DATE: 19 FEB - 15 MARCH

TIME: 13H - 18H

DAYS: THURSDAY to SUNDAY

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In 'Embrace Your Inner Brussels Sprout', food is presented as a collective connector and a celebration of identity through family recipes and rituals, as well as an effective cure for loneliness. At the same time, the opposite is a reality many people face on a daily basis: being unable to participate in the social rituals surrounding food. The exhibition runs from 19 February to 15 March 2026.

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HYBRID DESERT‍

Food and (mixed cultural) identity are central to the exhibition, as seen in Emin Batman’s Baklouce, a hybrid dessert created by combining the similar pastry layers of both baklava and tompouce. In addition, Next to this Batman presents his Çeyiz: white lace tablecloths that he has reinterpreted. These textiles are enlarged and installed as an architectural intervention within the space and passed down intergenerationally in this case from mother to son.

For the video work Taste of Time by Logan Hon Mua, a dinner with nine strangers was filmed. In the video, small talk at the table alternates with personal confessions and memories related to food, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of the participants.

FOOD AND MENTAL WELLBEING
Mental wellbeing also plays a significant role in how food is experienced, and vice versa. In the cheerful-looking painting A World Full of Mango by Jasmijn Doukje Plantinga, her grandfather is depicted en profil, gazing at a background filled with mangoes. Here, food symbolizes a distancing experience rather than a collective one: as a side effect of Parkinson’s medication, his perception of taste was reduced to mango alone.

In the surrealist painting series Plums by Minyoung Kim, vegetables and fruit are depicted on the verge of being consumed: skittish pears marked with bite impressions and a plum breaking into a sweat of anxiety as it watches a colony of ants approach. Kim translates her subconscious fears onto the canvas in the form of anthropomorphic fruit.

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PARTICIPATING ARTISTS

Works by Hans De Backer, Emin Batman, Gabriele Bonomi, Jasmijn Doukje Plantinga, Rika Maja Duevel, Maria Escarpenter, Logan Hon Mua, Rucha Kulkarni, Minyoung Kim, Yuk Lin Man & Philip Ling are included.

The exhibition is curated by artist and Treehouse chef Gabriele Bonomi, artist Rika Maja Duevel, and Treehouse artistic coordinator Mulan Go.

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SIDE ACTIVITIES

AT THE TABLE: STORIES, RECIPES & MEMORIES
DATE March 5, March 11 and March 14
TIME: From 18H
PRICE: €20 regular / €5 Stadspass

On the occasion of the exhibition ‘Embrace Your Inner Brussels Sprout’, three communal dinners are organised, inviting participants to explore the connections between food, memory and storytelling.

Each evening (6:00 - 9:00 PM) begins with a guided tour of the exhibition, followed by a shared table experience. Participants are invited to bring a small tasting of a recipe connected to their own story. Throughout the dinners, recipes and stories will be collected with the aim of creating a collective booklet.

Gabriele Bonomi, the Vegan Bear Chef, will prepare and serve a main dish and a dessert, both inspired by his personal journey.

Water, lemonade and a welcome drink are included.
Wine and other beverages are available for purchase at the bar.

Registration:
– Regular tickets via the shop: www.veganbearchef.com
– Amsterdam Noord residents and Stadspass holders: info@veganbearchef.com

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COOKING IN DIALOGUE
DATE: February 28
TIME: From 18H
PRICE: €20 regular / €5 Stadspass

‘Cooking in Dialogue’ is a three-course dinner where food and art meet, turning the table into a space for connection.

The evening starts at 18:00 with a guided tour of ‘Embrace Your Inner Brussels Sprout’, followed by dinner. The dinner is curated by artist Rika Maja Duevel and prepared by Gabriele Bonomi, The Vegan Bear Chef. The starter is created in response to an already existing artwork by the artist. For the main course, the process is reversed, with an artwork emerging from the dish.

Between courses, guests create a collective artwork through drawing, colour and collage, sparking conversation and connection. Dessert closes the evening in a festive way.

An invitation to slow down, meet new people, and experience how food and art create community.

Max. 30 guests (booking required)
Water, lemonade, tea, and welcome drink included
Wine and other drinks available at the bar

Registration:
– Regular tickets via the shop: www.veganbearchef.com
– Amsterdam Noord residents and Stadspass holders: info@veganbearchef.com

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