Discovering ceramics in Warsaw:

I am engaged to Maria, a Polish woman, and during our visits to various restaurants in Warsaw, I was often amazed by the beautiful ceramics I discovered there.

Poland has a rich ceramic tradition, and I realised how important these creations are in the culinary world. So I started looking for who made this kind of ceramic, and that's when I came across Michal from Pracownia Shadowland.

A fusion of Japanese and Polish styles

Michal is an artisan specializing in creating ceramics for Japanese restaurants in Poland. He lives in Gdansk, a city on the Baltic Sea, and invited me to visit his workshop.

He has been immersed in the world of ceramics since childhood, inheriting this passion from his father. After graduating from an art high school in Gdynia, he entered the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, where he graduated in 2011 from the sculpture department, specializing in artistic ceramics.

Four years after graduating, he acquired his first ceramic kiln and began his practice of producing functional ceramics in the form of tableware.

Since June 2018, he has been running his own business, which mainly focuses on making handmade ceramic dishes for restaurants.

Its customers include gourmet restaurants, bistros, cocktail bars, and trendy sushi bars in Warsaw and the surrounding area.

Over the years, he has developed his own style, influenced by the seascapes of the Baltic Sea, corals, and sand. 

A word from Michal: "We chose ceramics because we felt that it had chosen us; it is the material with which we feel most comfortable working and expressing ourselves. Over the past six years, we have specialized in creating our own shapes for plates, cups, and bowls; we ended up creating our own product line and opening a small but efficient factory."

During my visit, Michal showed me his manufacturing process and even let me try it out—an experience that made me appreciate the difficulty and fineness of this art.

Unique creations for Kumiko Matcha

Michal has created several matcha bowls for our Kumiko Matcha community, combining the beauty of Japanese and Polish craftsmanship.

Each piece is handmade, ensuring exceptional quality and originality unique to each bowl. Colour nuances vary depending on their position in the kiln. Due to variations in heat, the applied glaze gives each bowl a unique personality.

It's a conscious decision to keep that element of surprise, and for me, that's what really makes her ceramics so charming. Not everything is calibrated like in industrial production.

The slight irregularities in each bowl give them a different character and personality. 

This matcha bowl stands out for its unique design blending Japanese and Polish cultures.

My favorite little detail is the bottom of the bowl in the middle—there is a mini bowl inside the bowl, which collects the matcha tea in suspension and offers a final sip that is a little more concentrated and very pleasant.

It's a true work of art for your collection!

The exterior texture of the bowl is smooth and soft. The interior is pearly and smooth, very pleasant for mixing matcha tea.

I hope you enjoy tasting your daily matcha in this bowl.

How the bowls are made

The bowls are made by Michał from stoneware. Most are thrown on a potter's wheel, but some models are constructed from a ball of clay.

 Each piece is fired twice in an electric kiln. The second firing with the glaze reaches temperatures of 1250 degrees Celsius.

All the glazes we use are, of course, food safe.

A unique preparation experience

Preparing your matcha in this bowl will be a soothing ritual. You can take the time to appreciate the steps of the preparation, admiring the reflections and texture of the enamel that vary subtly under the light.

When you use this bowl, you will have in your hands a unique piece, carefully crafted by a talented artisan. Each matcha preparation will become not only a refreshing break, but also a tribute to ancestral know-how and a cultural fusion between Japan and Poland.

Michal and I wish you an excellent tasting experience with these magnificent matcha tea bowls. Enjoy this fusion of cultures in every sip of your favorite matcha.