FOOD (New York City restaurant)

Last updated

FOOD
FOOD (New York City restaurant)
Restaurant information
EstablishedOctober 1971 (October 1971)
Closed1974 (1974)
Previous owner(s) Carol Goodden, Tina Girouard, Gordon Matta-Clark
Food typehome-cooked, artisanal
City New York City
StateNew York
CountryUnited States
Coordinates 40°43′35″N74°00′07″W / 40.7265097°N 74.0019006°W / 40.7265097; -74.0019006
FOOD Street view of FOOD (New York restaurant).jpg
FOOD

FOOD was an artist-run restaurant in SoHo, Manhattan, New York. FOOD was founded by artists Carol Goodden, Tina Girouard and Gordon Matta-Clark. FOOD was considered one of the first important restaurants in SoHo. [1] Other individuals who were involved with FOOD included Suzanne Harris and Rachel Lew. [2] FOOD was a place where artists in SoHo, especially those who were later involved in Avalanche magazine and the Anarchitecture group, could meet and enjoy food together. [2] FOOD was considered to be both a business and an artistic "intervention in an urban setting." [2] It has also been called a "landmark that still resonates in the history and mythology of SoHo in the 1970s." [3]

Contents

History

Before they founded FOOD, Goodden and Matta-Clark were already cooking for artists in New York and were already known for throwing dinner parties for friends, mainly hosted at their loft. [4] In 1971, they roasted an entire pig under the Brooklyn Bridge. [5] The roast was known as the Brooklyn Bridge Event. [4] The Event was accompanied by outdoor sculpture and celebrated the opening of the Alternative Gallery Space on Greene Street. [6] The sculptures at the pig roast had been curated by Alanna Heiss of the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA.) [6] Music for the roast was done by Dickie Landry and the Philip Glass Ensemble. [6]

Matta-Clark suggested to Goodden the idea for a restaurant, which she found appealing. [6] They chose a location in SoHo on the corner of Prince and Wooster streets. [7] There was a struggling restaurant there called Comidas Criollas and Goodden negotiated the lease from them. [6] At that time, SoHo was considered a cultural desert, [8] with struggling businesses. [9] Goodden had access to an inheritance which she was able to use as the initial investment for the restaurant. [10] Gooden and Matta-Clark wanted to create a space where they could help their friends find jobs while giving people a place to eat in what would later be known as SoHo. [11] Matta-Clark and Girouard began to renovate the place. [12] FOOD opened in October 1971 at 127 Prince Street. [13] During the renovations, Matta-Clark was inspired to do some of his original "cutting" art works. [2]

FOOD was intended to be a simple project designed to bring the artistic community together. [13] Artists were invited to be guest chefs, as well as working at the restaurant on a regular basis. [12] There was no ordering of many different dishes at FOOD, diners ate what was offered on that day. [14] The menu was simple and affordable. [15] Meals included items like raw mackerel in wasabi sauce, Creole-style stuffed tongue and anchovy onion pie. [4] FOOD was considered to be an "active and dynamic site" which served nearly one hundred people daily in 1972. [2]

In 1972 Matta-Clark created a 43-minute documentary of the restaurant. [16] He was often seen as the center of the energy surrounding FOOD restaurant. [17]

FOOD only lasted about three years with the original founders. [18] After Matta-Clark lost interest in the project and Goodden was left to carry on mostly on her own. [15] Eventually, the restaurant was handed over to new operators who ran FOOD until the 1980s. [19] However, FOOD did not retain its artistic roots under the new management. [15]

