Art, food and objects
Shaped by season, place and memory.
Welcome to the atelier
My practice moves between art and food, through painting, cooking and photography. I’m drawn to craftsmanship, seasonality, memory, and the pleasure of making things by hand — particularly the quiet rituals and small moments of everyday life.
Here, you’ll find intimate dining experiences, artwork, and glimpses of the process as it unfolds.
Dining
CRISTJEN’S TABLE
A table for six.
An intimate Japanese dining experience shaped by the seasons, the tableware, and the quiet rituals of sharing a meal.
I cook for just six guests at a time, preparing a multi-course menu inspired by the season. From the food to the vessels in which it is served, each evening is put together slowly and deliberately — a meal meant to be experienced without rushing.
AT YOUR TABLE
A private chef experience in your home. Seasonal Japanese cooking for you and the people you gather around your table.
Art
春夢。CHŪN MÈNG [ Illusion ] No. 3 Mineral Pigment & Ink on Paper - Spring, 2023
CRISTJEN’S ATELIER
Works made slowly.
Painting has always been a way for me to observe — people, nature, memory, and the small moments that might otherwise pass unnoticed.
Working between Nihonga and Chinese Gongbi traditions, I use mineral pigments, paper and traditional techniques to explore the things I find myself returning to: memory, the human figure, nature, and the passing of time.
From the Atelier
Small films from the kitchen and studio preparing a meal, working with pigment, stretching paper. A closer look at what I make, and how it takes shape.
STUDIES — No. 01
水張り — Mizubari
Before pigment, before the first line, the paper is prepared.
Wetted, mounted and left to dry under tension.
At the Atelier — Morning Ritual
Before the kitchen begins.
Water, stone, steel.
A quiet ritual I’ve kept for years.
Some things are better done slowly.
CONSULTING
Culinary experience, put into practice.
From menu development and kitchen systems to staff training and quality control, I work with restaurants and hospitality teams to turn ideas into food that can be executed consistently.
My approach is hands-on — developed in the kitchen, tested in service, and built around the realities of day-to-day operations.
Cristjen Lai
Thank you for spending a little time here.
Whether you’d like to join me at the table, ask about a painting, or discuss a project, I’d be glad to hear from you.
Based in the Netherlands.