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Pere Gifre is a multi-talented artist – a sculptor, an indus-trial designer, 3D modelling

expert, visual effects master and tableware designer. He is also a creative thinker, inspired by nature and by Salvador Dalí, a very prominent influence from his hometown of Figueres in Spain.

Paul Brown, managing director of Continental Chef Supplies (CCS) came across Gifre’s table-ware at Michael O’Hare’s Leeds restaurant, the Man Behind the Curtain, and at the same time Gifre was looking for a UK dis-tributor – and the rest, as they say, is history.

How has your early career as a set designer helped you when designing tableware?I studied engineering and began my design career working for companies like coffee machine manufacturer Browns, but I very quickly wanted to try new things. I love architecture and I had designed parts of some buildings, and then I worked in the theatre, designing sets. I was a designer but I learned how to set the scene as well – like setting the food on plates in restaurants.

Where are the designs created?I have a studio here in Spain and one in San Francisco where I spend quite a lot of time, but all the tableware designs are manu-factured here in Girona.

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Style and substancePere Gifre has turned his hand to a multitude of media, including artwork, public sculpture and now tableware, including some striking designs for El Bulli and El Celler de Can Roca in Spain. Lisa Jenkins talks to him about bringing his new range to the UK

The Gifre Wave plate

The Gifre Splash plate

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How are they manufactured?It starts with an idea, then we do some research and initial draw-ings. We refine the shapes with the client with the materials in mind. One of the lessons I learned while working with El Bulli was to use plasticine [as food] to see the pro-portions and how it would look on the finished piece of tableware.

We cut prototypes with lasers and then cast the pieces in terra-cotta, resin, brass, glass, ceram-ics, silver or stainless steel.

How do you choose the materials?Once we have a concept – an underwater theme for El Cel-ler de Can Roca – we present the drawings to the client and work

on the models. We use 3D mod-elling and 3D printing. I use the computer for the physics of the shape – for the movement. It’s about capturing the moment, an instant, and playing with forces and gravity. For example, with the anemone and the coral you can feel the movement of the wave in the final piece.

What reaction do you aim to get from diners?A smile! It’s great to see apprecia-tion and it’s instant.

What is your relationship like with the chefs you work with?I like the chefs to work with me so we can develop ideas together.

The Roca brothers always have ideas and they are so enthusiastic. They can advise on the practical side and the end-user experience.

What are you working on now?I am focusing on some sculptural projects and some new designs exclusively for CCS. We have a long list of new designs and mate-rials. I am also working on some sculpture projects for a winery and some hotel interiors in San Francisco and a new “lake tray with spoons” for the Samling res-taurant in the Lake district.

Is the UK ready for your designs?Yes, I think so. The chefs in the UK are more provocative and

much more knowledgeable about materials, shapes, designs and presentation.

How did your relationship with CCS come about?We were looking for a really good distributor in the UK and CCS has a great reputation and they liked how we work. We are a little different to a normal manufac-turer as we are designers first.

How do you work with CCS?It’s a consultative relationship. CCS tells us what the chefs in the UK are looking for, and we try to create the shapes and concepts around their ideas. We would love to hear from more UK chefs.

“It’s about capturing the

moment, an instant, and

playing with forces and

gravity” A new take on the Gifre Anemone plated in gold

A Gifre Coral display

Business partner Daniel Molina and Pere Gifre discuss their new designs for El Celler de Can Roca

Jordi Roca, Pere Gifre and Joan Roca

A Gifre Octopus spoon

A dressed Coral spoon

A member of the El Celler de Can Roca team dressing a Coral spoon for the Coral display centrepiece