The commission
A restaurant communal table takes abuse a residential dining table never sees — chairs dragged across the floor into the legs, trays set down harder than anyone intends, humidity swings from an open kitchen. White ash was chosen for its shock resistance and open, energetic grain; the base uses a steam-bent stretcher rather than a straight one, both for visual interest and because the curve distributes lateral load from chair contact more evenly than a straight rail would.
Top is finished in catalyzed conversion varnish for real commercial durability rather than the hand-rubbed oil we use on residential pieces — a restaurant tabletop needs to shrug off spilled wine and hot plates, not develop character over time.