PEOPLE from across the kingdom are in for a flavourful feast for the senses this Saturday as chefs and artists come together to showcase their colourful culinary collaborations, as part of the seventh Food is Culture event.
The annual experimental project, being hosted by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) for its seventh consecutive year in collaboration with Al Liwan in Hamala, pairs artists and chefs of different culinary and creative backgrounds to offer visitors tasty treats in an artistic atmosphere.
“It will be held in Al Liwan’s outdoor area from 6pm to 8pm on Saturday, which is a nice day for people to go out with their family to experience an evening of art and food,” said Baca director of culture and arts Farah Mattar.
“The aim, like every other year, is to look at how each counterpart can influence one another,” Ms Mattar said.
“Chefs and artists come out of this collaboration somehow transformed, experienced and exposed to something new, which in return influences their art and cooking as well, opening up their horizons.
“After all, they are creative individuals in different fields and this is a chance to see them come together to perform their art.”
This year, the chefs lined up are Mirai’s Executive Chef Junior Gomez, Agora Food owner Abdullah Alnoaimi, as well as influencer Manal Alsaleh known for Table for Five.
Artists include celebrated multimedia talent Maryam Haji, abstract creative Mohamed Taqi and sustainable fashion designer Nouf Alshekar.
According to Ms Mattar, the pairings were finalised based on their chemistry and how well they would work together.
Ms Alshekar, creator of NS by Noof’s bejewelled, custom-made clutches minaudières and bags, has been paired with Chef Gomez, a Brazilian who has won seven prestigious awards in the food industry.
Mr Taqi, an expressive abstract artist, has been linked up with food influencer Ms Alsaleh who flips her kitchen upside down and turns it into a lab of experiments, discovering new dishes while developing her skills.
Bahraini multi-disciplinary fine artist Ms Haji, who represented the kingdom in Finland’s Mänttä Art Festival in 2021 as well as the 55th Venice Biennale 2013, has been paired with Mr Alnoaimi, who launched his own business out of his love for Greek food. He opened his first retail, bakery and deli in 2020 and a year later, launched a restaurant and cafe and is now the founder and managing director of Agora Food, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Ms Haji was also the winner of Bahrain’s 38th National Fine Art Competition for her ‘Muse’ series,
Visitors to the event will be able to interactively engage with the topics each pair explores on their presentation day, taste their recipes while marvelling at original artworks, sounds and more.
The panel - which will include the three pairs, explaining and discussing their journey and how they created their unique pieces - will be moderated by food blogger Hind Alrumaihi from @thecravelist on Instagram.
For details, visit www.culture.gov.bh or follow @culturebah on Instagram.
mai.alkhatib@gulfweekly.com
&uuid=(email))