The dining table and what goes on it are not simply functional, according to the owners of Orange Market Tableware, which has opened its newest location at Irvine Spectrum Center.

Ryan Yang and his wife, Rina Zhang, believe that a handcrafted cup, plate or bowl also represents ritual and aesthetics and a way to bring attention back to the present.

“You prepare a meal with your heart. The tableware should accommodate the food,” Yang says. “Beauty becomes part of daily life rather than something reserved for special occasions.”

Yang and Zhang opened their first location four years ago at Culver Plaza. Their mission: to introduce refined Asian table culture into everyday life here.

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.”

The store’s constantly shifting inventory includes deep plates and flat bowls as well as chef’s knives, coveted Kagami whiskey glasses and, the top sellers, incense holders from Kyoto.

Each carefully curated ceramic is selected not only for its visual allure but for the craftsmanship behind it. The store spotlights a different artisan each month.

“Handmade objects carry a quiet depth that mass-produced items cannot replicate,” Yang says.

“You see how unique each piece is, there’s a story. You might say, ‘Oh, this is not even round.’ But that’s the beauty of it, right?”