Food for Thought: Thought for Food [Hardcover]

Vicent Todoli (Author, Editor), Richard Hamilton (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 2009

A thought-provoking, inspiring look at artistic and gastronomic creativity through the world's most revolutionary chef, Ferran Adria (elBulli).

Ferran Adria has revolutionized the world of gastronomy over the last 20 years. So original and poetically sensible is Adria's approach to cooking that he is considered to be the greatest "artist of the kitchen" today. He has appeared on the cover of The New York Times Magazine as the leader of A New Nouvelle Cuisine and Time magazine included him in the 100 most influential personalities on the planet. Adria's restaurant, elBulli, was awarded 3 Michelin stars and recognized 4 times as the world's best restaurant by "The Restaurant Magazine".

Food for Thought explores the essence of elBulli's creativity with hundreds of color photographs of Adria's creations, including, for the first time ever, every single dish ever created by elBulli. Inspired by Adria's controversial participation in Documenta 12, this seductive volume features lively dialogue between the most potent critics and creators of the art and gastronomic worlds, including Heston Blumenthal, Bill Burford, Jerry Saltz, Massmiliano Gioni, Anya Gallaccio, Peter Kubelka, Antoni Miralda, Carsten Holler, Bice Curiger, Adrian Searle, Davide Paolini.

"Professionally, I can die after this book." --Ferran Adria

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Ferran Adria, head chef at elBulli, near Barcelona, is widely considered one of the most innovative artists currently working in food. The term "artist" is not rhetorical: Adria was (controversially) invited to Kassel in 2007 to take part in documenta, one of the world's most important international art exhibitions. Even more controversial was Adria's refusal to come to them-instead, he insisted that elBulli become an official documenta venue. Consequently, the exhibit found curator Roger Buergel flying two patrons per day to Costa Brava (860 miles away) to experience Adria's art. Opening essays provide background on Adria, including about 40 pages of color photos of Adria's dishes, taken by the chef over two decades at elBulli. Editor (and Pop art guru) Hamilton places Adria in a long tradition of food-related art including work by Daniel Spoerri, Bruce Nauman and Alison Knowles. The volume also collects written responses to the documenta dining experience at elBulli; these letters should put to rest any remaining questions regarding the work's artistic merit. Patron Simryn Gill perhaps puts it best: "the experience was curiously disorienting...neither dinner nor supper, nor was it food, nourishment, or sustenance...but rather surprise, pleasure, sensuous delight, repulsion, irritation, discomfort, exhaustion, amazement, stupor."

Review

"....a dense, high-colour tome probing the way in which Ferran's unique approach has taken him to the frontline of culinary artistry." --Wallpaper

"Like an art exhibition about Ferran Adria of El Bulli in book form, this is a thick, beautifully produced product. It contains pictures of his dishes, along with essays written by fellow chefs and critics, graphs, musings, and other ephemera. It would make a great gift, not just for a chef or aspiring chef, but anybody who cares about culture and art." --Chow.com, CBS

"A fascinating combination of food and art, a new volume edited by two prominent 20th century artists looks at artwork culinary and otherwise from one of the world's greatest chefs, Ferran Adria." --Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"The lavish volume, published by Actar, includes photographs of all the dishes Adria served at elBulli from 1987 to 2007....Essays of fine art, culinary art, and how the two intersect in Adria's work are peppered with images of paintings and sculptures that involve food." --ARTnews

"....a lavish new book titled "Food for Thought: Thought for Food"... has essays by art experts and critics, as well as some more immediate responses to elBulli food collected directly from art-savvy diners." --The Washington Post

"Deftly compiled and expertly edited by the team of Richard hamilton and Vicente Todoli, "Food for Thought: Thought for Food" is a profusely and impressively illustrated 400-page compendium showcasing the culinary artistry of Ferran Adria (Head Chef of elBulli, Barcelona). In addition to displaying Adria's superbly crafted culinary dishes, "Food for Thought: Thought for Food" includes a great deal of background information on both his personal and professional life. Of special note are the informed and informative essays on Adria contributed by other chefs and food critics. Enthusiastically recommended for academic and community library collection, "Food for Thought: Thought for Food" is a simply fascinating and amply rewarding browse for anyone who appreciates the culinary arts in general, and the gustatory genius of Ferran Adria in particular." --The Midwest Book Review

