Art on the menu
DESIGN FEATURE
Looking for local art to style your coastal home? You might find it in places you least expect. Pipit Co-owner Yen Trinh shares how their award-winning restaurant put art on the menu.
Since 2020, Pipit chef and fellow co-owner Ben Devlin and I have been exploring “Gyotaku” — a Japanese art method from the 1880s, which was traditionally used by fishermen to document and display the fish they sold.
Each print is made using rice paper and water-based inks.
In this same traditional spirit, Pipit applies printmaking to its menu of fish, crab, squid and vegetables.
It captures the restaurant’s focus on seasonal, local and sustainable produce. Each print links a local farmer, supplier and a related menu dish. It’s another way to be inspired by food and the natural landscapes around us.
The prints are displayed on the restaurant walls and diners can also purchase the art. It’s a thrill that some of our diners have the prints in their coastal homes. The minimalist black and white look works in lots of decor settings.
The art process also influences how chefs further look at and respect all ingredients.
Ben explained: “the printing process forces me to slow down, look closer, and observe textures, shapes and anatomy I might not have otherwise noticed before, when I was just cutting it up for cooking”.
The artworks also reflect some of the low-waste ethos of the menu, where all parts of animals are used and maximised. The best example can be seen in squid. The squid ink can be directly used in both cooking and in printmaking, as it prints as a dark colour.
About Pipit
Pipit is an award-winning Pottsville restaurant. Pipit’s menus are defined by a creative approach to place, produce, flavour and cooking. Bookings are available Thursday to Monday, for set menu and a la carte dining.
Explore Pipit’s art
Prints and posters are available at pipitrestaurant.com
Make your own!
Pipit offers group Gyotaku classes (best for 4-6 people).
Pipit’s artwork is also part of the Tweed Valley Hospital public art program.
