As much as I love the local spin that IntoxiKate offers to the Westchester #FoodieNation, after attending this year’s International Chef’s Congress, I can’t help but highlight some of the inspiring (and creative!) chefs I met at the expo.
Case in point: Janice Wong, an innovative pastry chef from Singapore who creates edible art installments that are not only beautiful to look at, but tasty as well. Owner of 2AM:DessertBar and 2AM:Lab, the chef is also the author of Perfection in Imperfection, a book that gives you a glimpse of Wong’s unique way of exploring (and tasting food).
Wong’s installations look like something out of an art gallery, but you immediately have to get over the stigma of “look, don’t touch” to experience this work of art. Pulling off a piece to taste is highly encouraged, and as you do so, you see how the edible art constantly changes as the user experiences it.
The chef’s use of a variety of ingredients allows her to play with composition on a whole new scale—she is not only making the art pleasing to the eye, but also has to work on both flavor profiles and textures to bring the experience full circle (and edible). “It’s all about the marriage of flavor and not predefining them into a flavor category. Ingredients aren’t defined as savory or sweet. What you pair them with makes the difference,” Wong says.
The pieces shown here (photos generously passed along by Wong herself) include chocolate, miso, marshmallow, mustard, flour, eggs and flavors (like tutti fruity and strawberry) produced by Symrise.
While I found Wong’s artwork complex—not only as art, but in taste as well—what I really found fascinating was her “no-boundaries” cutting edge approach to the creation process. “Creativity means taking things you don’t know and making them into new things. Where is the boundary? For us, it’s endless.”
Bottom line? She’s a chef you should know. To see one of Wong’s art installations in action, click here.
