ICONS WERE ONCE HUNGRY

About the Event

Rusyn roots and contemporary gastronomy meet in one place. ICONS WERE ONCE HUNGRY brings an exceptional evening to the Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art in Medzilaborce, connecting a culinary experience, art and the cultural heritage of the region.

The project is led by Oli Džupinková and Mária Juríková of 2idealists, building on their project Zážitková rusínska večera (Rusyn Dinner Experience) and their book Mamina rusínska kuchyňa (Mum's Rusyn Kitchen). This time, the story of Rusyn gastronomy moves directly into a space connected with one of the most famous artistic figures of the 20th century.

At the heart of the evening was an eight-course tasting menu created especially for this project by chefs Jozef Breza of Gašperov mlyn and Richard Bielik. Traditional flavours of Rusyn cuisine were given a contemporary form and became part of a broader story about memory, origin and family roots. The menu was complemented by a wine pairing from sommelier Matej Demčák in collaboration with Solo Spirits.

A key figure of the project is Julia Warhola, Andy Warhol's mother, whose Rusyn roots lead right back to this region. ICONS WERE ONCE HUNGRY is also a tribute to her story and to the world from which the family of the future pop-art icon came.

But it is not just a dinner. The concept used gastronomy as a way of telling a story about identity, migration, belonging and what existed before a person became an icon. All of this in the unique setting of a museum dedicated to Andy Warhol.

Capacity: 50 guests
Format: 8-course tasting dinner