How Our Test Kitchen Turned an Oil Painting Into a Veggie Burger

When working on a new recipe, having guidelines is beneficial. Without them, it can be overwhelming to navigate through the vast possibilities.

At Bon Appétit, the food team typically receives guidelines such as “recipes for salmon,” “one-pot dinners,” or “dishes inspired by recent travels.” These prompts serve as inspiration for creating new culinary ideas. However, occasionally the test kitchen encounters a story premise that challenges their usual process in a positive way. In the magazine’s May issue, themed around art and design, a feature titled “Bite at the Museum” presented a unique opportunity.

The challenge was to interpret contemporary works of art as inspiration for new recipes, reverse-engineering dishes to resemble the original paintings as closely as possible. The food and prop stylists, along with the photographer, played a crucial role in meticulously arranging ingredients, surfaces, and lighting to replicate the art. In the test kitchen, the focus was on translating the artworks into culinary creations while considering seasonality, feasibility, and individual perspectives.

For instance, one recipe was inspired by Judy Chicago’s artwork, resulting in an Easter Salad featuring radishes as the central element. Another creation drew inspiration from a painting resembling Jean George’s spring pea soup, leading to a dish of spinach served with seared scallops. The team also developed a Neapolitan cake that cleverly utilized a single batter with cocoa powder and freeze-dried strawberries for distinct flavors.

Each recipe was a creative interpretation of the art pieces, with considerations for visual appeal and taste. Despite the challenges of working on recipes months in advance to align with seasonal produce availability, the team successfully crafted dishes that captured the essence of the artworks they were inspired by.