The Great Ones is a celebration of humans we admire — and an exploration of why they cook, not just how. Laura Chautin is a New York–based ceramicist and illustrator and the artist behind our new limited-edition Dutch oven collection. We joined Laura and her wife, Masami, at home in New York for an intimate dinner party to celebrate the collaboration.
I started becoming interested in cooking quite recently, to be honest — mostly because my partner is such a good cook, so I have been learning a lot from them. Masami, my wife, cooks mostly every night. Sharing a meal is so important in this household. It’s pure love!
Masami actually cooked the dinner for us, as they are the best cook. It was a new take on a classic meal: salad, garlic bread, pasta, and yummy desserts. The dinner party was intimate and so much fun. For me, key ingredients to a successful dinner party include a good tablescape, music that sets the vibe, and friends who like to eat good food.
Sharing a meal is so important in this household. It’s pure love!
I love to paint food. I especially love to paint in gouache. I have been working on a few custom menus for clients and find that painting food can be so much fun; it’s one of the best subjects! One day I hope to illustrate a cookbook.
I am so excited to work with Great Jones on these Dutch ovens. I love seeing how my work translates into different mediums.
My childhood, nostalgia, England, food, and femininity all play key roles in my work. I have always been making art; it was the only subject in school I cared deeply about and that I felt I was good at. I sort of rode that wave and kept going. Making art has been a safe space and outlet for me for as long as I can remember. Ceramics came to me later in life. I liked the idea of making something quite out of my control in the end but still having a white canvas to paint on and seeing what happens.
Making art has been a safe space and outlet for me for as long as I can remember.
I am so excited to work with Great Jones on these Dutch ovens. I love to see how my work can translate into different mediums. This collaboration really pushed how I think and design, as it wasn’t as simple as putting paint to paper and knowing how it will turn out. It took a few tweaks to get the colors right, but in the end it’s turned out so beautifully and vivid!
I wanted the design to be whimsical, feminine, and a nod to Rococo ceramics.
The inspiration for this design was based on English, Dutch, and French ceramics. I wanted the design to be whimsical, feminine, and a nod to Rococo ceramics, which I love. I included my favorite flowers and of course a ribbon detail for the extra-elegant flair. It is so wild to see my work on a Dutch oven — I adore it!
Painting food can be so much fun; it’s one of the best subjects! One day I hope to illustrate a cookbook.
I hope others will feel like superstars when they cook using this Dutch oven. I want people to love the design and have it sit with pride on their kitchen stovetop!
I hope people love the Dutch oven and have it sit with pride on their kitchen stovetop!
