Art meets Food
Art meets Food
Art Meets Food is a bespoke gastronomic concept created for Rakas by chef Petteri Luoto, offering diners a truly unique visual and culinary feast. Chef Luoto has worked in top restaurants around the world and represented Finland at the Bocuse d’Or, winning first prize. Luoto’s approach to food is rooted in sustainability and driven by his commitment to pairing local ingredients with global influences to create nuanced yet surprising results. These are then paired with unique artworks inspired by the menu. Every dish on the menu is an experience in its own right, encompassing flavour, scent and mouthfeel as well as the visual dimension, both on the plate and on the wall.
Two paintings emerged during the creative process which are no longer featured on the menu. As we were keen to provide an expanded vegan offering, we made the decision not to include D’Agneu Karitsa. The Sorbet Light Green Spruce has additionally been incorporated into the Coupe Venus dessert.
All the artworks are available to purchase. The à la carte works will be accompanied by a handwritten recipe by Petteri Luoto. Following the purchase, the dish will be removed from the menu at Rakas.
We wish you welcome to experience the art-works at Rakas Restaurant!
Art listing
1. Brown Sugar, big oil on canvas, painting with hidden frames, €3,750
The base palette is dominated by a powerful salmon red. The title Brown Sugar is a reference to the cold smoking process where brown sugar plays an important role. The malted loaf adds a spicy dimension to the tartare. DD Ramone and the Ramones were playing while I created this painting.
2. Black Dust, big oil on canvas, painting with hidden frames, €3,750
The Black Dust here makes reference to burnt leeks. The reindeer fillet is topped with leek ash. The painting takes it cue from the same colour, while Golden Truffle references Lapland’s very own “truffles”, the heritage almond potato. The top edge has been sprayed with a flash of the northern lights. The textual content at the bottom reflects my personal favourites, the scent of vetiver and Tignanello, the red wine that pairs so beautifully with this reindeer dish.
3. Arctic Rub steak, big oil on canvas painting with hidden frames, 3 750 €
Warm brows are here blended with smoked celeriac puree and the coolness of an Arctic rock face. The blue is topped with a coal black ombré executed as a monotype with corrugated cardboard. Wooden Pineapple is how I characterise celeriac, a root devoid of any fruitiness.
4. Burning Fields, big oil on canvas, painting with hidden frames, €3,750
The top here features kale. Burning Fields is a reference to rich, baked, toasted flavours: oven-roast beetroot, smoked celeriac puree, burnt leek paired with a barley risotto. The spray of green suggests the brightness of the northern lights. The pink provides a heightened contrast, electrified by the spume of pale blue.
5. Coupe Venus, big oil on canvas, painting with hidden frames, €3,750
This painting builds on the yellow of seaberry and the off-white of mascarpone. The dynamic stripes of green evoke the spruce tip sorbet. A work-in-progress recipe for oat granola is executed in black marker.
6. King Crab, small oil on paper, painting with glass and wooden frames, €2530
Two versions of the same dish, executed on paper. The fresh pink is an over-the-top take on cooked crab. The colours, yellow, orange, blue and high gloss white, bring an interesting contrast. The king crab in itself is aesthetically fascinating to behold, athletic in form, hence the bright colours.
7. Sourdough cake, big oil on canvas painting with hidden frames, €3,750
This painting takes its cue from the silvery whitefish. In the dish, pickled carrot and mustard seed brings a fresh flash of orange, while the sour milk dressing bathes everything in a soft off-white. The Gauloises is an external influence, one of these unfiltered French delights smoked away in the background as I painted. The cigarette packet pays tribute to the iconic helmet. Wine recommendation: Riesling, taking account of the whitefish, cooked to 45°C.
8. Curry Verde, big oil on canvas, painting with hidden frames, €3,750
All the elements are marked on the bottom edge. The working title of this painting was Steak Verde but it evolved along the way. The blue and white bring a decidedly Finnish feel. In the end, the circle closes and the Curry draws our attention.
9. Kale & Blue Cheese, big oil on canvas, painting with hidden frames, €3,750
An enduring classic, the green is powered by a lemon vinaigrette. All the elements and the herbs used are listed in the painting. The high gloss lacquer asserts a strong presence, yet accentuates the kale’s greenness. The red font delivers a sense of energy and tension to cut through the harmony.
10. Local Line, small oil on paper, painting with glass and wooden frames, €2530
A cheese platter, inspired by a mountain scene. The Moncler logo evokes below zero weather. As the sun sets, the time has come to enjoy a plateau de fromage featuring local cheeses.
