Is the Quest for Aesthetic Killing the Meal?
Courtesy of Alix Lacloche
Is the Quest for Aesthetic Killing the Meal?
with Julia Khan Anselmo, Anna Tobias, Alix Lacloche and Missy Flynn
By HURS Team
Food has always been one of the most potent cultural signifiers. It’s about more than taste—it signals identity, aesthetics, alignment. Over the past decade, the table became a stage. We didn’t just eat—we curated. And in many ways, that shift was thrilling. The culinary world cracked open and spilled into fashion, art, design, and architecture, creating a new playground for multidisciplinary creativity.
But somewhere along the way, something got lost.
Food became stylized to the point of abstraction. Built for the frame, not the fork. In trying to elevate food to art, we sometimes forgot the artistry that was already there.
There’s a growing sense that we’ve reached the ceiling of food-as-art, at least in the way it’s been commercially packaged. For many in the industry—and for a rising group of diners—it’s becoming harder to connect with food that feels too staged, too pristine. The focus on aesthetics has often obscured what truly matters: flavour, intention, craft. The deeper we wade into the era of curated consumption, the appetite for imperfection grows.
There’s a quiet countermovement at play that resists the performative and returns to what truly matters: flavour, process, realness. The next wave of food culture values the winemaker who’s been tending the same vines for decades, the chef who sources locally not for optics, but because it simply tastes better. And the dish that looks humble but stops you in your tracks. This isn’t about rejecting food as art, but redefining the terms. Less spectacle, more soul.
This shift is driven by fatigue—but also by desire. A hunger for connection over curation. A recognition that food doesn’t need a narrative arc to matter. That sometimes the story is simply: this is delicious, and here’s why. And the deeper we get into it—the terroir, the technique, the texture—the more we learn to appreciate the layers behind even the most unassuming plate.
So how do we honour food on its own terms? And how can other creative disciplines support the culinary world, instead of co-opting it? We asked four industry experts on their take.
JULIA KHAN ANSELMO
Julia Khan Anselmo is the founder of Feisty Feast, an Amsterdam-based food agency where culinary storytelling meets cultural strategy. With roots in Canada, Trinidad, and Portugal, Khan Anselmo brings a layered perspective to the table—one shaped by a decade of building community through food. What began as intimate dinner parties in her Vancouver apartment has grown into a creative platform that spans events, brand partnerships, and culinary consulting. At the heart of it all is a commitment to women-led spaces, generous hosting, and food that’s elegant without the ego. Informed by her background in fashion and art, she curates feasts that feel alive—where conversation flows, flavours land, and aesthetics never outshine the pleasure of eating.
ANNA TOBIAS
Founder and Chef of Café Deco, Anna Tobias began her career under Jeremy Lee at Blueprint Café, focusing on pastry, before refining her skills at The River Café. There, she developed a deep respect for vegetables, while her training in butchery and fishmongery shaped her approach to cooking. Tobias’ first head chef role was at Rochelle Canteen, where Margot Henderson and Melanie Arnold helped her sharpen her culinary voice and embrace the essence of generosity in both the kitchen and dining room. A period of freelancing, including a residency at P. Franco, further defined her style. In November 2020, amidst lockdown, Café Deco was born—European-inspired, driven by simplicity, exceptional ingredients, and a balanced wine list.
ALIX LACLOCHE
Born in Paris in 1985, Alix Lacloche grew up in a Franco-American family passionate about ethical, gourmet food. She trained with renowned chefs like Alain Passard, Pierre Hermé, and at the American Academy in Rome, where she contributed to a sustainable cooking initiative led by Alice Waters. After two years in San Francisco with chef Amaryll Schwertner, she returned to Paris in 2012 to launch her catering and consulting work, publish her cookbook Dans ma cuisine, and host a cooking column on Canal+. Lacloche now specializes in immersive buffet experiences, blending aesthetics, storytelling, and culinary craft. Her clients in fashion, design, and culture entrust her to translate their world into original, seasonal, and artful food experiences.
MISSY FLYNN
Missy Flynn is the co-founder of Rita’s, a cult London spot known for its unapologetic energy and distinct point of view. With a background that spans restaurants, bars, and brand consulting, Flynn brings a sharp lens to hospitality—one that blends cultural fluency with a deep understanding of what makes a space feel alive. Rita’s is a reflection of her approach to food and service: bold, warm, considered. From menu to music to mood, she builds environments that feel personal yet expansive, always grounded in generosity. Whether behind the bar or shaping the bigger picture, Flynn champions food as a vehicle for connection, not just consumption.
SHARING FOOD PHILOSOPHIES
THE LOOK VS. THE TASTE
HOW WE TALK ABOUT FOOD
THE FUTURE OF FOOD CULTURE
FAVORITES TO COOK AT HOME
