A ceramic resting place for chopsticks that’s in the shape of a smiling orange rabbit. A set of gold-plated, handmade sake cups. A hammered-steel, 8.2-inch inscribed Japanese chef knife. You’ll find these creative items and more at Orange Market Tableware at Culver Plaza.
The boutique doubles as a culinary art gallery. For the past three years, Ryan Yang and Rina Zhang have imported an impressive array of cutlery, plates, drinkware and curios made by artisans in Europe and Japan.
For Yang, the trade is inspired by warm childhood memories of family gatherings over meals at well-appointed tables in Guangzhou, China.
“Over time, I began to realize how much the tableware itself played a role in that experience,” he says from one of his twice-yearly business trips to Asia. “It wasn’t just about what we were eating, but how we were sharing it – the atmosphere, the care, the presence.”
“Irvine has been a fantastic home base – the community truly values thoughtful design, cultural depth and independent businesses.”
Ryan Yang
The 3-year-old business has been a popular success, as its five-star Yelp reviews attest.
“I love love love this place!” writes one fan. “Can’t wait to come back.”
“If you’re looking for any specific tableware or silverware from Japan, you can always let them know and they will do their best to get it, which is awesome,” writes another.
Perfect place for the brand
After growing up in China, Yang completed his university studies in Australia, where he also met his future wife. The couple moved to Irvine 10 years ago, Yang says, because of its “safety, strong educational environment and welcoming, design-conscious community. It felt like the perfect place to raise a family and build a meaningful brand.”
That intuition was correct, he says. “Irvine has been a fantastic home base – the community truly values thoughtful design, cultural depth and independent businesses.”
Yang and Zhang now have two pre-teen children enrolled in Irvine public schools. Yang focuses on operations and supplier management for the business. Zhang, whom Yang calls “the creative soul of the brand,” handles everything from selecting pieces to coordinating purchases and conducting meetings with Japanese artisans.
Beginning this year, the couple has been hosting workshops on the first Sunday of the month in which participants learn how to make wagashi, delicate Japanese confections often served with tea.
It’s all part of the couple’s shared philosophy that tableware is more than functional, as Yang explains. “In many Asian cultures, the dining table is a deeply emotional and symbolic space – where food is not only something we eat, but also a way to show care, respect and connection. We hope to share that spirit and help people experience the quiet beauty of those everyday rituals.”
