ice sculpture

On today's episode of THE FOOD SEEN, we chill out with Shintaro Okamoto of Okamoto Studio, NYC's premium ice sculptor, who's family has been carving large blocks for ice for generations. It's not all chain saws and ice picks, though they're definitely in the tool kit, as we consider the methods and machinery behind making crystal clear frozen water; the true magic behind ornate displays, luges, and even cocktail ice. Okamoto Studio's customized frozen art pieces eventually melt away, but their temporal memory is forever breathtaking.

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On this week's episode of Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined in the studio by ice sculptor Shintaro Okamoto. He is the owner of Okamoto Studio, a New York-based collective best known for their design, production, and consultation of everything made of crystal clear ice. Father-son Takeo and Shintaro Okamoto make up the founding core of the group, which was formed in 2003 with a mission of showcasing in the full beauty and potential of handcrafted ice. Okamoto Studio has fast become a favorite among the event, hospitality, culinary, fashion, and media industries for their articulate and fanciful use of both traditional hand-tool craftsmanship and current art-world sensibilities.