FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dam Da: A Culinary Bridge to Heritage

Dam Da, a semi-handcrafted ceramic set, is designed by Ann Dinh as a culinary bridge to heritage for immigrant children. It embraces the flexibility of home cooking, allowing approximations and encouraging personalization of family recipes. The set communicates through embedded design, detailing ingredients and approximate measurements, doubling as a serving vessel. Dam Da captures the essence of a timeless art form while embracing the possibilities of the future.

For many Asian Americans, there is a struggle of belonging. Dam Da is a nesting set that provides a unit of measurement and serving, particular to a family chicken pho recipe, but easily adaptable to different variations and other pho types. The set breaks with imperial and metric standards, defining "a little bit of this" and is coded between broth preparation, bowl preparation, and serving by color. As the piece ages, the crackle glaze is marked by wear, providing a subtle indication of the amount. Each piece has a graphic representation of coordinating ingredients and Vietnamese and English labeling on the underside.

Ann T. Dinh is an emerging design studio focusing on comprehensive multimedia projects at various scales. The work ranges from the widely speculative to the practical, always considering the perspective of the user - from their history, their current identities, to their perceived future. Dam Da was awarded Iron in A' Bakeware, Tableware, Drinkware, and Cookware Design Award in 2024, recognizing its well-designed, practical, and innovative nature that meets professional and industrial requirements.

-END-