Chef’s Table - Light Bright

In December, Chris Moulder showed his lighting in the pitch-black basement/studio of the Telephone Factory. I - and every other person there - walked through the magical space transfixed by his incredible, surreal creations. You’ll see his work in such local restaurants as Bluepointe, Dish, Aria, Halo, Rathbun’s, MF Sushi and Twist. His commissions range in price from $500 to more than $1 million.

Creative Loafing: As a kid, did you tinker with things?

Moulder: I had no interest in art or architecture. But my great-grandfather built the first house on Amelia Island and I spent every summer there. There was really nothing to do, so I built out my own apartment at the house, and I built kites and sailboats.

What’s your earliest memory of light?

At age 6, I discovered light in a cognitive sense. I cheated the sun by looking at it in a mirror. That night, I went to bed scared ... it was like a religious or moral type of thing. You can’t look into the sun! I was sure I would go blind. After that everything seemed very complex and connected to everything else. Twilight became an incredibly freaky time. I realized light was very important.

How’d you get your start?

In Germany, I stumbled into a design studio. They let me be an intern and I read books and filled my head. I have a degree in short fiction writing and that economy of words translated great into my understanding of design.

Why do you think restaurants have embraced your work?

Restaurants are on the cutting edge. As long as the function is fulfilled, lighting has the most open parameters. You can get away with a lot. Everyone wants something new.

How do you determine what lighting to create for a restaurant?

Chefs are incredibly creative, not just with food. We talk, they tell me what the food is like, what they want the space to feel like and I construct the ideas I see in my head. I don’t do renderings. It’s great that I get to vicariously live the restaurant life.

What kind of lighting do you have in your home?

I never have my own work. I have whatever lighting came with the apartment.

chefstable@creativeloafing.com






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