Artistic Expression

Food presentation and cooking have long been recognized as fertile ground for artistic expression by chefs and wealthy patrons. Relying on the interpretation of traditional art forms, food presentation incorporated the techniques of sculpture, carving, and painting with procedures unique to food such as garde-manger and pastry and chocolate techniques to create edible pieces that rivaled art found in some of the best galleries. Multi-course meals were orchestrated with sensitivity to the subtle blending of taste and texture.

Until recently, however, the general population, particularly in the United States, has not shared this recognition. Through a general shift in cultural appreciation aided by the advent of cooking shows, heightened magazine and newspaper coverage, instructional videos, and a concern with how and where food is produced, recognition of the potential artistry in food and its production and presentation has been increasing at a remarkable rate.

One need only visit even a moderately large grocery store to see an increased array of gourmet or specialty products, peruse magazine stands or the cookbook section in the public library to sample the artistry in food photography and writing, turn on the television to learn advanced technique, or read the weekly food and dinning sections in newspapers from large cities across the country to realize the depth of the transformation.

While an increasing number of chefs in the United States such as Charlie Trotter, Alice Waters, and Roy Yamaguchi, to mention just a very few, continue to raise the bar through their uncompromising search for quality products, inventive combinations, and artful presentations, the worldwide master of food artistry and innovation is unquestionably chef Ferran Adria of Restaurante El Bulli in Spain. Based on the techniques of nouvelle cuisine, chef Adria's food extends new cooking far beyond its origins through the inventive use of foams, jellies, dried vegetables transformed into powders, and artful packaging.

Along with the increased recognition of the artistry in food has come a movement, led largely by performance artists, to use food as the focal point of their presentations. Inspired by the artistic movements of dadaism and surrealism and such works as The Futurist Cookbook by Marinetti and select writings of Salvador Dali, performance artists such as Bobby Baker, Richard Gough, Alicia Rios, and Judy Chicago rely on food to explore themes from love and sexuality to exploitation and death. Let Them Eat Cake: The Politics of Democracy is We’re Cooking Now’s contribution to this movement. A performance art piece where representatives are chosen from the audience to join chef Rafe on stage, The Politics of Democracy uses the metaphor of constructing a finished cake from already made elements to explore the democratic process.