Dancing jellos, oyster mosaics, kilometer-long dining tables boasting rigorously silver cutlery, pitchers, and candleholders, swathes of carefully assembled, colorful canapés, soaring cakes, and eccentrically chic, vintage goblets. Is it just me, or does it feel like food is everywhere nowadays? From our culinary holiday treats' photo dumps mixing in with the effortlessly stylish, sun-lit plates of celebrity chefs and food influencers on Instagram, to luxury design and fashion brands like ABASK, Hermès, and Loewe pairing their launches with exclusive, immersive dining experiences, gastronomic and aesthetic taste have never been more intertwined. Events such as WWD's Fashion Loves Food Gala, held at Milan's Palazzo Parigi Hotel at the start of the month, further exemplify the intersection between these worlds. So when did being a chef become "cool"? And why are we suddenly hungry for food activations?
For New York-bred, London-based culinary artist and creative director Imogen Kwok, the mastermind of some of the hottest food installations conceived for the likes of Chanel, ferm LIVING, and Loewe itself among others, the answer lies in our need for long-lasting memories and connection. "We know how distant we can feel from one another through social media, but nothing can replace tasting, touching, and smelling something," she tells me. "Being so multisensory and subjective, none of the events I curate can be replicated, and each strives to be memorable and create an experience that sticks with you afterwards." From raw shellfish and charcuterie to handmade pasta, chocolate, and cheesecakes, everything Kwok's hands touch transforms into sculptural still life artworks that reveal another side to the things we eat. She isn't alone in the pursuit of tangible social gatherings. Speaking on the comeback of the '70s dinner party' with Livingetc's Executive Editor Pip Rich, New York-based designer Sophie Lou Jacobsen, whose nostalgic tableware lends itself to this trend perfectly, explained that, lately, "there's a real desire to play up our hosting, to be extravagant with foods and the performance around them."
