Everyone practices their art in their own way. From the boardroom to the basketball court, the best at what they do transcend the technical with an ineffable touch that can only be admired by others but never truly reproduced. Part instinct, part experience, part determination—it can only described as artful. In the annual Dish+Art feature, the culinary arts and the visual arts collide in spectacular fashion as artists at the easel meet artists in the kitchen to create a feast for the eyes that will make your mouth water.

MAYOL + LILA

Chef’s Statement – Chef/Proprietors Ryan Boeve and Arthur Lopes and Sous Chefs Christine DeTeresa and Alex Urrutia The best part of our job is the constant inspiration we get to play with on all our dishes. We took this assignment to heart. The flavor profile was obvious—the title of the painting is Strawberry & Lemon. So, we went from there and used the fluidity of the painting and different layers of color and texture and put it on a plate. We wanted to keep it simple and healthy—yet indulgent. What’s more indulgent than being a kid eating a popsicle at the beach or pool-side on a hot summer day? The lemon panna cotta and strawberry semi freddo kick the popsicle in the painting up a notch and the sugar decoration brings the abstract theme from the painting to the plate giving you a feeling of movement and the fluidity of water. Meet the Artist One of the newest additions to Sarasota’s art scene, Victoria Gomez Mayol arrived from Argentina in late 2015 and galleries and collectors alike took notice. Utilizing a mix of acrylic and oil paints alongside layered fabrics, inks and charcoal, Mayol’s work brims over with an energy born of dreamlike composition, electric hues and an innocent nostalgia. To view more of the artist’s work locally, visit Dabbert Gallery.

BRUNIANY + SEAFOOD SHACK

Chef’s Statement – Chef Gerard Jesse What is truly striking about Kasia Bruniany's painting Fire in the Sky is the intensity of the colors. I marvel at the blazing streaks of pink and orange and purple—colors I would not normally put together—anchored by vivid blues and greens. The name of my dish is Vesper Bounty. Vesper is a rare occasion and part of the day. Bounty is a plentiful catch. I approach my plate from the color aspect first, but just as important was to create a deliciously cohesive dish. Representing sky to earth, the dish begins with fire-roasted Florida spiny lobster with rich Montpellier butter. The purple basil blooms, peppery marigold petals and organic radishes (which come from our friends at Geraldson Community Farms), are pickled and rest on puréed Okinawa purple sweet potato (Hawaiian-grown). The dish trails down the plate with romanesco broccoli florets (blanched in water as salty as the sea) and finishes with rare and stunning New Caledonian blue prawns with Asian- style ceviche. Cheers! Meet the Artist Sumptuous colors accentuate impressionistic and abstract visions in the art of Kasia Bruniany, sacrificing strict realism for an emotional precision that captures the spirit of the subject. Working largely in oil, liberal application imparts a physicality beyond the wall that further reflects the richness of experience. To view more of the artist’s work locally, visit Art Uptown Gallery.

DASHA REICH + VERONICA FISH & OYSTER

Chef’s Statement – Chef Mark Majorie This painting was the driving force for the presentation and execution of our dish, from the eye-popping colors to the playful circular patterns. The dish is an ahi tuna carpaccio with Mediterranean flavors. We start by taking No. 1 grade ahi tuna and pounding it paper thin. To make the components, we grilled a whole eggplant until it's completely charred black then blend it with olive oil until it's silky smooth. We use a tomato marmalade made from San Marzano tomatoes and micro sourdough croutons. The dish is finished with Greek yogurt, fresh mint and fennel. Meet the Artist Highly experimental, Andrea Dasha Reich’s work jumps from medium to medium with an emphasis on the physicality of the creation and vibrancy of the lived experience. Implementing resin alongside pure pigments in rich layered constructions, Reich creates an immediacy that emphasizes the awe of a boundless world. To view more of the artist’s work locally, visit State of the Arts Gallery.

NIXON + ANGELO’S

Chef’s Statement – Chef Andrea Pisano We wanted to make a tribute for the beginning of the truffle season. I worked a lot in the Alba area and also my family has a small production of saffron back in Sardinia. It was like coming back to the old goods. When I tasted the risotto accompanied by the Parmesan cheese, perfectly aged, it made me think about my home. Meet the Artist Member of the SARTQ artist collective and recipient of a 2017 John Ringling Towers Fund Individual Artist Award, Laine Nixon delves into the abstract to explore the conflicts of perception and the divides between thought and thing. With a driving skepticism borne aloft through optimism and acceptance of ambiguity, Nixon invites her audience to join in her contemplation through colorful compositions melding the geometric and organic, the strictly defined and unabashedly blurred. To view more of the artist’s work locally, visit [blank] slate gallery.

RUBADOUX + THE COOLINARY

Chef’s Statement – Chefs Attila Bicsar and William Goldenberg When I look at this picture I see a man sitting on a boat enjoying the summer breeze, the sunset and his cigarettes, with nothing in his mind except being in the moment. The other thing that immediately stood out was the vibrant colors and smoky, hazy background, and it all clicked together. We do a custom smoked salmon, and I thought to myself: smoked fish! The tuna basically plated itself when I started giving it more thought, especially contrasted against the bold food colors. But I also recognized a kind of simplicity to this, going back to my initial feelings of a man on a boat. All these feelings inspired us to create this dish: house cured and smoked tuna on a bed of red quinoa with a medley of pickled beets. Quinoa is a nutty yet not overpowering base, which goes so well with the richness of tuna, and the acid from the pickled beets not only lends color but also cuts through the smokiness of the tuna. When all three are eaten together you get that "perfect bite" of smoke and salt and umami feel and some base and acid. With a real "relaxing on a boat" vibe, it all comes together. Meet the Artist One of Sarasota’s local legends, Craig Rubadoux made a name for himself alongside great artists such as Syd Solomon during Sarasota’s artistic heyday in the mid-20th century. Abstract, figurative and deeply personal, Rubadoux’s work evinces a mastery of color, line and composition, imparting an indefatigable energy to the canvas. To view more of the artist’s work locally, visit Allyn Gallup Contemporary Art Gallery.