For the sixth annual Ōra King Awards, we wanted to challenge chefs to take their creativity to the next level. The challenge was set to take a piece of art, across any medium, and interpret this on the plate with Ōra King salmon of course, as the hero.
To communicate this theme to chefs across the world we approached last year’s Best Dish winner for North America, Chef Travis Swikard with our brief; this is his ‘Inspired by Art’ creation.
“The inspiration for the dish is Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, specifically the ‘Ode to Joy’ section. I find it to be an incredible expression of emotion through music and art. The dish is called ‘Spring Springing’ based on the feeling that I get when I hear that section of music. It makes me feel like the first sign of spring has appeared after a long dreary and cold winter in NYC – joy, hope, youth, and bursting emotion.”
“Being that Boulud Sud is across the street from Lincoln Center for Performing Arts, I have had the privilege of seeing this piece of music played by the NYC philharmonic and it really strikes me every time.”
“To create this dish first the Ōra King salmon was cured and dried and then sliced into thin sheets.”
“The sheets of salmon were brushed with ramp vinegar and fermented chili oil. On the base of the plate is a smoked labneh topped with fermented ramps; the salmon is placed on top of that.The soil is made from puffed quinoa, sunflower seeds, nigella seeds, mustard seeds, and amaranth.”
The dish is topped with blossoms, shoots and sprouts of the season; including mustard flowers, chive blossoms, nasturtium, pea shoots, and sunflower sprouts.”
“I was thrilled to win the Best Ōra King Dish for North America in 2017, but now there is a new challenge. Take inspiration from art and enter your own dish.” Chef Travis Swikard.
Watch a time lapse of Travis building his dish here.
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