This year, gastronomy invited festival-goers on a journey.

First of all, at the end of an alley, in a shady clearing, the chefs took us to their country or region of origin, to meet their gastronomy. In a scaffolded kitchen built by the Swiss architects of RGB, the Franco-Iranian chef Minou Sabahi, the Basque Mathieu Moity and the Lebanese Badih Ghanem called upon their memories and built dishes that pay tribute to their cultures.... Using only products from the Yonne! They looked for common points between these regions: livestock, products, traditions: black pudding, corn and peppers for Mathieu Moity, walnut, sesame and rapeseed oils for Badih Ghanem, dairy products and saffron from Burgundy for Minou Sabahi. And above all, these chefs have captured moments that are dear to their hearts and to their culture: Minou Sabahi has reproduced a traditional Iranian feast, with dizi, a lamb dish that is eaten in several stages, as the masterpiece, while Badih Ghanem has composed a menu inspired by Lent. Mathieu Moity invited the duo Nicki Fehr & Niklas Niki Blomberg to open his lunch and to perform throughout, creating a harmony between music and gastronomy.

This year, gastronomy invited festival-goers to travel in time and space.

In the first location, in a shaded clearing at the end of an alley, the chefs took us with them to their country or region of origin to experience their cuisine. In a kitchen constructed of scaffolding and built by RGB's Swiss architects in the forest, the Franco-Iranian chef Minou Sabahi, the Basque Mathieu Moity, and the Lebanese Badih Ghanem sifted through their memories and crafted dishes as tributes to their cultures-- using only products from the Yonne. They looked for common points between these regions, such as farms, products, traditions: blood sausage, corn ,and peppers for Moity, nut oils, sesame, and rapeseed for Ghanem, and dairy products and Burgundy saffron for Sabahi. Then these chefs captured a moment dear to their hearts and their culture. Sabahi reproduced a traditional Iranian feast including dizi, a dish of lamb that is eaten in several stages, whereas Ghanem composed a menu inspired by Lent. Moity took the idea of an "arts gathering" at Feÿ literally and invited the singers Niki & Niki to open his lunch and to intervene throughout, creating a harmony between music and gastronomy.

Eating the Landscape by Minou Sabahi ©Katia_Benhaim

Manger le Paysage by Mathieu Moity ©Romain_Darnaud

Mathieu Moity X Nicki Fehr & Niklas Niki Blomberg ©Romain_Darnaud

Eating the Landscape by Badih Ghanem ©Katia_Benhaim

The rain having invited itself to the rendezvous - a sign announcing the English meal - the Franco-British chef Alexia Duchêne composed her meal under cover, surrounded by the works of Julie Villard and Simon Brossard... A futuristic bar, as it happens! Setting the tempo for Alexia's performance, mixologist Nicolas Cruz-Mermy set up shop to compose cocktails to match the dishes. The chef played on the preconceived ideas about gastronomy from the other side of the Channel, which is often mocked... Using crumpet as the basis of her dish, she restored the reputation of English cuisine.

Rain was invited to the meal, a sign that presaged the English feast to come. The Franco-English chef Alexia Duchêne composed her meal in the barn, surrounded by the works of Julie Villard and Simon Brossard ... An intricate bar! The mixologist Nicolas Cruz-Mermy was giving it legs by creating tailor-made cocktails; he gave the tempo of Alexia's performance, composing cocktails in line with her dishes. The chef played with ideas from the much-mocked cuisine from across the Channel ... Using crumpets as a base for her dish, she redesigned the image of English cuisine.

Eating the Landscape by Alexia Duchêne ©Katia_Benhaim

Nicolas Cruz-Mermy ©Romain_Darnaud

A journey through time too. For, further into the forest, gastronomy also invited festival-goers to share a dystopian meal at a time of rationing and collapse.
In the middle of the forest, around a shell hole dating from the Second World War that has been converted into a kitchen, the artist Hugo Avigo has created his world of 2051: a universe of plastic and improbable intersections, where resourcefulness reigns: a fridge filled with water and wriggling fish, a 4-metre chandelier made of iron and scotch tape dominating the hole, a water tank wrapped in barbed wire, and military personnel on duty.

