VESSELS OF THE HEART

Daisuke Shibuya, head sommelier at one-Michelin-starred Terra, shares his penchant for collecting cups and glasses, and how his eclectic collection mirrors his approach to wine.

For Daisuke Shibuya, head sommelier at one-Michelin-starred restaurant Terra, his fervent fascination with collecting drinkware from coffee cups by Japanese potter Ryota Aoki to a beer glass from Blacklab, his favourite brewery in Barcelona started innocently with a spontaneous one-night trip to Las Vegas more than 20 years ago.

Then 22, Shibuya, who was studying Culinary Arts at Santa Barbara Community College in the United States, sought a memento to mark the memorable stay. That came in the form of a stainless steel mug bearing the motif of a bandana-donning skull from the souvenir shop of Treasure Island Hotel & Casino, home to the iconic pirate ship on the Strip.

Although the innocuous mug has seen better days (its motif has faded from frequent use), it remains significant. It sparked the 43-year-old Japanese's interest in collecting drinkware, which spans nearly 200 pieces. The mug has also survived two decades with Shibuya, including two country relocations and six residential moves in Singapore, where he has been based since 2012.

He says: "This mug is filled with memories. It has been with me for nearly half my life." And thanks to its stainless steel make, it has survived many drinking sessions, Shibuya admits sheepishly a destiny some pieces in his collection, unfortunately, did not share.

Shibuya, who assumed the head sommelier role at the Italian-Japanese restaurant in November 2023, displays half of his collection in his home here, while the other half resides in his parent's home in Hokkaido.

A table filled with an eclectic collection of vessels in a heady hodgepodge of colours and designs resides at Terra for this interview. Shibuya has painstakingly brought about 50 pieces of his drinkware over the past three weeks to the restaurant for the photoshoot.