I cook, therefore I am

‘I cook, therefore I am’ is an exhibition about the role of food in our existence. From 10 February 2017, it can be seen at the Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam.

Writer and historian Abdelkader Benali and art historian Alexandra van Dongen created this exhibition to connect us with what we essentially are: cooking beings. We steam, stew, roast, bake and grill up a storm. We eat alone or with friends or family. We eat standing up or at the table. We eat on the street, at home or in a restaurant. Cooking and eating culture varies enormously around the world and is also constantly changing.

There is all sorts of things to do. For example, the exhibition explores whether traces of 4,000-year-old recipes can be found in the cooking culture of contemporary Rotterdammers (if the kapsalon can be traced back to a 4,000-year-old recipe, I’ll eat my shoe). There is also a Taste Studio where you can sample special dishes, as well as workshops on table manners in the sixteenth century.

‘I cook, therefore I am’ can be seen from 10 February through 30 July 2017 at the Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam.