Book Launch Event: John Ota | The Dining Room

Join us on April 7th, at our 50 Water Street showroom to celebrate John Ota's new book, The Dining Room. Arrive at 5:00 PM for light refreshments; stay for a deep-dive talk by Ota starting at 6:00 PM, which will be Live Streamed.

Copies of The Dining Room will be available for purchase throughout the evening. Book signings will also take place during the reception period.

The Dining Room is a richly illustrated journey through twelve iconic dining rooms around the world, exploring how architecture, interior design, and shared meals shape culture and memory. From historic homes and royal estates to modern, design-forward spaces, Ota weaves together history, personal stories, and keen design insight, revealing the dining room as both a stage for everyday rituals and a witness to extraordinary moments. Complete with era-specific recipes and evocative illustrations, the book is a thoughtful exploration of dining as an essential, human experience.

John Ota has been involved with architecture and design since 1978, with degrees from Columbia, U of T and UBC. His bestselling book The Kitchen was a 2021 Taste Canada Awards finalist and a 2021 Paris Gourmand Cookbook finalist in the book design category. After working in architecture in Toronto, New York, and Vancouver, and as lead on multiple Ontario Ministry of Culture projects, John now loves to travel the world visiting historic homes, cooking regional food, and meeting people of all backgrounds.