OStudio also hosts an ongoing lineup of visiting chefs who add some of their own signature dishes to the menu, including most recently Woldy Reyes of Woldy Kusina and Greg Wong, formerly of Estela and Mission Chinese. But the collaborations don’t stop there: a large communal table towards the back of the cafe sets the scene for Fam Table Takeovers during which friends of the studio from different industries showcase their own passions, personal stories, and cultures by dressing the table and creating a festive food component. Shop owner and fashion stylist Beverly Nguyen gathered friends to prepare a family spring roll recipe, while artist Simone Shubuck of Wifey combined her talents in painting and floral artistry with sculptural ice cream cakes, and Shanika Hillocks hosted a summer equinox kick-off with flowing spritzes and snacks.
No two nights at OStudio feel the same. For all the effort that goes into so many alternating components, Aciar seems to thrive on unpredictability: “I feel very lucky to be able to watch and learn from such a variety of talents, crafts, and cultures. It’s not always easy, but I live for a challenge,” he explained during a recent visit. “It takes away from the comfort of the daily routine and forces us to find ways to communicate, share the space, and be resourceful.”
Although the restaurant’s opening has garnered serious buzz, the core of OStudio remains its artist residents. Along with Aciar’s FEFOSTUDIO, which naturally provides the plateware for the cafe (the ceramics also occupy several shelves in a small retail area), there’s textile artist Jessi Highet, whose dye production facility makes custom pieces for other designers, as well as for Highet’s own fashion line. Other studio members include graphic novelist R. Kikuo Johnson, whose work includes covers for New Yorker magazine, the Brazilian painter Luisa Alcântara; and Polonsky & Friends, a graphic and interior design studio focusing on food and hospitality, founded and overseen by Anna Polonsky, a James Beard-award winner and also Aciar’s wife.
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