"FOOD", NYC's LEGENDARY 70'S ARTIST-RUN RESTAURANT RETURNS

THIS TIME WITH A REAL CHEF ;)

In September 2025, a small restaurant called “FOOD” suddenly appeared in Chinatown.

Looking into the space, which fills with people and a lively energy every night, the first thing that catches the eye is the boldly colorful Max Lamb chairs, unusually vibrant even for New York. In contrast, the warm and understated presence of OJAS speakers quietly shakes the air, while playful slat walls designed by Abel Nile New York stretch across the room. And in the back, surprisingly, a work from On Kawara’s “Today” series is displayed.

It is a space that can hardly be described as a typical restaurant.

Although this “FOOD” is new, it follows in the lineage of a restaurant of the same name that opened in SoHo in 1971.

The original “FOOD,” created in 1971 as a restaurant for artists, served as a central community hub for young creators of the time. It was affordable and healthy, and valued human connection. Artists worked as servers and took turns cooking daily. Food functioned as a mechanism through which the entire restaurant operated like a single artwork. One day Donald Judd cooked, on another day it was John Cage. Many artists who are now regarded as legends prepared meals there. At the center of this place was co-founder Gordon Matta-Clark’s strong belief in building community.

After closing in the late 1980s, this short-lived yet legendary restaurant has been brought back to life in the present day by artist Lucien Smith.

At the heart of the new “FOOD” is chef Mathieu Canet. After years of training at Le Saint-James and Le Dauphin in France, he supervises every dish while continuing the original spirit of having artists take turns in the kitchen. His approach reconstructs “FOOD” as a genuine contemporary restaurant, not simply an inexpensive one.

Before returning temporarily to France, we spoke with Mathieu about his thoughts on the revival of “FOOD” and the new possibilities emerging there.

Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today, Mathieu. First of all, your career as a chef is quite unique. Could you tell us about your background?

I’m from Bordeaux in the southwest of France. I started culinary school quite young, around 14, and spent five years there before joining a restaurant in Bordeaux called Comptoir Cuisine. It was a brasserie where everything was made fresh — fish, vegetables, everything — so you had to work fast. It was an incredible place to learn, and I stayed for about four or five years before leaving at around 20.

After that, I joined Le Saint-James, a fine-dining restaurant in Bordeaux that had been renovated by Jean Nouvel in the 1980s. It was the place every young chef in the region dreamed of working at, a restaurant that really defined the future of cuisine.

While I was there, I met Iñaki Aizpitarte, the chef and owner of Le Chateaubriand and Le Dauphin. He was the person I most admired. After leaving Le Saint-James, I joined Le Dauphin in Paris during the busy December season. To my surprise, just three months later, I was asked to become head chef. That was a huge moment for me. I stayed there for ten intense and inspiring years, and it remains one of the best restaurants in the world. The current chef, Anthony Salomon, is someone I deeply respect, and I can’t wait to return to taste what he’s doing now.

So you studied food really academically. What made you move to New York and start working with Lucien at “FOOD” (because it’s super experimental)? I saw an article where Lucian said, “We don’t pursue Michelin stars; we care more about building community.” What do you think about that?

I met Lucien six years ago at Le Dauphin, and we stayed in touch. After I left Le Dauphin about two years ago, he told me he wanted to open a space in New York. It felt like the right moment and a great opportunity. I believed in what we wanted to create — a new kind of hospitality.

For me, hospitality is about kindness, about making people feel good, not burdened by the atmosphere of the restaurant. Many places with big egos make guests feel like they have to act a certain way, and that’s not a good experience. People should simply enjoy themselves and connect with the food however they want to. Some days you’re in a good mood, some days not — that’s life. It’s not about telling guests how they should feel or how they should interpret the food.

With all the obsession around ratings and perfection, people are getting tired of it. They want something real — a restaurant that feels honest and human.

Compared to what you learned at Le Saint-James and Le Dauphin, what do you think is the biggest difference?

