Zurich meets London goes Dada

A gala dinner celebrating 100 years of Dada from Zurich meets ...
A gala dinner celebrating 100 years of Dada from Zurich meets London

Dada, one of the world’s most exciting and controversial art movements of the 2oth Century, is celebrating its 100th birthday this year and it’s being done in typical style. The art and cultural movement was born out of the avant-garde world that was thriving in the Swiss city of Zürich in the 1910s before spreading to Paris and New York and beyond.

Through a series of ‘Zürich meets …’ dinners, art shows, food markets and festivals of music, culture and science the movement that gave the world unusual, witty even absurd combinations of words, sounds and images will be celebrated across the city of London.

Fabian Spiquel, (second left) head chef at the Michelin starred Maison Manesse in Zurich
Fabian Spiquel, (second left) head chef at the Michelin starred Maison Manesse in Zurich

Its food festival will be held at London’s famous Borough Market, where a five-course menu takes its cue from the Dada philosophy of “anything goes”. It will be prepared by experimental head chef Fabian Spiquel, of the Michelin starred Maison Manesse in Zürich.

The event will highlight the city’s buzzing food festival culture and the ‘festival hub’ at Borough Market’s Market Hall will present an eclectic selection of local specialities.

Dadaesque flower power ou d'oeuvres
Dadaesque flower power ou d’oeuvres

“What a great challenge this is going to be!” says Fabian. “To apply the concept of Dada to cooking and to be surrounded by the global food pantry that is Borough Market – anything is possible!”

Accompanying the feast will be a typically Dadaesque spectacular devised by Zürich Chamber Orchestra and the Zürich Festspiele with performances of the renowned Tonhalle Orchestra as well as the Schauspielhaus Zürich theatre group.

Swiss made Taucherli chocolate
Swiss made Taucherli chocolate

The menu to be served at Borough Market will challenge tastes and expectations and culinary references:

bitter. sweet. salty. sour. umami.

1 pike fish. green tomato. bergamot.

2 luma pork. tuna. seaweed. truffle.

3 morel. kombu. wild strawberry.

4 beef. corn. onion.

5 rhubarb. birchermüesli. tarragon.

Distilled in Zurich, Turicum gin will be served with Gents tonic water
Distilled in Zurich, Turicum gin will be served with Gents tonic water

Wine Flight

Markus Ruchl, Amphore
Müller Thurgau, Klettgau, Schaffhausen, Switzerland

Donatsch Weinbau, Completer
Malanserrebe, Bündner Herrschaft, Switzerland

Tom Litwan, Wanne
Chardonnay, Aargau, Switzerland

Weinkellerei Hasler, Perpetuum Nobile
Pinot Noir, Lake Biel, Switzerland

Domaine de Soleure, Cuvée Wengi
Merlot/Malbec, Lake Biel, Switzerland

Turicum Gin with Gents Tonic Water.

For more information about Zurich Meets London click: www.zurichmeetslondon.org

We’ll post our thoughts about the Dada dinner and ‘Zurich meets London’ on The Lemon Grove shortly.

 

Bruce McMichael

Food writing, discovering food stories, meeting producers, chefs and food enthusiasts are all part of desire to inspire, inform my readers and fellow food lovers. I am a freelance writer, journalist and published author focusing on the international world of food and drink, culture and travel. In 2019 I graduated from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy with a Masters in Food Culture, Communication and Marketing. I am now a visiting Professor at the university teaching Food & Drink Writing. Based in London I travel widely, particularly across western Europe. I have chaired many conferences and meetings, spoken at conferences and events and often appear on radio and TV talking most about food, the business of food and being an entrepreneur. In 2017 I won an episode of the ITV (the UK-based national television channel) cooking competition show, 'Gordon Ramsay's Culinary Genius'. I took my children on holiday to Sicily with the prize money. As an experienced farmers' market manager and operator of a small marmalade/ preserves company, I am very familiar with the issues surrounding local food, farming, enterprise and the environment.