Banquet Exquis: Culinary Surrealism To Kick Off KM³

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Montrealers have a special dinner date on August 30, when they’ll sit down for a most unusual feast. Inspired by the exquisite corpse (cadavre exquis) surrealist parlour game, the Banquet Exquis brings together eight acclaimed, highly creative chefs who will improvise dishes using ingredients suggested by the public. An event that will feature not only delicious food, but the joy of words, poetic games and shared memories.

We spoke with the event’s mastermind, Nicolas Fonseca, creator of In the Mouth.

YOU’RE KNOWN AS A FOOD ARTIST…

Food is at the heart of our culture at the personal, family and wider levels, and we all remember the bonds we’ve formed over shared meals. My art explores that culture in a number of different ways. I use food as a vehicle for telling stories, bringing people together and creating events and installations.

WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE CAN A GUEST AT THE BANQUET EXQUIS EXPECT?

People are invited to a big, imaginative, crazy banquet that will draw on culinary memories shared by Montrealers. This is our starting point, our “poetic pantry.” Then participants chosen from among the guests will be invited to create culinary exquisite corpses, which will be passed on to the chefs, who will then have to improvise culinary creations based on them. And we’ll enjoy the resulting dishes, of course!

SO IT’S A CULINARY PERFORMANCE EVENT?

Every 15 minutes, a group of guests will be invited to create an exquisite corpse. For example, it might be something like “naked cabbages give birth to a hungry pig.” Each word will be linked to an ingredient to be used in a recipe invented on the spot! It’s a big challenge for the chefs, who will have less than an hour to come up with their creations. You might call it a “culinary roller derby.”

WHO ARE THE CHEFS?

They’re all highly respected chefs from a variety of backgrounds. One key thing they have in common is their talent for improvising.

ASIDE FROM TASTING THE CREATIONS, WHAT WILL GUESTS SEE?

Guests will be able to get close to the chefs, watch them work and see their inventiveness in action. A calligrapher will be there to create posters with the words from the exquisite corpses. There won’t be a dull moment! My colleague Judith Portier is handling all the scenographic work.

HOW DO I GET A SEAT AT THE BANQUET?

You need to buy a ticket either for a single tasting or a five-appetizer meal. Tickets are available at www.inthemouth.ca. Space is limited.

BANQUET EXQUIS

KM³ OFFICIAL OPENING
Place des Festivals
August 30, starting at 5 p.m.