When Art Inspires Food

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Love art? Love food? Then the National Gallery of Art has something you will truly enjoy. 

Chef Michel Richard (Citronelle and Central Michel Richard) has collaborated with Executive Chef David Rogers of Restaurant Associates to create a menu inspired by the paintings of the Chester Dale Collection at the National Gallery of Art.  This is the tenth Themed Garden Café at the Gallery since the first café, Café Provencal, in 2006.

The menu, available at the Garden Café Francais until February 10, 2011, offers a la carte items and a buffet at $19.75.  Classic French dishes that were popular in the 19^th century are included in the menu.  Dishes include cured ham from the Basque region, cheese ravioli in basil sauce, and Michel Richard’s 72-hour short ribs with mashed potatoes and bordelaise sauce. 

David Roger’s personal favorite is Richard’s smoked salmon terrine with green salad.  After studying and recreating Richard’s food from his first book, Michel Richards Home Cooking With a French Accent, Rogers says the opportunity to work with him is a dream come true and has “nothing but compliments” towards Richard. 

The exhibit, From Impressionism to Modernism: The Chester Dale Collection features 83 European and American paintings that Chester and Maud Dale collected from 1919 throughout the 1950s.  It can only be seen in D.C. until July 31, 2011 and features famous works by artists such as Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Vincent VanGogh, and George Bellows.

In addition to being inspired by Richard, Rogers is moved by the paintings within the National Gallery of Art.  “The whole building radiates creativity, although it’s easy to not see past the four walls of the kitchen.” 

Among the collection, Richard particularly favored Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec as a child and the still lifes depicting food.  Several of his favorite artists and paintings can be found in the Chester Dale Collection.  An artist himself, Richard was excited to work with the National Gallery of Art as he originally wanted to be an artist.  

Some chefs are so inspired they draw from their own experiences or associations with the art work.  For example, Jose Andrés (Jaleo and THINKfoodGROUP) created two separate menus for two different exhibits for the Garden Café España with dishes based on his own copy of a rare recipe book Arte de Cocina by Francisco Martínez Montiño, chef to Philip II.  The chefs occasionally use themes in the presentation of the food as well–anywhere from drip techniques similar to those found in Jackson Pollock paintings to monochromatic foods.

Aside from Andrés and Richard, the Gallery has worked with other local chefs to create an art-inspired menu.  Previous local chefs include Fabrizio Aielli, formerly of Teatro Goldini in DC; Patrick Orange of La Chaumiere in DC; Jean Claude LeLan, formerly of Le Refuge in Alexandria, VA; Scott Chambers of La Ferme in Chevy Chase, MD; Tim Elliott of Mie N Yu in DC; Nasrullah Malang of Bamian Restaurant in Falls Church, VA; and Fabio Salvatore of Café Milano, DC.

Considering only two of those chefs are from Virginia, it would be great to see more participation from Virginia chefs. Or perhaps a local Virginia gallery can feature the cuisine of local chefs that are inspired by local artists.  This can be taken one step further by using locally grown foods and local musicians to create an ambiance that goes along with the artwork.

There are several chefs in the region worth tapping in to; perhaps one from the region’s 50 best restaurants.  Deborah Ziska, Chief of Press and Public Information at the National Gallery of Art, likes bringing in local chefs because they bring in their own following.  She says “the DC area has come a long way.  We’re lucky to be in a region that has a wealth of great chefs.  It bodes well for the NGA—we can look in our own backyard.”

While there are several examples of art inspired by food or festivals featuring food and art, there are few examples of food inspired by art where the highlight is relishing one piece of art while visually appreciating another.  In 2000, Feast Your Eyes at The Torpedo Factory featured artwork inspired by food and cuisine, with hors d’oeuvres from Nora Pouillon of Nora Restaurant in DC, who selected the artwork for the exhibition.

Hopefully an idea similar to the National Gallery of Art themed cafes can be brought to the Northern Virginia region.  If anyone is interested in taking on such a feat, Ziska recommends galleries “always start with the art.” 

–Aisha Salazar

Tags: Aisha Salazar, art, Citronelle, David Rogers, food, Garden Café Francais, Gut Check, José Andrés, Michel Richard, National Gallery of Art, Northern Virginia Magazine, themed cafes