"Deftly compiled and expertly edited by the team of Richard hamilton and Vicente Todoli, "Food for Thought: Thought for Food" is a profusely and impressively illustrated 400-page compendium showcasing the culinary artistry of Ferran Adria (Head Chef of elBulli, Barcelona). In addition to displaying Adria's superbly crafted culinary dishes, "Food for Thought: Thought for Food" includes a great deal of background information on both his personal and professional life. Of special note are the informed and informative essays on Adria contributed by other chefs and food critics. Enthusiastically recommended for academic and community library collection, "Food for Thought: Thought for Food" is a simply fascinating and amply rewarding browse for anyone who appreciates the culinary arts in general, and the gustatory genius of Ferran Adria in particular." --The Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Actar; First Edition edition (July 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 8496954684
• ISBN-13: 978-8496954687
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #208,422 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, Eclectic View, July 21, 2009

By 

Thomas Myers - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Food for Thought: Thought for Food (Hardcover)

Similar to last year's A Day at El Bulli, this volume provides a thought-provoking look into the world of Ferran Adria. This work approaches the topic from the standpoint of food-as-art with the central theme being a modern art exhibit in Kassel, Germany, and Mr. Adria's participation in this hundred-day 'documenta 12'. Two documenta visitors per day were invited to dine at elBulli (nearby in Spain) and record their experience. The bulk of the book is comprised of sample menu pictures and descriptions along with actual attendee feedback. In this fashion, elBulli became one more exhibit in the event, and the feedback is taken as art criticism. The majority of the book (the middle half of the book's 350 pages) is dedicated to the art exhibit, as described. The full contents with page numbers is:

1. Food for thought
..10 All elBulli dishes 1987-2007
..50 Thought for food
..60 A A visit to Ferran Adria's workshop
2. documenta 12
..77 One artist
..78 Ferran Adria's participation in documenta 12
..110 documenta 12 sample menu
..135 Feedback
3. A meal for reflection
..206 Dinner at elBulli 29/07/08
..212 Round table 1
..228 Round table 2
..242 Participants' biographies
4. elBulli. Intrahistory
..266 Creative calendar
..270 Map of elBulli evolutionary analysis
..280 elBulli's philosophy
..282 The 12 key elBulli dishes
..308 Chronology
..320 Time-line for cooking over the last one hundred years
..325 Index of all elBulli dishes 1987-2007

As with the previous volume, this is not a cookbook or a detailed description of Mr. Adria's work. It is very eclectic and thought provoking with a very artistic slant. Interesting pictures, art, and photographs. Highly recommended for what it is as well as for the low price.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars if you like to think about food beyond a Rachel Ray 10 minute recipe...., November 25, 2009

By 

Surj Patel "infomaniac" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Food for Thought: Thought for Food (Hardcover)

Get the book. If only for the pictorial history of all of Ferran Adria's work. At the Amazon price it's a lot of fun for the foodie home chef. Some of the Intellectual introspection on the food you can take or leave, but I found the viewpoints damned interesting. Food really can be art if you start with that thought!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved It, April 29, 2010

By 

B. W. Hall "Food Enthusiast" (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Food for Thought: Thought for Food (Hardcover)

First off, I must offer a warning: this book is best for those who are interested in food from an artistic standpoint. The pictures are many, but mostly small, and perhaps half of the book is transcribed round-table discussions. Admittedly, if you don't fall into the aforementioned group, you will probably be bored stiff.

I am one of those. Part chef, part artist, I aspire to this realm of creativity, which seems beyond human. For me the book was fascinating. The concept of accepting something edible into the realm of fine art is a tricky one, but is discussed in great depth and breadth in this book. It was a fairly easy read as well, I finished it in a transcontinental flight in about 6 hours, start to finish, as much of it is written conversation.

For those like myself, I cannot recommend this book enough. It is fun and informative, and looks great on a bookshelf.