Architettura nel Piatto - Architecture of the Plate

This historical exhibition explores the evolution of how food has been represented over the course of the centuries. The show begins with the theatrical Renaissance banquets, created to astonish guests and magnify the power of the host. The meals were based on scenographic presentations of the food and the use of rare ingredients.

Between the 19th and 20th century a middle-class cuisine was born. This resulted in the codification of recipes and the course of a meal itself.  With the publication of the “Manifesto of Futuristic Cooking” in 1930, Marinetti and Fillìa introduced abstraction to the kitchen. The food of the futurists was more concerned with color and aroma than shape. The Fifties and Sixties saw the return of middle-class cooking with its rules and timing, whereas Nouvelle Cuisine and the emergence of food media and VIP chefs brought people’s attention back to the esthetics and styling of a dish.

Food Design is a term used to describe the shape of food. Beginning with Antonin Carême, talented engravers and sculptors modeled vegetables, butter, sugar and ice into new shapes. Over the years, the food industry has become increasingly specialized, leading to the development of food stylists and sculptors.

The printed images of food and historic meals presented in this exhibit appeal to both our eyes and your stomachs.