Legacy

FOOD was said to inspire others who create food art, or work in the field of relational art." [18] Many famous artists and performers, such as Donald Judd, Robert Rauschenberg and John Cage created meals at FOOD. [18] The cooking and the meals themselves were a kind of a performance art, [1] especially the soup. [5] Gooden felt that soup could be used as a sort of "painting" for the table. [20] Matta-Clark developed a meal that he based on bones called Matta-Bones [21] which cost $4. [18] After the meal, the bones were used to create necklaces for the diner to wear. [11] Matta-Bones once served over 100 people and after they ate, Richard Peck scrubbed the bones clean in the kitchen after which Hisachika Takahashi, an assistant to Rauschenberg and a jeweler, drilled holes in the bones so that they could be strung onto rope. [22] Another unusual meal was made of living brine shrimp swimming in egg whites [15] called Alive. [21] Perhaps the most unusual dinner was never realized: Mark di Suvero wished to serve meals through the windows of the restaurant using a crane and directing diners to eat with tools such as screwdrivers and hammers. [23]

FOOD was noted for using fresh and seasonal foods, which was a "vaguely countercultural" idea for the time. [12] FOOD was one of the first New York restaurants to serve sushi [8] which had been suggested by Takahashi. [12] Another unusual feature of FOOD was that it was one of the first places to serve vegetarian meals. [8] FOOD also "championed" the use of the open kitchen which is seen in many modern restaurants. [24]

Other famous artists who were frequently seen at FOOD included the members of Mabou Mines, the Philip Glass group and dancers of Grand Union. [17] Filmmaker artist musician Vincent Gallo stated FOOD was the first place in New York City he ate at.

FOOD 1971/2013

The Frieze Art Fair recognized the contributions of FOOD to the artistic community in 2013 by inviting several chefs from the original FOOD to participate at the fair. [5] Goodden and Girouard both contributed to the tribute of FOOD with Goodden preparing her famous soups and Girouard paying homage to the pig roast under the Brooklyn Bridge. [24] FOOD 1971/2013 was created by curator, Cecilia Alemani and conceived of as a special project for the fair. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of the Midwestern United States</span> Regional cuisine of the United States

The cuisine of the American Midwest draws its culinary roots most significantly from the cuisines of Central, Northern and Eastern Europe, and Indigenous cuisine of the Americas, and is influenced by regionally and locally grown foodstuffs and cultural diversity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yorkshire pudding</span> Traditional English side dish

Yorkshire pudding is a baked pudding made from a batter of eggs, flour, and milk or water. A common English side dish, it is a versatile food that can be served in numerous ways depending on its ingredients, size, and the accompanying components of the meal. As a first course, it can be served with onion gravy. For a main course, it may be served with meat and gravy — traditionally roast beef — as part of the traditional Sunday roast, but can also be filled with foods such as bangers and mash to make a meal. Sausages can be added to make toad in the hole. In some parts of England, the Yorkshire pudding can be eaten as a dessert, with a sweet sauce called raspberry vinegar. The 18th-century cookery writer Hannah Glasse was the first to use the term "Yorkshire pudding" in print.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greasy spoon</span> Small and affordable restaurant

A greasy spoon is a small, cheap restaurant typically specializing in short order fare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dagwood sandwich</span> Tall, multilayered sandwich

A Dagwood sandwich is a tall, multilayered sandwich made with a variety of meats, cheeses, and condiments. It is named after Dagwood Bumstead, a central character in the comic strip Blondie, who is frequently illustrated making enormous sandwiches. According to Blondie scripter Dean Young, his father, Chic Young, began drawing the huge sandwiches in the comic strip in 1936.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gordon Matta-Clark</span> American artist

Gordon Matta-Clark was an American artist best known for site-specific artworks he made in the 1970s. He was also a pioneer in the field of socially engaged food art.

The historical form of service à la russe is a manner of dining with courses brought to the table sequentially, and the food portioned on individual plates by the waiter. It contrasts with the older service à la française, based on several courses brought to the table simultaneously in an impressive display of tureens and serving dishes with diners plating food themselves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasting menu</span> Collection of several dishes in small portions served as a single meal

A tasting menu is a collection of several dishes in small portions, served by a restaurant as a single meal. The French name for a tasting menu is menu dégustation. Some restaurants and chefs specialize in tasting menus, while in other cases, it is a special or a menu option. Tasting menus may be offered to provide a sample of a type of cuisine, a house specialty, or to take advantage of fresh seasonal ingredients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masbia</span> Network of kosher soup kitchens in New York City

