sushifresh

If we want to track the origins of sushi, we must go back as far as to the Middle Ages. Just like rattan, sushi is the product of a long-standing tradition and although the way it is cooked has changed over the centuries, it is still a handcrafted delicacy. Thus, the most famous dish in Japanese cuisine has more in common with rattan than it may seem at first sight.

The idea took shape in Sara Serantes’s mind while in New Zealand. There she discovered the meaning of “fast good” (healthy fast food based on quality local produce) and how to pamper home delivery: “There is a rising awareness on the importance of keeping a healthy and balanced diet and at the same time Japanese cuisine seems to have reached a peak in our country. So I decided to join both elements and create Sushifresh”, Sara explains. The early success caused the opening of a small delivery; the growing demand led into a restaurant. The project was entrusted to the architect Carolina Amorós aka Partchwork: “I didn’t want an oversaturation of decorative objects, but a rich content. I played with grey upon different materials: oven-cured iron, enamelled porcelain scales, lacquered grilles, and fabrics… all with the aim of creating rhythm without affecting conceptual unity”.

The project, in Carolina’ s words, “mixes the simplicity of Japanese culture with the decorative complexity of the western world. As colours tend to uniformity, it focuses on the different textures and repetitions that guide the dinner guests along the place, producing a dynamic as well as welcoming atmosphere”. An exceptional environment for the Fontal rattan chairs by Oscar Tusquets. “My client wanted chairs with a backrest”, Carolina tells, “but opaque backrests pack spaces too tight, especially if they are not big. I decided to go to Sit Down where they showed me the Fontal collection. I got really impressed, it was exactly what I was looking for: a natural material, in a light colour, with a backrest so subtle that it was almost imperceptible and rattan wicker, which I had already used to wrap the columns, the front part of the bar or the door portholes”. The oriental connotations of rattan (it is native to Asia) and its traditional value ended up convincing her. “The chair has a very Japanese flavour; it reminds me of the Cesta lamp by Miguel Milá. It was love at first sight. And to my surprise, my client loved it just as much. The chairs are ‘ the icing on the cake’ of a project that was accomplished through dedication, hope and loads of enthu-siasm”, Carolina concludes. Best ingredients for the perfect recipe.