Between jewelry and culinary goldsmithing in Chicago.
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Time to read 4 min
Some encounters open up unexpected horizons, where gestures and materials respond to each other.
In Chicago, at chef Nicolai Mlodinow 's Class'Act restaurant, one of those rare collaborations was born, at the crossroads of gastronomy and the creation of art objects.
FROM NATURE TO MATTER: THE GENESIS OF A TABLEWARE CREATION
It all started with an alga — a living, fluid and moving form — whose lightness inspired the first drawing.
From these sketches came wax models, then metal pieces, shaped with the constant concern to preserve this organic breath, this initial movement.
From this research was born a table art dish, designed to hold a creation by the chef, a suspended moment, which the guest savors in a single bite.
An object that is both functional and sculptural, where the hand of the chef and that of the craftsman come together in the same balance: that of taste and form.
This collaboration did not stop at the table.
From these metal algae also came a bracelet and brooches, worn by the restaurant team as a discreet symbol of unity and shared creativity.
Chef Nicolai Mlodinow works with Laminaria saccharina seaweed, nicknamed sea sugar, for its silky texture and its simultaneously sweet and briny flavor. Rich in minerals, it evokes the purity of the Nordic coasts and infuses his creations with a marine note that is both delicate and nourishing.
Finally, a structure of charred wood, where several seaweeds unfurl in a fluid movement, symbolizes the transmutation of jewelry into the art of dining. An installation that celebrates the encounter between culinary practice and jewelry-making expertise.
Between our workshops in Lyon and the kitchens of Chicago, this encounter gave birth to a true creative alchemy : one where the object becomes an experience, and where every detail celebrates the art of the senses.
FROM GESTURE TO MATTER: THE METAMORPHOSIS OF KNOW-HOW
Beyond the act of creation itself, this project explores the notion of transformation, central to contemporary jewelry and goldsmithing . In our workshops, the material is transformed from wax to metal, from drawing to tangible form. In the Class'Act kitchens, the ingredients undergo the same transformation: from raw to cooked, from technique to flavor.
Two practices, two rhythms, but the same quest: that of accuracy and emotion.
The object is no longer just a support, it becomes a language. The metal, patinated and worked by hand according to the codes of goldsmithing, captures the light like a water surface.
It reveals, without ostentation, the beauty of the gesture. This silent dialogue between the chef and the craftsman places the piece in a sensitive space, where hand, eye and taste are in harmony.
Each element of the project—the cup, the jewelry, the charred wood structure—tells a facet of this dialogue between jewelry and goldsmithing. The metal evokes solidity and permanence. The wood, for its part, symbolizes transformation and the memory of fire. Together, they embody this idea of passage, of transmutation, at the very heart of our creative process.
Seaweed, the central motif of the project, connects all these elements. Sometimes a sculpture, sometimes a jewel, sometimes an architectural form, it expresses the continuity between the arts: the same energy that animates a dish, an object or an exceptional work of craftsmanship.
FROM FIRE TO MATTER: WHEN GESTURES RESPOND TO EACH OTHER
This project highlights the close relationship between two seemingly disparate professions. Yet, the jeweler and the chef share a common discipline of technique: patience, precision, and mastery of fire—values essential to both goldsmithing and haute cuisine. Their work often begins with an intuition—a texture, a form, a fleeting idea—which they refine until they achieve perfect balance.
Working with chef Nicolai Mlodinow meant accepting a different sense of time: that of service, the rhythm imposed by the kitchen, the direct connection to the living world. Conversely, the jewelry and goldsmithing workshop is a place of slowness, of listening, of meticulous transformation. Between these two speeds, a fertile tension emerged, a shared breath.
This work also illustrates a conviction: creation takes time. In a world of instant gratification, restoring value to slow gestures and sculpted materials becomes almost an act of resistance. Each step—sketching, modeling, casting, polishing—demands attention and patience. It is within this timeframe that coherence takes shape, that intention is etched.
Similarly, a dish is not simply its ingredients. It arises from a sum of balances, adjustments, and instincts. It is this same balance that we sought to convey in the bowl: an object created to be contemplated, then used, then passed on.
"TRUE ART BEGINS WHERE HAND, HEART, AND MATTER BECOME ONE."
In Nicolaï's kitchen, each dish tells a story, a season. His collaboration with The Black Alchemy extends this narrative into the material: the plate becomes an extension of the dish, the form a memory of the taste.
THE ALCHEMY OF GESTURE: FROM JEWELRY TO CULINARY GOLDSMITHING
This collaboration between Lyon and Chicago is a natural extension of our approach: fostering dialogue between expertise and breaking down the barriers between the arts. The Black Alchemy seeks not only to create objects, but also to evoke connections—between metal and flame, between gesture and matter, between utility and beauty.
Culinary artistry here becomes a form of contemporary alchemy: an exploration of the senses where the chef's hand and the artisan's hand converge in a single impulse. Each piece retains the memory of the gesture and reflects the light of a shared moment. In this dialogue between creation and tasting lies true beauty: that of the lived experience.
This project also opened up a reflection on perception: how does an object from the world of jewelry and goldsmithing influence the way we taste food? How do the texture of the metal, its weight, and its temperature modify the diner's experience?
The mere touch of a hand-shaped material transforms the way we approach a dish. Our gaze becomes more attentive, our movements slower, almost ceremonial. The object, by its very presence, invites us to a different rhythm—that of contemplation.
In this dish, the polished surface reflects the ambient light, while the hollows capture the shadows like a marine relief. Through these contrasts, we wanted to recreate the sensation of seaweed carried by the water, free yet guided by an invisible movement.
This quest for balance between function and emotion defines the essence of our work. Beauty is not imposed: it reveals itself through use, contact, and the repetition of gesture. And when an object manages to evoke an emotion, even for just a moment, it becomes more than a work of art: it becomes a memory.