The place I visited for this interview was the Pastry Shop, located on the first floor of the Andaz Tokyo, a luxury lifestyle hotel in Toranomon, Tokyo. The open, glass-walled interior features solid wood tables, creating a high-quality, sophisticated space with a warm atmosphere. Located on the first floor of Toranomon Hills, which is a hub for international business but also offers an urban lifestyle, the shop offers everything from a peaceful everyday life for the diverse guests who visit every day to special moments that only a hotel can provide.

We asked them about the reason behind choosing our tableware to serve the colorful sweets created by Andaz Tokyo’s chef patissier and the carefully selected teas and coffees.

“The Andaz brand offers an immersive experience that incorporates the charm of the land into the design and services, so each Andaz hotel in each location has a completely different personality. Located in Toranomon, a city where traditional history and a dynamic future coexist, Andaz Tokyo expresses the ‘coexistence of two opposing values’ through experiences throughout the hotel that stimulate the five senses of guests, including the space, interior, artwork, and food. When selecting tableware, we also wanted to express this ‘coexistence of two opposing values.’ For this reason, we were initially interested in the concept of yumiko iihoshi porcelain, which is ‘something that is on the border between handmade and manufactured products.'”

Our tableware, which are made in original colors and shapes by potteries all over Japan, are mass-produced but are delicately handcrafted by artisans, giving each piece a unique and warm look. “Andaz, which means personal style in Hindi, is our brand concept of creating a comfortable space where customers can be themselves, true to their individuality,” and we were told that the commonality between our two companies, valuing “individuality,” was one of the reasons behind their consultation.

After carefully considering several series, shapes, and colors, they finally chose the ‘quiet white’ from the ReIRABO series, due to their strong commitment to original sweets.

“At our pastry shop, we have many colorful items made with seasonal fruits and Japanese ingredients, so it is important that the tableware harmonizes with our unique sweets. We were impressed by the yumiko iihoshi porcelain tableware, which exudes an elegant beauty while enhancing the sweets. Another important point when choosing tableware is that the design and ease of use are comfortable. We feel that the design is easy to use and beautiful, and harmonizes with anything.”

The oval shape chosen for the cake plate creates a moderate amount of space when serving uniquely shaped cakes, such as tarts made with luxurious seasonal fruits, and fits neatly in place. The semi-matte texture and warm white color further enhance the colorful and creative sweets that are introduced each season. We have received happy feedback that the cup, which has been designed to have a smooth texture when held in the hand and a pleasant mouthfeel, allows customers to fully enjoy the fragrant coffee and delicate flavors of the long-established French tea house that accompany the sweets.

The ‘quiet white’ tableware gently and quietly highlights the sweets that are the star of the show in the immersive experience that the pastry shop offers, where you can appreciate the beautiful Japanese four seasons and the changing of the seasons. Just like enjoying the impressive artworks scattered throughout Andaz Tokyo and Toranomon Hills, we hope that our tableware will become like a canvas or frame that highlights each colorful sweet, and accompany the special tea time of the guests who visit.

Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills
Pastry Shop
Toranomon Hills Mori Tower Andaz Tokyo 1F
1-23-4 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001
03-6830-7765
https://restaurants.andaztokyo.jp/en/pastry-shop

Photo Suguru Ariga
Interview & text Natsuko Kobayashi

To see the ReIRABO series introduced in this article, please click here.