Crossing Tables
#2: Unveiling Tofu: An ingredient of Memory and Sustainability
An artist, chef or collective brings together flavours and migration stories in a three-course dinner. Every third Thursday of the month at 6:00 pm at Plein.
#2: Unveiling Tofu
The menu is inspired by Bottari Truck – Migrateurs, a work by Korean artist Kimsooja, currently on view at Fenix.
In Kimsooja’s work, the bottari – a traditional Korean bundle used to wrap household belongings during a move – appears as a recurring motif. The act of folding and unfolding such a bundle reflects both the feeling of being on the move and the process of making tofu: the soft tofu curd is wrapped in cloth and pressed into blocks.
For East Asian communities in Europe, tofu is more than just an ingredient – it carries memories and a sense of connection to home. Made from soybeans, tofu is part of a rich ecosystem of plant-based proteins, ranging from soy milk and tofu skin to fermented flavours like soy sauce, natto, and tempeh.
This dinner is developed by Rotterdam-based Sumerie Dining and celebrates tofu in all its textures and forms. Through a variety of preparations, we invite you to rediscover tofu – not only as a culinary element, but as a sustainable, resilient, and culturally meaningful medium.
Kimsooja, Bottari Truck - Migrateurs, 2007, collection Fenix
Dietary requirements and allergies
The menu is vegetarian and gluten-free. The appetizer contains almonds.
About the partners
Melon is a publishing project by Jhen Chen (Limestone Books) and curator Yen-Ting Kuan. Together, they explore the world of contemporary art in relation to technology, politics, and ecology.
Tonight’s menu is created by Sumerie Dining, founded by Soyeon An from South Korea and Ying-Ting Shen from Taiwan. They believe that food can awaken memories and reconnect people with where they come from.
Storyteller Chaeyoung Kim brings her work to life through illustration, handmade props, self-publishing, and hosting gatherings.
All makers live and work in Rotterdam, and this evening brings together their roots, ideas, and flavours.
This programme is made possible in part by a grant from the Creative Industries Fund NL, awarded to the partners.