The art of food

Instead of de rigueur name tags, guests at Walker Art Center's "CuisineArt 2009: From Palette to Palate" on June 12 wore aprons. During the cocktail hour, they sampled hors d'oeuvres, meandered through the galleries and watched as top local chefs created dishes inspired by famous works in the museum's collections.

The sold-out event benefited the multidisciplinary artistic and educational programs of the Walker.

For Darsie Alexander, the Walker's new chief curator, it was an obvious pairing. "Food and art have appeared together for centuries," she said. "It's a wonderful and lasting relationship. It's all about a great appetite."

Wolfgang Puck, whose 20.21 restaurant resides in the Walker building, was the dynamic guest of honor. "In cooking, I get inspired always by great art," he said, recalling the first time he commissioned a work from his friend "Bob" Rauschenberg, who created art for several of his restaurants.

Puck had the challenging job of judging the chefs' artistic dishes. Sameh Wadi, chef and owner of Saffron in downtown Minneapolis, whipped up phyllo-wrapped blue prawn with basil and exotic Indian spices. He chose artist Alan Saret because "his art is inspired by his trips to India, and that works well with our food," he said. Clearly, the collaboration worked. Wadi won the Duchamp Award for best interpretation and Puck's overall favorite.

Sara Glassman • 612-673-7177