Artisan pottery and Gastronomy, a love that shines through in Gran Canaria
They say a recipe itself doesn’t have a soul, rather it is the chef that provides it. Nevertheless, nobody doubts that crockery is a fundamental part of a recipe today: it enhances the dish, while each piece adds a dash of beauty to the end product.
This opinion is shared among critics and gastronomic experts all around the world, so much so that neuroscience has taken it on to study just how the shape of crockery, along with its colour, material and density all influence how, what and how much we eat.
Gran Canaria boasts many great craftsmen and women who ply their trade using a range of different materials, creating pieces that embellish further still the fine culinary choices in Gran canaria. An exponent of this is Radha Andaluz, the creator of the Radhaluz Ceramic brand. She is a potter and sculptor, (and a member of FEDAC), who has Argentinian roots and loves the profession she works in, hand in hand with some of the finest chefs on the island.
“It’s hard to make a living out of crafts, but it is very gratifying, and fortunately restaurant owners, chefs and the general public are all getting behind the idea”, says the artist. Hers are some of the pieces used by chefs for the IslandMix recipes, as well as the dishes taken to Madrid Fusión.
Radha Andaluz uses quality materials and puts every ounce of detail into every creation to make it a unique piece. “My desire is to have them go from being an object to being an experience that delights all senses. For this reason I believe their fusion with gastronomy is perfect”, the potter points out.
Radha AndaluzThe artist has been making pieces for gastronomic purposes for a long time, and following years of perseverence, she is now beginning to see the fruits of her labour. “The key is to believe in what you’re doing and make the most of modern technology; to be aware of any new openings in the market; go along to fairs and shows such as the ones at San Telmo (in the capital city), the Spring South Crafts Fair in Maspalomas, and those in Lanzarote, plus the Regional Fair...and of course, look after your professional relationships, because thanks to the wonderful people I have met I have been able to develop a business in the culinary field”, Radha explains.
The creative links that Radhaluz Cerámica has forged within culinary circles have come along naturally. Since she was a child she has been in close contact with ceramics and the day to day activities in the workshop: Radha’s father is a potter and sculptor too, and she grew up watching him work. She was amazed at how he fashioned the crockery at home. “From an early age I realised what a wonderful symbiosis occurs when a culinary creation comes together with ceramics to produce that final dish. It’s lovely that chefs acknowledge how their dishes are enhanced by the pieces they are presented on”.
Pottery is getting back the place it deserves on the island and is giving an added touch to chefs’ creations to provide renewed excitement to those coming to discover fine gastronomy in Gran Canaria.
