Matthieu Beudaert

Matthieu Beudaert (1977) is a Belgian chef with a background in art history. He began his career in the museum world but eventually found his calling in gastronomy. After founding his restaurant Table d'Amis in Kortrijk, awarded a Michelin star, he explored the intersections between art and gastronomy. In 2025, he will be the Artist in Residence at KMSKA.

Founder of Table d’Amis, awarded a Michelin star
Chef with a background in art history
Explores the intersections between cooking and art

Artist in Residence

"I never expected this and was honestly completely surprised after my first visit, but also honored to have been asked that question." Beudaert sees his residency at KMSKA as an opportunity to explore the boundaries between cooking and art. "The invitation marks the beginning of something new for me in two ways. On one hand, the search for how art can influence cooking, on the other, the exploration of the boundaries between cooking and art."

Taste and Art

"First and foremost, we will try to let the museum’s collection be tasted by the public. How does a Fontana taste? How do Uecker’s nails taste? With which flavors do we associate the colors of Roger Raveel?" This research translates into a dinner with Club Foquet and KMSKA Laat, where guests taste dishes directly inspired by the collection. Beudaert is also working on a cookbook based on the museum's artworks. Additionally, he wants to create an object that blurs the line between art and gastronomy. "I already have a concrete idea about this, which I am particularly proud of, but I don’t want to reveal more for now, as the question remains whether it is feasible."

Inspiration from the Collection

Beudaert draws inspiration from the museum collection in various ways. Sometimes it is formal, where a work of art directly evokes an association with an ingredient or dish. "For example, Otto Piene’s large sun immediately brought me to a refined version of an aubergine parmigiana." Other times, the content plays a role. "The rhythmic, undulating nails of Günther Uecker’s Dark Field brought me to the Bouba-Kiki theory." This principle, in which certain shapes are intuitively linked to sounds, is something Beudaert wants to extend to flavors. "I want to take it a step further and also link shapes and sounds to tastes."

Art and Gastronomy

The relationship between visual art and gastronomy has existed for a long time, but according to Beudaert, it has not been sufficiently explored. "The relationship between the two has existed for a long time, but no one has really delved deep into it, unless I missed something." He refers to the controversial Documenta performance by chef Ferran Adrià in 2007. "As brilliant as Ferran was, he seemed unable to answer the curators’ question." However, Beudaert sees a future in a more integrated approach. "In the future, I envision gastronomic performances emerging where food, theater, music, dance, and film come together in a kind of Gesamtkunstwerk."

Curator of Flavors

Beudaert sees clear parallels between the role of a curator and that of a chef. "One could say that building a menu, curating ingredients and dishes, follows the same process as assembling an exhibition." For him, the power lies in making deliberate choices and avoiding excess. "Chefs and curators often make the mistake of wanting to show too much." His goal is to create an experience that remains etched in memory. "Then you tattoo their memory with compelling souvenirs."

A New Beginning

What does Beudaert hope visitors will take away from this unique combination of art and gastronomy? "I hope visitors, but also chefs and artists, will start thinking for themselves about the relationship between the two, that together we can discover a new creative world." For him, one thing is certain: "I think we are only at the beginning of something new."