(From left) Amy, Ezi, Zoey’s Book & Coffee owner Sean Po, Walter (third right) and D2K (right) pose for a group photo.
KUCHING (Nov 13): The Underground Dango Club and Tangga2 Duo Art Exhibition have created a blend of culinary arts and visual arts into their ‘Tangga Lonyoi Cerik’ casual dining experience.
The experiential dining, which is a growing trend in the culinary world today, was held from Nov 11 to 12 at Zoey’s Book & Coffee, Carpenter Street here.
The diners had the chance to enjoy a three-course meal by the chefs, while being immersed with the local artists’ works of arts.
Chef Greg Walter, the key person behind the culinary work, shared that he got the idea of combining the culinary and visual arts elements together after being approached by one of the exhibiting artists.
“One of the artists, D2K, who is a close friend of mine had suggested that they collaborate on a project of ‘fun dining with arts exhibition’ where guests can look at the artwork while enjoying their food,” he said, adding that the event inspirations also came from his time spent abroad.
The dining experience, he added, represented the three members of the project including himself and Ezi Farhanas the chef and cook respectively, and artist Amy Amin.
Ezi Farhan, the programme’s floor manager who is also the co-founder of Underground Dango Club, said the event was a good platform for culinary chefs and cooks like him to explore beyond their understanding of the culinary arts.
“This is the first time that our club has organised a proper fine-dining experience, or ‘fun dining’ as they prefer to call it, featuring a fusion of Asian and Western cuisines,” he said.
“It was a fun, intimate experience where the guests got to know the chef and artists, as well as meeting new people.
“Perhaps, some of the diners are not into arts but notably they have shown some interests in trying to understand what the artwork conveys. When guests dine, they don’t just focus on the food itself, they also become aware of the artists’ characteristics based on the food presentation,” said Ezi.
“The culinary arts have grown beyond just food and dining, as it is a trend now to encompass arts, poetry or music in it. It can also be inspired by minimalism, and not limited to the conventional understanding of the culinary arts,” he said, adding that they welcome other chefs to use their platform for similar event in future.
Adrian Jo Milang
Coming all the way from Bintulu, Adrian Jo Milang commended the event organisers for their extraordinary take on visual art and culinary.
“The entire experience was awe inspiring and the food is marvellous,” he said.
Jasmine Dadi
Another diner, Jamine Dadi, said this was the second time she has tried fine dining.
“However, this one is more interesting because it blends in the elements of arts.
“The flavours are a fusion of Asian and Western. It really expresses the artists’ character and what kind of artwork they are showcasing,” she said.