Le Cordon Bleu London
FOCUS Art Fair
Had-dong Green Tea
X Collaboration
Culinary Art Meets Contemporary Creativity at Saatchi Gallery
This October, Le Cordon Bleu London, in collaboration with FOCUS Art Fair and Had-dong Green Tea, brings together culinary artistry, contemporary creativity, and timeless tradition at the Saatchi Gallery to mark Le Cordon Bleu’s 130th anniversary.
As part of the event, Head Pâtisserie Chef Julie Walsh and Deputy Head Pâtisserie Chef Jean-François Favy will present a live sugar-art performance inspired by the bold, imaginative work of Japanese contemporary artist Kento Senga.
Senga’s artistic philosophy, “FiNGAiSM,” blends sculpture, painting, and pop-art aesthetics, rooted in personal mythology and storytelling. A multidisciplinary creator and member of the band Kis-My-Ft2, Senga’s practice spans character design, painting, sculpture, 3D animation, and bespoke sneaker design all driven by an ambition to create emotionally resonant, globally cherished works.
In response, Chef Walsh will craft a three-dimensional sugar installation that encases Senga’s design in clear sugar, adding intricate embellishments live before the audience. This performance will explore how culinary craftsmanship can transcend its boundaries and become a medium of artistic expression.
Complementing this visual and sensory spectacle, Had-dong Green Tea one of Korea’s oldest tea regions known for its hand-picked leaves and subtle aroma joins the collaboration. Le Cordon Bleu will present a pâtisserie creation infused with Had-dong green tea, blending Korean heritage with French finesse. The result is a delicate dialogue between East and West, where flavour, form, and imagination converge in harmony.
“Art and food have always shared a profound connection. Both are sensory experiences that tell stories, evoke emotions, and capture fleeting moments,” said Chef Julie Walsh, Head Pâtisserie Chef at Le Cordon Bleu London. “This collaboration is a celebration of creativity without boundaries where sugar becomes sculpture, pâtisserie becomes performance, and flavour becomes art.”
Since 1895, Le Cordon Bleu has stood at the intersection of tradition and innovation, cultivating generations of chefs who redefine culinary artistry. Through its participation in FOCUS Art Fair London 2025, the institute reaffirms its role as a global pioneer in the evolution of gastronomic and cultural expression.
The installation will debut during FOCUS Art Fair at the Saatchi Gallery, 16–19 October, offering visitors a rare opportunity to experience pâtisserie as live performance art merging taste, texture, and creativity with the dynamic pulse of contemporary art.