Relishing art: Exploring the nitty-gritty of the delicious world of edible art

French pastry chef Amaury Guichon, more popularly known as the ‘Chocolate Architect’, sculpts some edible goodies that are a thrill to behold
Practising art through the medium of food is termed as edible art
Practising art through the medium of food is termed as edible art

Practising art through the medium of food is termed as edible art. It differs from ‘edible arrangements’ that are composed of delicately arranged raw and cooked food that are used for decorative purposes. While edible art is decorative as well, its primary purpose is to showcase the versatility of edible compounds and appreciating the artistry behind the presentation of food. The most common form of this art would definitely be the edible cake topper pieces that we find on wedding or birthday cakes. On the other hand, there are even competitions where renowned chefs from around the world compete to produce larger-than-life sculptures using culinary techniques that influence the appearance and nature of a food substance itself.

French pastry chef Amaury Guichon, more popularly known as the ‘Chocolate Architect’, sculpts some edible goodies that are a thrill to behold. He says the idea behind these creations are to make day-to-day objects out of sugar, chocolate and other sweet ingredients that can trick the human mind. His fan base exceeding millions of followers on social media and the queue outside his workspace in Las Vegas is a testament to his immense talent. A chocolate Amazon carved out of more than 40 kilos of milk and dark chocolate, a miniature caramel timepiece out of chocolate mousse, cookie base and cremeaux, a chocolate and vanilla ‘cigar’ and a giant patisserie Nautilus are some of his masterpieces. The symmetry and precision of his craft makes Guichon one of the best food artists of our times. Another celebrity in the world of confectioneries is Russian economist-turned-baker Olga Noskova, who has shot to fame globally for her impeccable cake top glazes that many refer to as ‘mirror cakes’. Often made of sponge and mousse layers, the cakes can cost anything between `3,000 to 6,000 per kilo. Her attention to detail and perfection is such that some of her enthralling works can take two days to bake, glaze and present. 

Closer to home, we have Asian chef Janice Wong who marries art, food and technology and constantly explores the limits of food chemistry. Famous for her chocolate and marshmallow paintings, and the tasteful balancing of chocolate with all sorts of flavours, Wong rightfully describes herself as a ‘chef Imagineer’— an engineer whose work and plating are limited only by the boundaries of imagination. With a myriad of textures and multicoloured palette, she draws, paints and sculpts with food. Her desserts are exhibited more often at art museums than at glitzy kitchens or royal feasts. Her tunnel of edible flowers and garden themed desserts have won accolades and were part of a number of touring exhibitions in many parts of the globe. All these chef artists agree that the least explored avenue and the most promising future in the evolution of culinary are undoubtedly that of edible art. Our hearts and tummies agree!

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