scene for my favorite dish of the evening – ” charred tako with a 3-citrus reduction sauce”.

: UGG! The dirty dishes start to pile up. We all took home ours dishes so the kitchen staff could just concentrate on preparing the food.

: My covered dishes receiving their steamed chicken & veggies.

: My covered dishes receiving their steamed chicken & veggies.

: Since tonight is a celebration I wanted my pots to reflect the occasion and announce to the diner that something special was in their covered dish.