Treasured: Tadashi Ono's Ceramics

"My most treasured item is the ceramic hot pot I cook in every Sunday during the winter months. It's the best ceramic hot pot I have. I also treasure the pottery I make."

"I have a pottery room in my basement. Making pottery is like meditation. You need good focus and concentration to cleanse your mind and keep it away from other thoughts. It's very relaxing."

"Teacups are fundamental in pottery. They have to feel very nice in your hand, be a good shape, and be gentle and perfect when you're holding it. You have to be able to see the tea beautifully. The green tea color is a vivid green, so the cup brings out its color. Normally, teacups are black but the earthy color brings it out more."

"You're a chef. You're cooking for people and you want to make people happy. That's the bottom line. I'm not doing it for myself. It's for others and that's the most important thing. If the dishes help to bring out the beauty, color and shape of the ingredients, then that's good. That's why I choose the ugly, earthy colors on the dishes, to bring out the ingredients more."

"If the dishes help to bring out the beauty, color and shape of the ingredients, then that's good. That's why I choose the ugly, earthy colors on the dishes, to bring out the ingredients more."