Masbia is a network of kosher soup kitchens in New York City. Its three locations in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Borough Park and Midwood, as well as the Queens neighborhood of Rego Park, serve over 500 free, hot kosher meals nightly. Masbia is the only free soup kitchen serving kosher meals in New York City. The organization receives 10% of its budget from government aid, relying heavily on private donations of money and food to meet its $2 million annual operating budget.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roast goose</span> Dish

Roast goose is cooking goose meat using dry heat with hot air enveloping it evenly on all sides. Many varieties of roast goose appear in cuisines around the world, including Cantonese, European, and Middle Eastern cuisines. Roasting can enhance its flavor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Columns</span> Non-profit gallery in New York City

White Columns is New York City's oldest alternative non-profit art space. White Columns is known as a showcase for up-and-coming artists, and is primarily devoted to emerging artists who are not affiliated with galleries. All work submitted is looked at by the director. Some of the artists receive studio visits and some of those artists are exhibited. White Columns maintained a slide registry of emerging artists, which is now an online curated artist registry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pollen Street Social</span> Restaurant in London, England

Pollen Street Social is a restaurant in London, England, run by chef Jason Atherton. It was Atherton's first UK solo restaurant, and in 2011 was named the best new UK restaurant by the Good Food Guide, and the best new fine-dining restaurant in London by Time Out. It currently holds one Michelin star, which it gained within a year of opening. Elements in the restaurant such as the dessert bar have been subsequently included in Atherton's other restaurants. On 22 March 2024, Atherton announced on Instagram that the restaurant would be closing permanently on 31 July 2024.

Holly Solomon (1934–2002) was an American collector of contemporary art and founder of the Holly Solomon Gallery in New York City in 1975. Her SoHo, Manhattan gallery was initially known for nurturing the artistic movement known as Pattern and Decoration, which was a reaction to the austerities of Minimal art. She was the subject of an early portrait by Andy Warhol that made her a Pop Art icon, of sorts, as well as the subject of portraits by Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Rauschenberg. Holly and Horace Solomon made a lasting contribution to the work of Gordon Matta-Clark when they provided the site for Matta-Clark's project Splitting, a suburban home in Englewood, New Jersey.

Holly Solomon Gallery opened in New York City in 1975 at 392 West Broadway in Soho, Manhattan. Started by Holly Solomon - aspiring actress, style-icon, and collector - and her husband Horace Solomon, the gallery was initially known for launching major art careers and nurturing the artistic movement known as Pattern and Decoration, which was a reaction to the austerities of Minimal art.

Office Baroque is a Belgian contemporary art gallery situated in Antwerp. The gallery was originally incorporated in 2007 in an apartment on Harmoniestraat in Antwerp by Marie Denkens and Wim Peeters. The gallery occupied a location on Lange Kievitstraat in Antwerp from 2008 till 2013. It opened its first gallery in Brussels on 7 November 2013 with an exhibition by French/American artist Michel Auder. In a 1909 cast-iron building by the Brussels architect Paul Hamesse, he was part of the Art Nouveau generation. In September 2015, Office Baroque opened a second gallery space in the vicinity of the Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels. In September 2020, the gallery relocated to its original space on Harmoniestraat in Antwerp. The gallery is named after one of Gordon Matta-Clark’s public interventions, untimely demolished after extensive protests in Antwerp in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tina Girouard</span> American artist (1946–2020)

Cynthia Marie "Tina" Girouard was an American video and performance artist best known for her work and involvement in the SoHo art scene of the 1960s and early 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prawn cocktail, steak and Black Forest gateau</span> British dinner menu

Prawn cocktail, steak garni with chips, and Black Forest gâteau was the most popular dinner menu in British restaurants in the 1980s, according to contemporary surveys by trade magazine Caterer and Hotelkeeper. It was associated with the Berni Inn chain, which popularised mass-market dining out after the end of food rationing in Britain following the Second World War. The Prawn Cocktail Years, by Simon Hopkinson and Lindsey Bareham, called this meal the Great British Meal Out.

