Bands have already inspired a range of weird and wacky beverages and even the culinary minds of cake-makers the world over, but now a Radiohead-loving chef has provided the answer to the hypothetical question: ‘what if you could eat your favourite album?’
No, it’s not an edible chocolate vinyl we’re talking about, instead it’s a 10-course menu inspired by Radiohead’s landmark 2000 album, Kid A, where each course corresponds to a track on the record.
Kyle Hanley is the gastronomic wizard behind the new edible Kid A experience, with the fan of the influential Oxford five-piece serving up special recipes at the Detroit Golf Club where he works with the Radiohead record designed to be played in tandem with the eating, as The Huffington Post reports.
The Detroit foodie says he studied music before becoming a chef and sommelier and that he hears “textures and colors” when listening to music. “Especially Radiohead, they are very textural. They are a very visceral band,” he explains. “Most people put out CDs, [but] this is an actual album. One song flows into the next, and we kind of want to do the same thing with the courses.”
Along with the Radiohead-inspired dishes, Joseph Allerton – a Detroit food and beverage director – will provide wine and cocktail selections designed to compliment the food and listening experience. A 10-course menu inspired by Radiohead’s landmark 2000 album, Kid A, where each course corresponds to a track on the record.
“If you like the album, if you like the music, you’ll get it,” adds Hanley, who also instructed waiters to think of themselves as ‘stagehands at a performance’ so as not to distract from the influential Radiohead release.
So what exactly do Hanley and Allerton deem Kid A to taste like?
The evening begins with pan seared diver scallop with yuzu fluid gel, fried cellophane noodel and lemongrass ponzu with chili oil – for opening track, ‘Everything In Its Right Place’ – with glasses of riesling and pfalz.
The remainder of the evening takes in pan seared lamb chops and crispy pig ear (for the fuzz-jazz hypnosis of ‘The National Anthem’), tomato granita and Cilantro infused gin (for ambient interlude ‘Treefingers’), and winding down with mousse duo with blackberry pate de fruit and port chasers for the closing ‘Motion Picture Soundtrack’.
For the time being, the Radiohead Kid A menu will be a one-off – taking place at Detroit’s Elizabeth Theatre on Wednesday 19th February – but Hanley and business partner Bill Keros are already considering in turning the culinary event into a monthly series, where other classic albums will inspire different dinner servings.
Just imagine the possibilities. Fine dining turned grunge for Nirvana’s Nevermind or Pearl Jam’s Ten as the soundtrack, spicy Mexican with fruity flavours for anything by Red Hot Chili Peppers (or even Sgt. Pepper’s). How about nine blockbuster courses inspired by Michael Jackon’s Thriller (is zombified trout, a thing?) plus Lupe Fiasco’s Food And Liquor and Supertramp’s Breakfast In America are no-brainers.
View the 10-course Kid A menu below and head to the Facebook page if you’re interested in last minute tickets to the one-of-a-kind Radiohead taste experience (and check our Detroit Music Travel Guide for things to do while in town).