Actually, what I’m doing now isn’t so different from my previous experiences, but I try to keep things as simple as possible. The restaurant is small and intimate, so there’s no reason to make things overly complicated. People don’t come here for a formal gastronomic experience — they come to feel comfortable. I don’t want them to sense the tension of the kitchen; I want them to feel at home.

We also try to never be condescending. We’re on the same level. We serve high-quality ingredients in a relaxed way. A chef’s job is to bring out the best in what we have and make people feel good.

That’s super interesting. FOOD also stands out for its unique spatial design and atmosphere.

Yes, I feel very fortunate with the spaces I’ve worked in. Le Saint-James was designed by Jean Nouvel, and Le Dauphin by Rem Koolhaas — both extraordinary. FOOD was designed by ANY (Abel Nile New York), with stools by Max Lamb and speakers by Ojas. It’s incredible to work in such an inspiring environment.

It really feels like New York — a space where art and design coexist. I mean, where else in the world would you casually find an On Kawara piece sitting in the back of a restaurant?

Haha exactly.

I saw an Instagram post that you worked with KAIDOSCOPE — . I really love how KAIDOSCOPE sees food as part of fashion and culture. “Food” as culture & fashion — I really love how they interpret it into culture and fashion in a way. How did that collaboration happen?

I’ve known KAIDOSCOPE for a long time — I did an interview for them maybe three or four years ago. When Lucien and I decided to do the New York space, they were interested and we stayed in contact. We decided to do a pop up restaurant for three days during KAIDOSCOPE’s event. They handled the setup and we handled the food — it was a great experience. We worked in a crazy space by Oscar Niemeyer. It just felt right.

This restaurant, FOOD (was rooted in an original “FOOD” back in the ’70s. Do you think their concept or idea shaped your style of food?

Yes, of course. We tried to interpret what that should be in 2025, but we keep some of the legacy: kindness, freedom in what you propose. We change the menu every night — totally different each night — and we hired people accordingly. We are inspired, not trying to recreate or copy. Maybe touches come naturally. You can be inspired by the past.

You change the menu every night! How is that possible? Is it challenging for you?

It’s not a challenge really — at Le Dauphin many dishes would change often. We still keep a core of the menu, a few items. It’s efficient because you don’t accumulate too many leftovers. For example last week I cooked a beef cheek braised a long time in red wine. First night we served it in the classic French way with red wine sauce. The next night, the leftover cheek became shredded salad with a lot of vinegar. Different dish, different form — common sense of the kitchen, using everything.

How do you source the ingredients?

I visit markets. I have a guy who works with me at the Farmers Market. He introduced us to good fish vendor — we also work with Aqua Bast, which has really good fish. When we arrived in New York I was pleasantly surprised to find such good products.

I know especially in Chinatown they have really fresh ingredients.

Yes, we try to source from upstate farms, combine with Chinatown produce — that mix is amazing. For example a few days ago we made a fruit platter with a high-end apple from the farmers market and crazy pears from Chinatown. That mix, being in the neighborhood, working in the community — that’s the purpose of this space.

What’s your favourite ingredient that you can find in Chinatown?

Yesterday the new guy in the kitchen brought marshmallows — Taiwanese marshmallows? I’m not sure. But ingredients like corn, tomatoes, and red snapper— in Europe we do not have snapper so the flavour is strong, like red mullet in Europe. I love cooking it with white wine, tomatoes, basil, butter — the fish’s juice becomes the sauce. And good beef from the Amish community in America is really amazing. 

I visit markets this afternoon too. It’s important to live with people, listen, be open-minded — but also stay true to yourself, stay on your line, and keep an open mind.

Last question — I know you’re not pursuing Michelin stars or that kind of prestige. What’s your goal? I really love the openness and how you invite people — is building a community for creators something you want to continue?

Yes. For example that guy who’s making soup over there — he’s from Parsons, studied fine arts and comes here on weekends to make soups! Exactly this — the purpose of this place: we do food, we invite creators, we build community. Two days ago we held a little party after service. A designer in a red dress cooked dessert; another does flowers at the farmers market. That’s the purpose. We respect everyone walking through. They can do whatever they want. Coffee isn’t too bad either haha.