Oscar Tuazon is an American artist based in Los Angeles who works in sculpture, architecture, and mixed media.

Carol Goodden is a New York based artist and dancer known for her photography and participation in Trisha Brown's dance company. She was also the co-founder of the artist-run restaurant, FOOD where she was the main investor.

Julia Hasting is a German graphic designer. She is the Creative Director of Phaidon Press, head of the design department. She is known for the many best-selling books she designed such as Andy Warhol Catalogue Raisonné, magnumº, A Day at elBulli, and Bruce Nauman: the True Artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arleta Library Bakery & Cafe</span> Defunct restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Arleta Library Bakery & Cafe was a restaurant in the Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood of southeast Portland, Oregon, United States. Sarah and Nick Iannarone established Arleta in 2005, and it closed in 2020 because of financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Arleta garnered a positive reception, especially as a brunch destination, and Guy Fieri visited the restaurant for an episode of the Food Network series Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

References

  1. 1 2 Justin (October 29, 2009). "Carol Goodden & Gordon Matta-Clark's Food". Broken City Lab. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Clintberg, Mark (2011). "The Story of FOOD". Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA). Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  3. "Food, Gordon Matta-Clark". Electronic Arts Intermix. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Waxman, Lori (2008). "The Banquet Years: FOOD, A SoHo Restaurant" (PDF). Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture. 8 (4): 24–33. doi:10.1525/gfc.2008.8.4.24 . Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Kahn, Howie (May 10, 2013). "Food Matters | When Eating and Art Became One". The New York Times. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Goldstein, Bethsheba (June 30, 2012). "Guest Post Series: Bethsheba Goldstein Interviews Carol Goodden about the Origins of FOOD". The SoHo Memory Project. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  7. Goodman, Matthew Shen (May 9, 2013). "Giving FOOD its due: "FOOD 1971/2013"". ArtSlant. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 Battaglia, Andy (May 2, 2013). "The Original Artisanal Food". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
  9. "NATURAL FOOD COLORS".
  10. Schaafsma, Ben (November 2008). "Other Options: A Closer Look at FOOD". Journal of Aesthetics and Protest (6). Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  11. 1 2 Swanson, Carl (May 5, 2013). "Why Food (the Restaurant) Is the Talk of the 2013 Frieze Art Fair". Vulture. New York Media, LLC. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Kennedy, Randy (February 1, 2007). "When Meals Played the Muse". The New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  13. 1 2 Bußmann, Klaus; Muller, Markus, eds. (1999). FOOD, an Exhibition by White Columns (PDF) (in English and German). Koln, Germany: Walter Konig. ISBN   3887891333 . Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  14. "Food Curated by Catherine Morris". Gallery 400. Archived from the original on April 16, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Scavone, Enzo (December 12, 2013). "When Artists Lived In SoHo: A Look Back at the Restaurant FOOD by Gordon Matta-Clark and Carol Goodden". Untapped Cities. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  16. "Gordon Matta-Clark – Food (1972)". UbuWeb Film & Video. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  17. 1 2 Smyth, Ned (June 4, 2004). "Gordon Matta-Clark". Artnet. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Corbett, Rachel (May 7, 2013). "7 of History's Most Mouth-Watering Artist-Run Restaurants". Artspace. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  19. Swanson, Carl (May 5, 2013). "Why Food (the Restaurant) Is the Talk of the 2013 Frieze Art Fair". Vulture. New York Media, LLC. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  20. "Frieze Frame: FOOD 1971". The SoHo Memory Project . April 27, 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  21. 1 2 Barliant, Claire (July 25, 2012). "112 Greene Street". The Paris Review. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
  22. "Remembering Gordon Matta-Clark: "Food" and How the Cutting Pieces Began". M-Kos. May 7, 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  23. 1 2 Hoare, Natasha. "Matta Clark's FOOD". The Gourmand. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  24. 1 2 "Gordon Matta-Clark's Art Restaurant Resurrected". Phaidon. May 2, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2015.