Mediamatic Paves The Way For The Future Of Food

by Sara Bavar

"The reinvention of daily life means marching off the edge of our maps."

~ Bob Black

Since 1983, Amsterdam based art center, Mediamatic has been pushing the boundaries of art, design and community. Through creative and innovative explorations of how our senses affect the way we associate with our surroundings, Mediamatic is paving the way for the collective new normal. “As part of our regular program as a combined art center and restaurant, we do a lot,” says Medimatic Communications Director, Tobias Servaas. “We organise Neo-Futurist Dinners (multi-sensory dining experiences), Beauty Dinners (face masks to eat and put on your face) and the program Eating Humans (cooking with human material). I think it is safe to say that these all transform cultural food norms.”

Serres Séparées at Mediamatic ETEN

Most recently, Mediamatic ETEN, the restaurant of the Art Center Mediamatic, has created Serres Séparées (Separate Greenhouses). The social distancing, dining experience that has garnered international attention for the organization. Faced with the challenge of guaranteeing the safety of their guests, while also maintaining the appeal of high-end dining, the idea behind Serres Séparées was simple - design a concept that is both private and intimate, yet open and engaging.

Mediamatic is paving the way for other restaurants to reinvent themselves in order to survive the changing climate. “Many restaurants now do delivery or takeaway, this is not what we want to do here. At Mediamatic we strive to create a sense of intimacy and a special atmosphere. And we want to show how experimenting can be fun and rewarding,” Servaas goes on to say.

Mediamatic ETEN and Serre Séparée

Servaas says he is not sure if Serres Séparées will continue or not, but as of now the response from diners has been overwhelmingly positive. He hopes that other restaurateurs will look at the effects this crisis has had on the food system and come to the realization that the most effective way to break the habit of food chain dependency is to source their food locally. This will not only benefit the restaurant directly but also help to boost the local economy. With a small farm attached to the restaurant, Mediamatic is hoping to inspire other restaurants to become more self-sufficient as well. 

 Mediamatic Farm

Mediamatic has continued to remain busy. Over the last year, they have continued to lead workshops on creative and out-the-box techniques for growing your own yeast to examining the smells of our childhood fairytales. The sky's the limit for Servaas and his team. They continue to look for ingenious ways to reinvent the world of art, food, and design. 

Click here to reserve your seat at Mediamatic ETEN & Serre Séparée.