Widely celebrated for changing the landscape of gastronomy, renowned chef and restaurateur Ferran Adria changed cooking in the same way Salvador Dalí changed art.
Our special exhibition showcases Adria’s culinary work with breathtaking images of his creations paired with their inspirations from the natural world, creative notebooks elaborating his innovative thinking, and tableware and serve-ware he designed. Dalí’s food-inspired paintings and flatware he designed will also be presented.
Ferran Adria’s journey to worldwide recognition began on Spain’s Costa Brava, just a few miles from Dalí’s home, at his restaurant El Bulli, where he advanced the use of transformative, avant-garde cooking. Under Adria’s leadership, El Bulli earned three Michelin stars and was voted the number one restaurant in the world by Restaurant Magazine. Adria is the author of several cookbooks, co-developer of a Harvard University course entitled “Science and Cooking,” and head of the elBullifoundation, a nonprofit in Barcelona focused on the exploration of creativity.
As Museum Director Hank Hine notes, “Adria looked so deeply and experimented so fundamentally with what was possible in creating food, that in a sense, he rediscovered it.”
Events held in conjunction with the exhibit, ranging from an amazing Paella Party at FarmTable Kitchen with Chef Adria in attendance, to a series of seven sold-out Immersion Dinners, prepared by top chefs serve as experiential homage to Chef Adria.
Rediscover food with us during this special autumn exhibition
“Ferran Adria: The Invention of Food” is organized by The Dalí and curated by William Jeffett, Chief Curator of Exhibitions; with production assistance from Fundacion Telefonica and elBullifundacion; support from Estrella Damm; support from Lavazza; and additional support from the Government of Catalonia.
Image Credits:
Detail of the installation Natura designed for the exhibition Ferran Adria. Auditing the creative process. © Fundacion Telefonica
Ferran Adria ©elBulliArchive/Pepo Segura