The art of plating

Good food is everything – we can all agree on that – but we eat with our eyes too. What if you take it even further? What if the aesthetic value of a dish becomes the decisive factor? That is the idea behind Steinbesser: an experimental collective in which chefs are taken out of their comfort zone by artists. The result? Stranger things on your plate.

To be honest, we are not immediately thrilled by a colorful carnival on our plate. From the familiar fries in a mini deep-fryer basket (or, even worse, the mini shopping cart) to the disgusting syringe filled with gravy; you can hardly imagine anything so bizarre that you might not be served it if you’re unlucky. Less is more as far as we’re concerned.

Steinbesser

That said, there are exceptions. The Dutch collective Steinbesser Experimental Gastronomy proves that things can be done differently: a unique design and dining project in which established star chefs and artists work together to create an exceptional culinary experience. How about spoons so long that you have to collaborate with your fellow diners just to be able to eat?

Watch the mini-documentary by The New Yorker for an impression of their latest avant-garde event in California, where, among other things, all types of cutlery except ordinary knives, forks and spoons took center stage:

Experimental Gastronomy in Amsterdam

The next edition of Experimental Gastronomy in the Netherlands will take place in early June 2018 at Amsterdam’s Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy, with French star chef Alexandre Gauthier (La Grenouillère**) in the kitchen this time. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for updates about this event.