MY ROLE

Curator

Graphic Designer

Culinary Researcher

Dinner Sessions at The Grey Space in the Middle is a programme inspired by artist Gordon Matta-Clark’s restaurant FOOD, which existed in 1970s New York. The Grey Space invites people to cook affordable meals as a form of artistic and social expression during our weekly Dinner Sessions.

Two Dinner Sessions—Grandma's Recipe and Fallen Leaves Return to Roots? Memories of Migrants—were curated in collaboration with Chinese alternative electronic music producer and performer SHAN. Together, we formed the culinary research duo Cook of ShadowS, inviting audiences to experience our research in the form of an audiovisual Chinese and Taiwanese dining experience. This included a three-course menu, a curated musical arrangement, and an illustration exhibition.

Throughout these Dinner Sessions, artist talks were hosted between courses, discussing how our culture has shaped us, how living in the Netherlands has made us reflect on our cultural identities, and how we have sought to engage with Dutch society. For more information about the concept, please check here and here.

Collaborator

SHAN

CLIENT

The Grey Space in the Middle

2023

YEAR

SOCIAL MEDIA archive

CULINARY RESEARCH archive

VISUAL archive

TEXT archive 1

Fallen Leaves Return to the Roots?

Memories of Migrants

The food at this week’s Dinner Session was inspired by the Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag, 5th May) in the Netherlands and Cook of ShadowS’ childhood life in post-war reconstruction communities in China (Nanchang Hongdu Aircraft Community) and Taiwan (Taichung Bian Dian Military Dependent’s Village). The shared experience of food resource shortages during and after WWII led to the creativity and resourcefulness of their grandmothers and their neighbours to create delicious food with limited ingredients. The result is a unique cultural melting pot cuisine that reflects the mutual influences and creativity of the community.

Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag) marks the end of the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II, in Cook of ShadowS’ eyes, it also acts as the liberation from the Dutch famine of 1944-1945: people no longer have to consume tulip bulbs and potato peels to quench their hunger. Meanwhile in East Asia, after WWII and the Chinese Civil War in 1949 in mainland China, different types of military soldiers and their families migrated from China to Taiwan in order to prepare for the “Retake the Mainland China” operation. The government (KMT) established military dependent’s villages in Taiwan, waiting for the moment to reclaim the land; meanwhile, China was recovering from the damage from wars. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) intended to reconstruct and develop the country, and designated aircraft technicians from all over China in Nanchang City in 1950s. Gradually, it became a ‘town in town’ special community, Hongdu in Nanchang.

The Netherlands, China, and Taiwan all experienced food resource shortages during or after WWII. People back at the time can barely fill their stomachs or only rely on basic ingredients. Based on this shared experience, Cook of ShadowS took inspiration from their childhood memories in the post-war reconstruction communities, even in difficult war or post-war times, their grandma and grandma’s neighbours still used their wisdom to recreate delicious food from their former hometown. Creativity, limited local ingredients, and mutual influences among the community created a one-of-a-kind cultural melting pot cuisine.

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The Trilogy of War Food: Tofu x Flour x Sweet Potato (vegan optional)

Starter: Tofu Pak Choi Soup

Hungry? Tofu and different veggies are always in our fridge. A simple but classic soup in military dependent’s villages. Healthy balance for protein and vegetables.

Main: Nanchang Rice Noodle with Taiwanese Braised Dish

Rice noodles are the classic Nanchang breakfast. Each breakfast shop has its unique sauce recipe, just like sangria tastes differently in every restaurant in Spain. A bowl of rice noodles with special spicy sauce (mild, also offer medium and hot levels) and crunchy peanuts, served with pickled veggies and braised eggs or braised tofu skin.

Dessert: Sweet Potato with Sweet Ginger Soup

A common dessert in Cook of ShadowS’s childhood memories, was served in a hot sweet ginger soup. Fun Fact, sweet potato is regarded as the ‘cold energy’ food in Chinese medicine, therefore, ginger, which is considered as the ‘warm energy’ food is used to balance the coldness in the dish.

TEXT archive 2

The Yuanxiao Festival

The cooking duo Cook of ShadowS loves sharing their East Asian culture. Now, it is the case that they are coming to our kitchen to host this Dinner Session on a special date in their culture, as it happens to be the Yuanxiao Festival on the fifth of February. Accordingly, Cook of Shadows prepare a menu that is designed and based on this festival.

The Yuanxiao Festival, also named as the First Full Moon Festival or the Spring Lantern Festival, is held on the 15th day of the 1st month on the Lunar Calendar. This day is the night of the first full moon in the Lunar New Year, which symbolises the arrival of spring. The Chinese traditionally celebrate this day by admiring lanterns, guessing lantern riddles, and eating Yuanxiao. So, for this Dinner Session, Cook of ShadowS cook some comfort food to recreate this united friend and family feeling.

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The Yuanxiao Festival-inspired (vegan)

Starter: Mom’s Tomato ‘Lump’ Soup

A classic homemade tomato soup with flour dough flakes. The combination of sourness, sweetness, and pungency will awaken the appetite and chase away the cold.

Main: The Earthy Trio

A dish consisting of fried potatoes, peppers, and eggplants with thick savoury sauce, which match perfectly with the rice that is served on the side.

Dessert: Moon Yuanxiao

Glutinous rice balls stuffed with sweet sesame paste, served in a hot sweet soup.