marti guixe + antto melasniemi: solar kitchen restaurant for lapin kulta

‘lapin kulta solar kitchen restaurant’ by marti guixe and antto melasniemi images courtesy of imagekontainer / knölke

catalan designer martí guixé has collaborated with finnish culinary expert antto melasniemi to create ‘solar kitchen restaurant’ for the beer brand lapin kulta. fueling cooking efforts completely by solar energy, this environmental and gastronomic project examines perceptions of the kitchen, cooking, food and drink as they relate to nature.

the restaurant presents non-traditional experiences not only in cooking but also in eating. on days with sunshine, the kitchen is able to serve a barbecue, and the solar heat surprisingly affects the taste and texture of dishes. but with less fair weather, the restaurant tests people’s flexibility: if it rains, offerings must be rescheduled or adapt–meals with lower temperature requirements such as salads can be prepared as alternatives.

melasniemi assesses sky conditions before cooking

solar panel detail

melasniemi with solar panels while food cooks

diners eat at ‘lapin kulta solar kitchen restaurant’

marti guixe and antto melasniemi

guixé and melasniemi explain: ‘it is well known that solar kitchens use alternative energy: the sun. yet it is not so widely known how the technical parameters of the solar kitchen affect food processing when cooking. heat is all over the food, and is not only below as in the traditional way of cooking. the time sequence is much more progressive, changing continuously. these two facts affect the taste and texture of prepared food in a surprising and positive way, bringing about a completely different tasting experience. the lapin kulta solar kitchen restaurant also plays with several contemporary factors; it is a nature-driven kitchen featuring flexibility and immediacy.’

previously held in 12 locations so far, the lapin kulta solar kitchen restaurant was first presented at milan design week 2011 and travels this summer to visit a range of cities in europe. it opens next in kalastama, eteläkärki, helsinki from august 4 to 14, 2011.

melasniemi tests the solar kitchen in helsinki metropolitan area

melasniemi and friends build solar panels for the first kitchen