Bowls

The bowl is the most intimate tableware — it is held by two hands, the lips are plunged directly into it, and it is warmed between its palms on winter morning.

There's something deeply comforting in a beautiful bowl. The cup of coffee has its charm, but the bowl has something more — a volume, a presence, a capacity to contain that makes it indispensable in the morning rituals. The bowl of Sunday milk coffee, the bowl of evening soup, the bowl of morning granola, the bowl of midday ramen — it is the most transverse utensil of the table, the one that crosses meals and occasions with the same ease. At Amberkiln, our selection of bowls covers all the uses and styles: artisanal sandstone bowls, fine porcelain bowls, Japanese bowls style ramen, large soup bowls, small sauce bowls or condiments, dessert bowls — in shapes, colors and finishes that meet all tastes.

Stoneware, porcelain, ceramic: what material for your bowl?

More than any other table object, the material of a bowl feels — touch, weight, heat that it retains or does not.

The sandstone bowl preserves the heat — longer than a fine porcelain bowl. This is an important criterion for coffee, tea or soup: a thick sandstone bowl keeps the liquid warm while you drink it, even if you hang out a little in the morning. Its rough or slightly textured texture is pleasant to hold, and its weight in the hands gives a reassuring impression of solidity. Handcrafted sandstone, with slightly reactive glazes and tints that vary from bowl to bowl, is the material that best embodies the Wabi-sabi aesthetic — the beauty of imperfections, the value of handcraft.

The porcelain bowl is lighter, thinner, more elegant. Its thin wall makes it less thermally insulating, but it compensates for a very appreciated lightness and precision of shape. A bowl in white porcelain with a fine border, a bowl in translucent porcelain with a floral decor — these pieces have a nobility and finesse that the sandstone cannot offer. They are suitable for formal tables as well as refined daily uses.

The artisanal ceramics — generic term that covers sandstone, earthenware and some mixed pottery — is the widest and most diverse category. This is where we find the most characterized pieces, those that really have a personality of their own. A blue-grey glaze that reveals green reflections under certain lights, a partially enamelled surface that lets see the earth under the varnish — these details make a bowl a unique piece that is chosen not because it is part of a service but because it has something.

Large bowl, medium bowl or small bowl: what size for what use?

The large bowl — 500 ml or more — is essential for ramens, Asian soup bowls, individual salads or generous morning cereal bowls. It is also the format used to cook — whip a vinaigrette, beat eggs, prepare a marinade. Its generous capacity makes it a versatile utensil that serves both in the kitchen and at the table.

The medium bowl — 300 to 400 ml — is the size of the milk coffee, tea in reasonable quantities, porridge, granola or soup in the entrance. It is the bowl of all occasions, the most used in everyday life, the one that ends up having a fixed place in the closet and an immutable role in the morning rituals.

The small bowl — below 200 ml — serving sauces, condiments, nuts placed on the table, olives with appetizers, small quantities of rice or vegetables accompanied. In Asian cuisine, these small sauce bowls (katakuchi) are essential daily utensils. In a western table, they play a more decorative role — placed next to the plate, they structure the cover nicely.

Japanese bowl: Asian influence in contemporary dishes

Japanese dishes have profoundly influenced contemporary Western table arts. The Japanese bowl — whether it is the ramen bowl, the rice bowl or the matcha tea bowl — has very precise formal characteristics: slightly flared up walls, narrower bottom than the opening, balanced weight in hand. These shapes were designed to be held, not just placed on a table.

The ramen bowl Japanese is usually larger and deeper than the Western soup bowl. Its shape allows to contain both generous broth, noodles, toppings and eggs without overflowing — while maintaining the heat of the dish. Our Japanese-style ceramic models reproduce these proportions with glazes inspired by the pottery of Mino or Arita.

The matcha bowl (chawan) is the bowl of the tea ceremony — wide, low, with a flat bottom that allows you to whisk the tea without losing it. Its open shape invites you to hold the bowl between the two palms and to contemplate the liquid before drinking it. It is an object that slows down, invites to presence — a rare quality at the table.