THE STUDIO TABLE: A DINNER SERIES BY TAO OF CLAY
There’s something sacred about the table. It’s where we gather, eat, share, and connect. At The Studio Table, this age old ritual is reimagined through a collaboration between chefs and ceramic artists.
Each Studio Table dinner is an exploration of materials, memory, and the mutual respect between maker and user. It’s a multisensory experience where the form of the plate is as intentional as the food it carries, and the space holds the memory of it all.
At the heart of this concept is Josh Herman’s lifelong passion for both clay and cuisine.
“Clay and food are inherently connected. Both involve transformation of raw ingredients into something nourishing. They are both tactile, sensory, and demand presence.” - Josh Herman
For Herman, who grew up in a family that was centered around food and spent years immersed in ceramics, “The Studio Table” is the culmination of everything he values: slowness, creativity, and connection.
A Shared Craft in The Heart of Barrio Logan
The idea behind The Studio Table is simple but powerful: invite a chef and ceramic artist to collaborate. Together, they design a meal and a plate to hold it. The result is a one-of-a-kind culinary experience—whether a meal, tasting, or event—served on handmade ceramics crafted specifically for the occasion. Each guest takes home the very plate they used in the studio
“It’s not about perfection—it’s about intention. Each piece tells a story. Each bite, a dialogue between maker and diner.”
Herman hopes to create an experience that feels intimate, meaningful, and rooted in place. The dinners take place inside the Tao of Clay studio, surrounded by works in progress, tools, and shelves of glazed forms. Those who join us are not stepping into a restaurant; theyare stepping into a working studio transformed into a shared table.
“There’s no separation between the process and the presentation. You are dining in the very same space where the plates were made.”
A Ceramics Studio as a Site of Gathering
Tao of Clay has always been more than a ceramics studio. It’s a space built around community, ritual, and the joy of making. From the start, Herman envisioned it as a place for people to connect with craft, slowing down and making something meaningful through experiences.
“When I opened Tao of Clay, I wanted it to be a place where people could slow down and reconnect to their hands, their bodies, and their senses.”
The Studio Table extends this mission. It invites people into the creative process not as observers, but as participants. Every element of the evening is curated with care: the light, the sounds, the materials, the plateware. It’s less about fine dining and more about thoughtful dining.
“The goal isn’t to impress. It’s to invite people into a moment. To let them feel something.”
More Than a Meal
In a world of fast everything, The Studio Table is a gentle rebellion. It asks you to pay attention. To taste slowly. To notice texture, color, form.
It’s also about legacy. The plate you leave with isn’t just a souvenir it’s a piece of functional art and a reminder of where you were, who you were with, and what was shared. A gift to bring home and continue the shared experience.
“I want people to look at their plate a year from now and remember the way the food tasted, the laughter at the table, the feel of the clay. That’s what makes it art.”
Looking Ahead
Stay in touch to sit at the inaugural Studio Table - our first in this seasonal series, each one featuring a different chef and ceramic artist pairing. The menus will change. The forms will evolve. But the spirit remains the same: to celebrate collaboration, creativity, and the pleasure of gathering.
“We’re building something slow and meaningful. Something that reflects the energy of the people who come to it.”
If you’re curious about where The Studio Table came from, this dinner is your invitation to find out.
