The first dish we were greeted with at The Art of Style Harvey Nichols was a chorizo risotto and squid coloured in the hues of a blazing sunset, which sat over streaks of black ink painted onto the plate. The squid dominated the dish over the chorizo, both of which were set against the subtle infusion of red pepper and a small pinch of saffron. While not the most imaginative design of the evening, and perhaps even the safest in terms of taste, it was a comforting introductory piece, and as such, a sound base to garner the first signs of audience approval for the evening. I enjoyed the fact that it was characterised by the same black that disrupts the melting pot of warm colours on the canvas, as it does with the dish. So the chef’s rationale for including this I can understand – black, as a domineering colour, adds to the overall composition that aims to catch the eye. It’s an unusual twist and highlights everything I think the event signified – style and character delivered through experimentation.
With this in mind, the anticipation for what the next dish would entail became a talking point. What followed shortly was a snail and oxtail cigar, which through its clean, minimalistic appearance was a refreshing contrast to the abstract expressionist dish that preceded it. It was an unassuming looking creation that resembled something like a spring roll, and was engulfed by a disproportionate amount of white space on the plate. This is not a criticism, however, and in fact meant the cigar’s kick of garlic and parsley sauce was largely unexpected. I liked that surprise, and later went on to learn it would become my favourite dish of the night.
As I savoured the creamy, garlic tang at the centre of the edible cigar, I checked over the name of the artwork that inspired the dish – to my surprise it was ‘More Felled Trees’ by David Hockney. I’d have thought Rene Magritte’s ‘C’est ne pas un pipe’ would have been more apt, but then the sardine that came after also reminded me of another of Magritte’s works, ‘Collective Invention’, more than it did Damien Hirst’s formaldehyde sharks. Yet of course, the source of inspiration and concept remained clear, and in fact, proved to be a piece that resonated well with sitters who were reasonably well acquainted with this infamous contemporary artwork, albeit with their mixed reviews of the food replica’s taste.
This again became another enjoyment of the evening – thinking up all the ways in which a dish could be assembled, being surprised each and every time, and locating through association what the dish could also represent. It became a game which allowed flavours to take a back seat as the chef’s showmanship took to our plates as the number one focus instead. This especially became the case with the Jackson Pollock ‘No.8’ dish, comprised of an uncontrolled splattering of colours conducted in a controlled environment – a practice that harks back to the artist’s heydays of the 60s. Truly, Chef Samling must’ve felt the unhindered artist in his studio with this piece.
Our chef then rounded off the evening with his most delicately crafted interpretations, so I suppose this was his grand finale in the form of dessert. Here we had Claude Monet’s ‘Vanilla Sky’ and Salvador Dali’s ‘Persistence of Memory’. These I adored for three reasons: the stylistic adaptations, the bold flavours, and because they’d look good on my Instagram feed (of course). While I think we all found the green underlayer of the soft lemon basil posset an interesting twist, especially as it was topped with a dehydrated whip of foam; it was the distinctive, moulded melting ice cream clock of the Dali dish that united us all in praise. I’ve never had anything quite like it – propped on a brandy snap and with thin liquorice strips to replicate the hands of a clock, it was nothing short of a food masterpiece.
Swainson’s hard work had certainly paid off and lead to a cool synergy between style and food, delivered with all of the poise and elegance expected of a collaboration between Harvey Nichols and The Samling. While at £75 per head these seats do not come cheap, you’re offered a unique dining experience that captivates the imagination and demonstrates that “playing with your food” really can have a superior quality.