Four Amstelveen chefs were recently presented with a great challenge. Using the work of artist Ted Noten as an example, they created works of art depicting well-known dishes from their restaurants.
Amstelveen chefs create art – NH News
Noten works a lot with epoxy; a transparent liquid that you can harden. For example, you can create the illusion that an object is floating. Learning that technique in a short time was a bit much to ask. The chefs therefore enveloped their culinary works of art in a transparent box.
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“At first we thought: ‘how are we going to do this?’,” chef Jasper Hermans of restaurant SAAM tells NH after the unveiling of the works of art in the Jan Museum. “I felt like a ‘Hyves grandma’,” colleague Thomas Kooijman emphasizes what a new world he has explored.
Symbolism as an ingredient
The chefs of restaurant SAAM ultimately chose symbolism as the most important ingredient. The restaurant, which mainly serves South African dishes, is committed to combating famine in Africa.
Thomas explains: “We added a small children’s spoon. We also went to South Africa with the team to distribute food. […] In combination with the lobster, we wanted to show the luxurious and the poor in one.”
“The cutting took hours”
Chef Ming Zhang of Asian restaurant Micaro also incorporated symbolism into his artwork. He created an Asian lucky bird from thin slices of tilapia: “Cutting took hours,” says the experienced chef.
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The work of art by the chefs of restaurant SAAM
The work of art by the chef of restaurant Aan de Poel
The work of art by the chef of restaurant Micaro
Despite the many hours of work they had to put into the works of art, the chefs are happy that they participated. During their foray into the art world, they even learned skills that they can use in their own profession.
“For example, we poured everything into a kappa jelly and that gives it a certain quality shine to things. We could still use that in practice,” says Sander de Jong of star restaurant Aan de Poel.
No longer edible
He immediately adds that too much kappa in his artwork spoils the taste. “I wouldn’t eat this. Certain components are edible, but we’ve made most of it so stable that it stays put, making it inedible.”
Ming, on the other hand, can’t wait to sink his teeth into his masterpiece. “With a little wasabi and soy sauce and you can eat it straight away,” he says, looking at his work of art with a delighted look.