Farther into the forest, gastronomy also invited festival-goers to travel forwards a few decades in time (if the planet follows its destructive course) with a meal served at a time of rationing and collapse.
In the middle of the forest, around a shell crater dating from the Second World War converted into a kitchen, the artist Hugo Avigo composed his world of 2051, a world of plastic and unlikely intersection, where everything is rationed, and where resourcefulness reigns--a fridge filled with water and wriggling fish, a chandelier made of four meters of iron and Scotch overlooking the hole, a water tank wrapped in barbed wire and food served by military men.

Collapso dinner - set design by Hugo Avigo ©Romain_Darnaud

To enter this futuristic world, the guests were guided by two watchdogs, the actresses Gloria Zingales and Sawsan Abes, imposing their authority and their laws: walk fast, walk straight, and carry a jerry can of 2.5 litres of water, the amount allowed per person for washing, hydration and cooking - knowing that today, each French person uses an average of 148 litres of water per day. The tone was set: an uncertain future awaited the guests, or rather the survivors.

To enter this futuristic world, the guests were guided by actresses Gloria Zingales and Sawsan Abes, who imposed their laws upon visitors: walk fast, walk straight, and bring a jerrycan of 2.5 liters of water, which, if the water was rationed, would be the amount allowed per person to wash, hydrate, and cook. Necessities aside, today, the average French person uses 148 liters of water a day. The tone was set of an uncertain future awaiting the guests.

Gloria Zingales and Sawsan Abes ©Sarkis_Torossian

They were then hosted by Edward Delling-Williams, the chef of the Parisian restaurant Le Grand Bain, and his team. They were served a meal inspired by their vision of cooking in the future: nettle soup (a protein-rich weed that is resistant to climate change), locally farmed trout from Crisenon Fish Farm and served with a crisp XO sauce of crickets and mealworms. All to be shared in metal bowls.

Once immersed in Avigo's vision of 2051, the survivors were welcomed by Edward Delling-Williams, (leader of the Grand Bain), and his team. The cooks served them a meal inspired by their vision of cooking in the future: soup made with nettles (a protein-rich, climate-resilient weed) and a locally raised Crisenon trout served with XO sauce, crisp crickets, and mealworms. All of this was served using metal billy cans and made to be shared.

Edward Delling-Williams ©Romain_Darnaud

Apart from this "collapsologist" episode, festival-goers were able to exchange views with gastronomic actors during performances such as Sensorama, where sommelier Felix Godart invited them to a sensory exploration through wine. Another tasting took place in front of the screening of the film Wine Calling, where spectators found the wines they saw on the screen in their glasses.
With the Burgundian ceramist Judith Lasry, festival-goers were also able to create bowls, plates, and cups from local clay... giving importance to the container to sublimate the content.

The festival-goers were able to participate, interact with actors, and learn to better understand each other at SENSORAMA, a performance by the sommelier Felix Godart, who invited participants to explore of all the senses. The film WINE CALLING was screened, and the spectators had in their glasses the same wines they saw on screen.The festival-goers also learned how to create, with the Burgundy-based ceramist Judith Lasry, bowls, plates, cups, giving importance to the container to sublimate the contents.

Sensorama by Felix Godart ©Katia_Benhaim

Ceramic workshop by Judith Lasry ©Katia_Benhaim

Alongside the performances, attention was also paid to the plates served by the Foodcourt restaurants: the delicious grilled cheese from Palika, the burgers from La Remorque, the Syrian plates from Mohammad Elkhaldy, the Iranian desserts from Minou Sabahi and the vegan cakes from Guinguette d'Angèle. A selection that extends to the glasses too, with coffee from the Brûlerie Saint Jacques, beers from the Vezelay brewery and natural wines from the festive wine agency, SOIF.

The gastronomy team invited people to think, to travel, to learn, to share, to question, and of course to feed themselves. Apart from the performances, the selection was pushed to the plates of festival-goers, with a Foodcourt that included Palika's grilled cheese, Trailer burgers, Mohammad Elkhaldy's Syrian plates, Minou Sabahi's Iranian desserts and cakes. Drinks were curated as well, with the Brûlerie Saint Jacques coffee, the beers of the Vezelay brewery and the natural wines of the festive wine agency, SOIF.

La Guinguette d'Angèle ©Sarkis_Torossian

Foodcourt ©Katia_Benhaim

Wine Calling and Marché Bourguignon

Bar SOIF ©Sarkis_Torossian