Chirirenge is the Japanese name for the soup spoon commonly used throughout Asia and often associated with ramen in Japan. Unlike the Western spoon, it features a flat bottom and deeper bowl designed to hold more broth. Its upward-curving handle and sculptural form are said to resemble a fallen lotus petal called renge in Japanese, with chiri meaning “to fall off.”
This hands-on carving workshop focuses on shaping one of the kitchen’s most sculptural utensils. Participants will work with a range of carving tools used to shape, hollow, and refine the spoon while learning how wood can be transformed into both functional object and expressive form. The workshop covers spoon design, wood selection, finishing oils, and carving techniques, guiding participants through the process of creating their own hand-carved ramen spoon.
Wood and carving tools will be provided.
2026-2027 Schedule
Dates
(2-day workshop)
- Saturdays, October 24 & 31, 2026
- Sundays, May 16 & 23, 2027
Time
- 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Price
- $150
Material Fee
- $30 (cash payable to the instructor)
Location
- Oki Education Center
Please Bring:
Carving wood can be messy. Please bring an apron or wear old clothes.
Meet Your Instructor
Ashley Look is the wooden spoon carver behind Of Grain and Grain. She’s been an avid woodcarver for 8+ years and committed to the craft after discovering the profound pleasure of creating something by hand. When she’s not helping others get more out of life’s simple pleasures, she’s enjoying the taste of adventure, sailing as a chef for the tall ship community. She splits her time between land and sea and has found no better joy than sipping fresh coffee in the morning sunshine with a piece of wood and knife in hand.
