Branch Collect Liang Jung Chen

Pieces designed for the exhibition localware: Cooking Edition, visible until October 07 at Jogging Epicerie in Marseille.

Branch Collect is a series of tools for slicing tofu or cheese, designed from branches collected in Taiwan and England. Based on rigorous research around the similarity between culinary culture European and Asian, the designer Liang Jung Chen took inspiration from her favorite dish, tofu. She then discovers that the process of making tofu has a lot in common with the making of cheese, which is an important part of French and Mediterranean cuisine. Making tofu involves crushing, boiling, coagulating, filtering, pressing, and slicing. After studying the link between these processes and the structure of a tree, the designer imagines a series of tools of different sizes, derived from the natural shapes of the branch.

Several nature tours have been organized to search for branches of all shapes - local parks, forests, mountains, riverside, seaside, etc. About twenty uniquely shaped branches were collected, including some old driftwood donated by friends. In the end, Liang-Jung carefully selected 7 according to their characteristics. Each of them offers a unique way to slice and cut tofu, cheese or other dishes.

When not in use, these pieces become collectibles, to frame. This series is an invitation to appreciate the authentic beauty of trees that we have all taken for granted for a long time. 

Discover here the pieces of the collection.