A Detroit chef has designed a 10-course meal inspired by Radiohead’s ‘Kid A’ album. Kyle Hanley, who works at the Detroit Golf Club, created a menu designed to pair a course with each track on the 2000 record. Cue an abundance of Radiohead food puns from In Limboeuf Bourgignon to Idiopecorino and Pearanoid Hamdroid to Crêpe (think you can do better? Add your own in the comments below).
The food on offer’s no standard bangers and mash. Album opener ‘Everything In Its Right Place’ translates to Pan-seared Diver Scallops, Yuzu Fluid Gel and Fried Cellophane Noodles. ‘Kid A’ is represented by Black Caprese and ‘Optimistic’ by Orange Juniper Pearls.
How does the food match the tracks? Kyle Hanley explains: “I turned it on and thought of flavors, colours, and textures that suited the music in time. ‘Idioteque’ is kinda spicy and light like an arugula salad with a crispy but bright element to match it (cymbals) and a kind of creaminess that rounds it out.” Yes, Kyle!
Hanley’s said he might go on to do a series on other classic albums. Here are a few suggestions to get him started.
Oasis – ‘Definitely Maybe’
Diners would be served in Bonehead’s old living room in Manchester (the setting of the famous album sleeve). The menu starts off with a packet of scampi fries and a pint of ale before moving onto a pig’s head marinated in Coca-Cola (Coke sued Oasis for $500,00 in damages, saying ‘Shakermaker’ was too similar to the Coke-ad) with a side of bitter olives and fatted calf. Sherbert-topped sweet lasagna for afters.
Skrillex – “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites”
Taking a leave out of Heston Blumenthal’s book, the starter for this dubstep extravaganza would be served alongside a ghetto blaster playing high-volume recordings of 999 calls. There’d be about 10 courses of genetically modified beef saved from its angsty, stressful settings in a grungy cage before being set free into a playground of joy. The beef is mashed up with puffa fish and seared in popping candy and flying saucers. It glows pink, yellow, lime green and other neons depending on the course.
Kanye West – ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’
The menu of Kanye West’s baffling, egomaniac opus released in 2010 would kick off with $3 million worth of caviar (the budget for the album) served by naked ballerinas. The main course would scale things back to confuse the listener: a bowl of fish sticks. For pudding you’d get a couple of pieces of toast. One for the douchebags and one for the assholes.
The Velvet Underground & Nico – ‘The Velvet Underground’
Don’t expect massive portions for this menu. A couple of black grapes start things off before a portion of quinoa and other such bohemian slop. Pudding is, of course, banana fritters topped with golden brown honey and a dispenser of skittles.
Fleetwood Mac – ‘Rumours ‘
There’ll be, ahem, smaller portions for this menu too and each culinary adventure would be surrounded by a smattering of deep-fried egg shells.
Jay-Z –‘ Magna Carta… Holy Grail’
A pig’s ear.
The Strokes – ‘Is This It’
The NY coolios’ debut was recorded in a basement under a deli on 2nd Street. One of the traditional favourites on the take-away menu is ‘Kreplach, boiled or fried, served with fried onions’, so that’s the starter sorted. The main course would have to be Naked New York Chicken Thighs Cloaked In Black Okra. For pudding. you’d get a serving of something ridiculously trendy like chia seeds blended with in Miso Salted Caramel.
Notorious BIG – ‘Ready To Die’
Biggie knew how to execute a food rhyme with aplomb so it’s no hardship cherry-picking courses for those with big appetites. “A T-Bone Steak, Cheese Eggs And Welch’s Grape,” is the main course with Butter On Toast to start things of alongside plenty of Tanqueray. A triumphant Red Velvet cupcake from Magnolia Bakery would be served for pudding to represent his victory in prising attention away from the hip-hop of the West Coast to New York.
Lady Gaga –‘ Artpop’
The crowning moment of the ‘Artpop’ themed meal would be an absurdly massive glow-in-the-dark globe made out of edible parchment from the Pyramids and sugar spun by unicorns. Covered in diamond dust and ribbons made from stars, when cracked open you’ll find… absolutely nothing.
The Beatles – ‘The Beatles’
The Beatles 1968 album was a reaction against the psychedelia of ‘Sgt Pepper’s’ and an exercise in simple restraint. To continue the anti-establishment theme there’d be no roasts or bread and butter pudding. Just one big white plate holding a few baked beans to chime with Starr’s longing for the classic British food while traveling in India.