McCance 1
Rachel McCance
Dr. Williams
PHIL – 205 – A
13 December 2016
Artistic Cuisines
Food all over the world has been elevated beyond basic flavors to become a collaboration of aromas, presentation, and palatability, transforming food into an aesthetic pleasure. This elevation has brought certain dishes into a new category, art. In addition to raising food to an aesthetic pleasure, there are other similarities to art categories, such as creation and intention that can apply to these dishes. Superior food dishes should be considered art because of the similarities to already accepted categories of art.
There are various key terms that must be explained in order to specify this argument. First, is the definition of aesthetic that applies to this argument is that the reaction should be “based solely on how the object appears to the senses.”[1]For food, those senses are sight, smell, and taste. Second, is to state that only food dishes made by professional chefs who graduated from culinary school, apply to this argument. I will not argue that food made by cooks (line, home, etc.) should be considered art. Lastly, art will be defined according to Elizabeth Telfer’s guidelines: original creation, aesthetic qualities, evaluation, intention, and that society considers it art.[2]
Elevated dishes created by professional chefs should be considered art if they also abide by Telfer's definition of art. The dish must be an original creation. Each time a professional chef prepares a dish regardless if there is a recipe or not can be considered a new or original dish because no dish can be created in the exact same way. For example, ingredients can come from different locations or the portion size might alter slightly. An advanced dish would be able to create an aesthetic reaction before the patron has tasted the superior flavors. Plating a dish takes thoughtfulness to ensure colors combine in visual pleasure. The aroma from the dish will cause the mouth to water in anticipation. Lastly, tasting the food should bring the highest aesthetic reaction of all. The combination of flavors can create a pleasant taste of bitterness and sweetness with a hint of pungency (spiciness or hotness). The patron of the particular dish must also evaluate the food as a piece of art. It is also necessary that the chef of the original creation intended for the elevated dish to be considered art. Lastly, society should consider it art.
Society already considers certain foods to be art. For example, decorated pastries such as cakes have been accepted by society as an art form that takes artistic ability. Although a food dish is different, this demonstrates that parts of food have been received and this type of food should be the next step.
Art, as defined above, has many categories underneath its umbrella such as music, sculpture, painting, and theatre. Although all of these categories and others are considered art under Telfer’s definition, each is also unique when completing the requirements. For example, paintings, sculptures, and certain kinds of buildings are permanent, never changing and meant to be seen as forever the same. However, performance arts like music and theatre have aconclusion and each performance will vary (even if only slightly). Food is similar to performance arts in the way that all categories have a conclusion. A musician will have no more music to play, a cast will bow, and food will have an empty plate.
In addition, these arts alter each time they are created and put before an audience. An orchestra’s performance tempocan change at the conductor’s discretion or a theatre’s production can differ with audience size (length of audience’s reaction time: longer for larger crowds). And as stated earlier, each time a dish is made it will differ from the previous creation. Food abides by this definition of art and shares various similarities to other art forms, so an elevated dish should be considered an art.
Another similarity between music, theatre, and food is that all of them are created with a guideline on its own. Musicians perform music based on the sheet music. Each section violins, cellos, trumpets, or flutes will follow the instructions to their best of their ability. For example, musicians must abide by the flats and sharps as well as listen to their fellow musicians to match their tone. Theatre performers must follow a script and follow stage direction written out. An actor(ess) must also perform with a cast and crew, so he/she must not only act but constantly be ready to react. Food abides by a recipe, which aids the chef in creating the dish. Unlike musicians or performers, a chef must be more attentive because a chef works with the previous and later dishes of a meal. Not only must the ingredients on the plate work together but they courses of a meal must intermingle to create an ever grander food experience.
One considerable objection to categorizing food as art could be that, because food is a necessary part of our everyday life that even an elevated dish only plays an instrumental part with a slight aesthetic quality.The argument continues that art is an unnecessary accessory in our society and our lives; however, food will always serve an essential purpose. Food is a necessity overlooked, while art is a leisurely luxury item that is meant to be appreciated. Although food can be transformed into delicious combinations to extend the palette, it cannot be transformed into a luxury item.
A rebuttal to this possible objection is that while all food has instrumental value to an individual, only some food will cause an aesthetic reaction that elevates the mundane to art. For instance, the diversity of prices for meals varies a great deal because patrons recognize the product they are eating goes beyond the need for nutrition. We do not have trouble differentiating between when we eat for hunger, eat for taste, or a mixture, so we should acknowledge that food can be elevated to a proper art form.[3]The same way a painter must decide on a color palette, a chief must decide on flavors that blend well on a stomach’s palette. Food with the intent of being art has several similarities to already accepted art categories and should be considered an art form.
[1]Elizabeth Telfer, “Food As Art “ in Arguing About Art: Contemporary Philosophical Debates. (Routledge, 2002), 9.
[2] Ibid. 12-15.
[3] Dave Monroe, “Can Food Be Considered Art? The Problem of Consumption” in Food & Philosophy Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, ed. Fritz Allhoff and Dave Monroe (Hoboken: Blackwell Publishing), 143.