From clay to table
- Johnny curates extraordinary dining experiences in his ancestral homeland
- His sculptural black vessels are made from the micaceous clay of his terrain
- The vision of being led by nature in a meaningful way drives his work
When award-winning chef Johnny Ortiz left the restaurant industry, his goal was to pursue a more meaningful integration of life and work. Returning to his ancestral land of Taos Pueblo, he envisioned seamlessly weaving the dining experience into daily life. The first step was to serve food on ceramic vessels created from micaceous clay, which Johnny digs, processes and shapes into simple forms. Sanded, slipped and burnished, the pieces are warmed and stacked on a fire pit, and later cured with elk tallow and beeswax. Johnny also runs Shed Projects, intimate culinary experiences offering guests a connection to the land via farmed and foraged ingredients. “Life is now dictated by Mother Earth’s seasonality and cycles, which guide my days naturally and authentically,” he says.
INTERVIEW
Taos Pueblo is the longest inhabited village in the USA, and the land is largely untouched. I am a descendant of Taos Pueblo and the first Spanish settlers. For me, it is a place that offers simplicity and a culture closely connected to its terrain.
Taos Pueblo style is simple, focused on the mere beauty and functionality of micaceous clay. Rich in mica crystals, this clay can withstand intense heat, making it ideal for cooking over fire, where its minerals can then transfer to the food within.
Imagining how my food will be served drives the aesthetic of the vessels which will hold it. I love a mysterious simplicity in both my food and my ceramics. My creations are not contrived, they come into existence naturally, forming a fluid experience.
Sitting at our table with a group of strangers, eating out of a dark micaceous bowl, the fire glows warm. Time seems to no longer exist as we look into a dark void of beautiful unknowns. Those who participate carry our prayers into the greater world.
