Amwaj Plates
Plate set that intensifies the flavour of omani cusine
The idea was conceived when a friend took a month off his course to try food around Turkey and Europe, with a short stop in my country (Oman), unknowingly surprised by the taste and variety of Omani food that he had never known before.
The variety, colour and texture of West Asian food greatly defers from the usual display of European food with their colourful vegetables; and hence the question of display came to me; does the white plate effect the of food equally? Japanese food, for example, is usually served in dark plates. Does the colour and shape of the plates affect us while eating?
How can we showcase our Omani food to the world correctly? And does the shape or colour of the plates plates fit perfectly for Omani food?
The research
Oman is one of the most intermixed arabic country, the food is a unique blend of Persian, Arabic, Levantine, Indian and African due to its previous large control as a Sultanate and the different background of people living in one of the port cities of the spice route. Food is usually the first and biggest introduction to a culture, hence it needs to be showcased well when introducing a new culture. In this design I was guided towards the research on Gastrophysics.
Gastrophysics
There are many factors that affect how we perceive food outside of taste. Known as Gastrophysics, a combination of Gastronomy and psychology, this study showcases how factors surrounding the food affects us with all senses, such as sound, smell, setting, location, visuals, and the touch of ‘everything else’ before we even taste the food. With focus on presentation of Omani food with plates, I researched the main factors that could affect the food and increase perception of the taste; to be used both in homes or restaurants. In a blend of past and future.
The variables for the design were the visual and the haptic perception of the plate.
The design took cues from nature, from the sea waves (hence the name from Arabic: Amwaj) and the colours showing the waves, shades of blue, white, and the golden sunlight reflection. And the shape was based on the geometric figures abstracted from Islamic geometric shape and grid from the mosques of Oman. A set of 7 plates divided into 4 types used in most Omani food; Main Dish, Bowl, Side plate, and Sauce plate. The blue plates are for savoury food while the white plate enhances the sweet food, contrasting the food colour special in Oman by its background.
And to further enhance the gastronomic physical feeling, the outsides of the plate are textured and in a coarse finishing, the part touched by hands is textured adding a subliminal message to the stomach of food. The irregular symmetry and angles further compliments the perception of the food to be eaten.
Finally, for storage or display; the plates can be placed together and their abstract shapes form a simple geometric shape.