11. Mud Cake, big oil on canvas, painting with hidden frames, €3,750
Blueberry and vanilla, applied with a roller. The vanilla and lingonberry ice cream adds a fresh lift in the bottom corner. But you can’t help but see the blue and white together and suddenly, oh no, the rug gets pulled from under the picture’s feet as you realise that this is more Argentina than Finland. And yet, whether it’s Argentina or something further north, there’s plenty of room on the map for both.
12. Rocky Road to the North, big oil on canvas painting with hidden frames, €3,750
The large font is a reference to my childhood hero, Rocky Balboa. BIO, Recyclable, Carbon – the works in this series make reference to the climate. Originally the base here was a Tiffany blue. That felt wrong, so I grabbed a brush and a roller and started again. But I didn’t want to lose all the Tiffany. It’s got that je ne sais quoi.
13. Coupe Venus, small oil on paper, painting with glass and wooden frames, €2530
This painting builds on the yellow of seaberry and the off-white of mascarpone. The dynamic stripes of green evoke the spruce tip sorbet. A work-in-progress recipe for oat granola is executed in black marker.
14. King Crab, small oil on paper, painting with glass and wooden frames, €2530
Two versions of the same dish, executed on paper. The fresh pink is an over-the-top take on cooked crab. The colours, yellow, orange, blue and high gloss white, bring an interesting contrast. The king crab in itself is aesthetically fascinating to behold, athletic in form, hence the bright colours.
15. Toast Skagen, big oil on canvas painting with hidden frames, €3,750
Toast Skagen embodies the glorious pastels of a boiled crab. In accordance with the menu, it features mayonnaise, chilli, Dijon mustard and toast. The contrast and the power here is derived from a flash of indigo, which adds an element of tension and surprise.
16. Farm Chicken Salad, big oil on canvas, painting with hidden frames, €3,750
The yellow is the imagined colour of chicken skin. Here, it is executed in a near neon. The pink links with this yellow, creating a punk look that pays tribute to the Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the Bollocks, which features the same colours on its cover. The Arctic blue here adds a bit of a lift, while the dynamic black spray paint symbolises the carbon footprint.
17. Silky Soup, big oil on canvas, painting with hidden frames, €3,750
The dish is resplendent in creamy Jerusalem artichoke. Stewed Granny Smith makes an appearance, with black truffle lending spice. The bright Powder Blue adds a stark contrast, creating tension.
18. D’Agneau Karitsa, big oil on canvas, painting with hidden frames, €3,000 (no recipe)
Lamb in wine and herbs. Smoked celeriac puree base, wine recommendation: Cabernet Sauvignon. The pale blue contrasts with the pine-fried cep, while the pale pink acrylic unites them all.
19. Smokey Pastrami, big oil on canvas, painting with hidden frames, €3,500
The palette here takes its cue from roast elk, cooked to perfection, while kale lends a touch of green. The painting is very much in and of its time. The Sputnik vaccine serves as a reminder of the coronavirus pandemic, while the Gucci fly brings an ever-present buzz. The light grating of Parmesan restores a sense of freshness, giving everything a lift.
20. Sorbet Light Green Spruce, small oil on paper, painting with glass and wooden frames, €2530
The main colour here is a deep spruce green, lifted by the spruce tip sorbet. I mixed three different greens with white to capture the spruce’s gorgeous ombré finish. The spruce tip sorbet is featured in the Tyrni dessert. It is also served as dish in its own right and at the end of the meal. As I was putting the finishing touches to the painting, I looked at the weather report and decided to call it “Moncler edit”. A huge drop in temperatures was forecast. I created this painting in Belgium and had to get the winter kit out to to bring it here. Jesus may be our saviour, but when the really cold weather hits, I’d rather put my faith in Moncler.
21. Classic Burger, big oil on canvas, painting with hidden frames, €3,000 (no recipe)
The word “classic” is what this painting is all about. The minimalist palette and the restrained use of colour meant that it was difficult to achieve the right balance here. SAM is an iconic bread bun that anyone born in the 1970s will recognise. The Arctic Treehouse Burger is very much a 2021 phenomenon, featuring a delicious brioche bun. But when it comes to painting one, it’s got to be a SAM. The base is a blend of four different paints, not just a straight-from-the-tube white. The black, which isn’t actually a colour as such, too is a mixture of four different shades. A warm ochre plays the role of cheese here.
