28 October 2013

ARTDEGO II

Once again, you had to be there. No amount of words or pictures, however beautiful and clever can do justice to the brilliant Gather & Hunt team that put this now annual event on.

Last year I was bowled over by the art, the food, the sheer effort that went into this collision of artists and chefs. Five talented pairs each work together to create new art work, matched to a course of dinner. Once again, like last year, the result is a spectacular evening that's fun, delicious and thought provoking. It is held in the Nathan Club a space that provides a blank canvas for both the art and the food.

This year we were met at the door with a stunning spring flower work of art, but look closely at the pic above and you will see far more than just flowers! It was the work of Laura Farest who paired with chef Ed Verner of Sidart to serve FRsh & Bloom, a frothy concoction of venison, goats curd and seaweed.

Each course was remarkedly individual; We started with Cock Tail, a startingly lovely prawn cocktail by Kyle Street of Depot, made to match the provocative work of artist Hye Rim Lee. Kyle went the extra mile for as the reel played of Hye Rim Lee's anime presentation, dancers appeared with jars of South Island shellfish, a little like the geoduck.

Them the fabulously modest Makoto Tokuyama of Cocoro had constructed a tasty 'Zen Temple Garden' with confit Ora King salmon and asparagus, miso and cinnamon to match the structural sculptural work of Antony Denham. Teh result ing dish was superb.

Dariush Lolaiy of Cazador brought new meaning to the concept of beef wellington with his unravelled hare loin in a mushroom blanket. His inspiration was Amber Wilson's paintings that combine the abstract of 20th Century painting with overlaps of centuries old traditions of decoration.

And finishing on a sweet note, Sonia Haumonte of the superb Vaniye patisserie in Parnell offered a wonderful concotion of coconut, passionfruit, mango and the divine dulce de leche inspired by Matt Molloy's challenging art work that explores life like a scientist. She'd even provided a petri dish into which something, I know what not, was added with an eye dropper. (I survived)

Another fabulous on-the-edge evening.