Food Ink, the pop-up that recently graced London’s East London scene, showed us the newest imminent food craze that is…3D printed food. Now this isn’t just any normal printed food, this experience allows diners to not only enjoy food produced locally by 3D printers, but also bask inthe restaurant’s home-printed fixtures and fittings too. Everythingfrom the knives and forks the diners used, to the chairs they sat on had all been made in-house using state-of-the-art technology.
Over the course of three days Food Inkoffered diners three special meals that took the idea of exclusiveand immersive dining to a whole new level. The site based in shoreditch offers guests the chance to learn about all the equipment used in the printing process, whilst also exhibiting theversatility of 3D printing by seeing the tools in action. Then when the lights go down people could enjoy the exclusive £250 a head meal that comprised of a nine-course printed menu.
Food Ink’s cofounder and director, Antony Dobrzensky, was quoted as havingsaid.”Since I was a kid I was always interested in science fiction, and where I’m coming from today is really about blurring sci-fi and reality, and 3D printing connects to a lot of people because of that,”
“I began exploring the idea of doing something with 3D printing that could connect to the public and I came to the conclusion that food, the universal language… was probably the best way to bring what is otherwise an exotic, intimidating, confusing subject to the mainstream.”
ByFlow, theDutch startup thatsupplies the machines used for printing food, works alongsideBarcelona-basedBCN3D Technologies‘ printers in order to make the cutlery. Thewater-soluble technology helpsto create knives and forks with clean lines and smooth surfaces. Whilst toparchitectsMamou-Mani, will help to design the restaurant’s geometric-style decor.
After the test run in London Food ink hopes to innovate the technology of food in other cities around Europe includingAmsterdam, Rome, Barcelona, and Berlin in September and October, before making its way to New York before the end of the year.
Food Ink has alsoalready had discussions with businesses inDubai about the possibility of setting up permanent 3D restaurants. WhilstSingapore will also soon become host toa restaurant that will only produce food that has been printed. Dobrzensky hopes to eventually open a chain of 3D printing concept-dining spots, in the model of themed chains like the Hard Rock Café, or Dans Le Noir.
Clearlythe latest 3D-printing technology craze is gaining popularity across the globe and is just starting to show how versitile it can be…from aeroplanes to haute cuisine, who knows what will come next?
Images | Food Ink