The Art of Food with Ananas Ananas 

Words Vidula KotianDate 09 April 2024

Metal sheets, laser-cut and bent into skewers with round tips, hold up a mountain of mini yellow beets with shaved truffle; mushrooms are affixed to lampshades—food artists Verónica González and Elena Petrossian of Ananas Ananas often forego traditional plates and sometimes cutlery in their edible art creations.

Challenging the way we perceive and interact with food, the duo design dining experiences that encourage multisensory engagement, going so far as to create their own platforms upon which they stage their culinary art. No wonder they’ve recently unveiled “Dos Puntos”, a series of metal serving dishes created to inspire experimental dining. We caught up with González and Petrossian ahead of our collaboration during Milan Design Week at DWA Design Studio to talk about the universal language of food, where they get their inspiration, and what to expect in the design capital next week.

How did Ananas Ananas come about?

The year we met, we were each at points in our lives where we felt called to something new, but hadn’t yet found the right partner to make it a reality. We became instant friends and discovered that our values, the goals we wanted to achieve, and projects we dreamt of were totally aligned. With Ananas Ananas, we were able to marry the three things we love and respect the most: good food, good art, and good design.

We decided to do a small food installation for some friends in Elena’s living room. Some people dove in with their mouths, others used napkins, and some stayed on the sidelines, staring. It was an interesting study, observing how people navigated this eating method, and we felt there was something there that needed further exploration.

Why did you choose the name “Ananas Ananas”?

Our main point in creating these experiences was always to demonstrate that food is a universal language. While playing with words and testing out different options, we realized “ananas” is a universal word for pineapple. It wasn’t something we took too seriously; it just naturally stuck with us in an unintentional way.

Where do you find your inspiration? 

It varies, ranging from a building with an interesting detail to a material with a unique texture. Sometimes, we recall a childhood memory and reinterpret it. At times, it’s a nostalgic taste, and sometimes it’s a specific feeling we’re chasing. We are both so mentally intertwined with our work that often, we’ll dream of an installation or a solution to a problem we couldn’t quite solve, especially regarding certain functionalities of our designs.

Can you tell us what you’ve got planned for Milan Design Week this year?

We are collaborating with DWA Design Studio, Lambert & Fils, and Sophie Lou Jacobsen on a five-day aperitivo garden. We have designed a food installation from stainless steel and are presenting our latest tableware collection, “Dos Puntos”. We are also showcasing a food installation for two days at the Rapt Studio exhibition entitled “Design is Language: Speak for Yourself." Besides that, we’re going to the fair, enjoying all the food, and visiting friends.

What designers are you excited to see at Milan Design Week?

There are so many designers and studios we are looking forward to seeing but to name a few: Objects of Common Interest, Forma Fantasia, Panorammma Studio, Crafting Plastics, and Diego Faivre.