MAD5 Symposium 2016 Copenhagen Recap
What David Chang, René Redzepi and others are saying (and eating) under a big red circus tent
A crew of 300 of the best chefs on the planet, food writers and academics hung out all weekend under a big red tent on Refshaleøen, an island in Copenhagen's harbor. Yes, superstar chef René Redzepi's exclusive MAD Symposium was back after a one-year hiatus.
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This year's conference focused on Tomorrow's Kitchen, with guest speakers like Jacques Pépin, David Chang, Chefs with Issues founder Kat Kinsman, Alex Atala from Brazil, Angela Dimayuga from Mission Chinese Food in New York City and, of course, Redzepi himself. All of them were seeking to answer the questions: "What do we hope our kitchens will be like in the future? And what can we do today to make those dreams a reality?"
We're ready for #MAD5 pic.twitter.com/f7PUTIVLTV
— MAD (@TheMADFeed) August 27, 2016
Didn't get a spot in the red tent this year? Here's what happened and what showed up on plates for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
José Andrés offered wisdom to his fellow chefs: "Don't be afraid to show your team that you are weak."
"Don't be afraid to show your team your weakness." —@chefjoseandres #mad5 pic.twitter.com/PmxiiKKKFr
— Leiti Hsu (@leitihsu) August 29, 2016
Chang and Redzepi explained their take on pessimism:
"@davidchang is #1 pessimist I know"- @ReneRedzepiNoma. "I'm a pessimist who always wants to be wrong, so I'm an optimist"-Chang reply #mad5
— kate krader (@kkrader) August 29, 2016
Kat Kinsman, who has become an advocate for mental health in the restaurant industry, spoke out:
"This industry is killing you. And there won't be a kitchen of tomorrow if there's nobody left." —@katkinsman #mad5 pic.twitter.com/rstqZY7Cjx
— Leiti Hsu (@leitihsu) August 28, 2016
Between speakers, there was also some pretty exceptional food like scallops on the half shell for lunch:
#MAD5 lunch day 1 – Norwegian seafood by @Roddiesloan and @EsbenHB @maaemo pic.twitter.com/nx38F9NKUP
— MAD (@TheMADFeed) August 29, 2016
Meat on a spit at a cookout:
Apparently, at MAD5, ice cream comes topped with edible flowers:
And congee starts the day:
Ivan Orkin of Ivan Ramen hosted a Tiger Mom rooftop ramen pop-up: