It was my first time sitting down for a proper meal at a super raw construction site. And imagine, having such experience required lightning-fast booking skills!
Founded by Luca Pronzato in 2019, WE ARE ONA is a creative culinary studio that uses food as a medium to foster a dialogue combining elements of gastronomy, design, architecture, fashion, and more. The team collaborates with chefs from around the world to host pop-up dining experiences. It is so popular that reservations usually sell out quickly as soon as they open. Despite being founded less than five years ago, WE ARE ONA has already earned recognition from top luxury brands such as Hermès and Chanel, curating exclusive VIP dinners for them.
Its concept of combining multidiscipline elements really sparkled my interest. Luckily, this year, a friend of mine acted fast enough and managed to score a reservation for WE ARE ONA’s Paris pop-up. Overall, I wouldn’t say the food itself was particularly mind-blowing, but I still found the entire experience thought-provoking, that’s why I decided to record it in words.
ON THE TABLE
Before discussing the seemingly unfinished venue, it might be helpful to first explore the menu, which brings everything into perspective.
This year, WE ARE ONA partnered with Stockholm’s Brutalisten restaurant to create a menu inspired by “Brutalism.” Brutalisten’s founder, artist Carsten Höller, conceived the idea of Brutalist cuisine, drawing inspiration from the architectural style of the same name. The core principle of this cuisine is to strip away all overly decorated plating and “showmanship”. Most dishes are prepared using a single ingredient, or at most, with the addition of water and salt, to highlight the pure essence of the food. The goal is not to reject sophistication, but to explore the diverse flavors one single ingredient can offer when prepared in different ways.
BUZZ BUTTON – ELECTRIC DAISY
We looked at the tiny plant on our napkins, uncertain of what it was, regardless, I popped it into my mouth. This thumbnail-sized plant delivered an unusual sensation to the taste buds. It started with a slightly bitter, herby flavor, quickly followed by a spicy tingle, culminating in a numbing and cooling sensation that made the taste buds feel as though they were “dancing”. I learned that this plant is called Electric Daisy. As an amuse-bouche, it certainly amused my bouche 🙂
POTATO & BRASSICA
The earthy flavor of the potato tempered the numbing effect of the buzz button. On the right side of the plate, the mashed potato was silky, creamy. It was seasoned only with salt, which emphasized the natural nutty and buttery aroma of La Ratte potatoes from France. The golden potato crisps and potato broth on the left had a subtle smokiness. The salad consisted of kale and mustard greens from the Brassica family, this dish didn’t leave much impression as it tasted just like… leafy greens.
SCALLOPS
Lightly seared scallops from Normandy were served with a scallop broth. The downside of this dish was its lukewarm temperature — neither cold nor hot — which intensified the seafood’s fishy taste, obscuring the natural sweetness of the scallops. The broth itself was umami rich.
DAIRY COW
Brutalisten’s signature dish, “dairy cow” was presented at WE ARE ONA’s pop-up this year. They used Pie Noir cattle from Brittany, a small breed known for the high quality of its milk and meat. Thin slices of raw beef were soaked in a rich bone broth, paired with yogurt made from Pie Noir milk and a caramelized butter sauce. The natural sweetness from the dairy, especially the toffee-like flavor of the caramelized butter, complemented the raw beef’s natural umami. Another dish featured a slice of boiled cow brain with smoked bone marrow sauce. The cow brain had a foie gras-like texture, but was bouncier, with a distinct milky aroma. The bone marrow sauce tasted like whipped butter, and when paired with sourdough bread, the combination was delicious.
GUINEAFOWL
I’ve always believed that Western-style chicken could never surpass Chinese preparations, but this guinea fowl dish really surprised me. The breast was perfectly seared, with firm yet succulent meat texture, the skin was fatty but not greasy, retaining a slight crispness. The dark square on the left was confit guinea fowl leg with a smoky flavor, and small bits of liver hidden in the layers. What appeared a bit rough on the surface actually revealed fine details.
PEAR
A dessert made entirely from pear: caramelized pear sorbet, pear compote, and fresh pear slices, with sparkling pear cider poured over it at the table. The sorbet was delicately sweet and smooth, while the bubbles from the pear cider added an extra layer of sensory experience to this single-ingredient dessert. Refreshing and light, it was a refined take on a pear-based dessert.
UNEXPECTED VENUE
WE ARE ONA pop-up took place in an abandoned old bank near Montparnasse Station in Paris. Walking through the dimly lit entrance felt like stepping into an escape game. Ascending a staircase illuminated only by two vertical light tubes, the dining space was revealed with exposed brick wall, unpainted concrete, and a monochromatic palette of black, grey, and white. In this space, only the people, food, and wine provided colour.
At first, the setting seemed strange, but after understanding the Brutalist philosophy behind the cuisine, it all made sense. The raw, minimal environment with its limited colors may have heightened my focus on the food. I found myself more attuned to my taste buds and to my conversations with friends than usual.
However, I wouldn’t describe the environment as enjoyable, I just didn’t mind it.
REFLECTIONS
The six-course lunch cost €135 per person (excluding drinks). If you judge solely by the venue and ingredient selection, the price might seem steep. However, when you consider that each dish was made with one single ingredient, sometimes with just the addition of salt and water, it becomes clear that a great deal of thought and effort went into creating this experience. There’s no denying that “Brutalist cuisine” contains marketing elements, as anything unconventional can be marketed. But before this experience, I never would have wondered how a dish made with just one ingredient could taste, or how it could be made delicious. While I don’t believe any practice should go extreme, the WE ARE ONA x Brutalisten collaboration gave me new insights and revealed more possibilities for what food can be.
WE ARE ONA can be considered a successful business case. Through its pop-up model, it creates a sense of exclusivity and urgency, generating buzz around an ephemeral experience. By collaborating with cultural and artistic institutions (International Design Weeks, Art Basel, Frieze New York, etc.), it increases its exposure. They’ve accurately identified their target audience, as those who attend or are interested in such cultural activities are likely to be intrigued by WE ARE ONA’s concept of combining food with design, art, and architecture. Unlike another popular Parisian creative culinary studio, BALBOSTÉ, WE ARE ONA not only collaborates with luxury brands but also reaches a wider audience, giving it broader visibility. While this meal didn’t really offer that many wow moments, I’m still eager to see which chef WE ARE ONA partners with next and what concept they’ll present on the table.
GENUINE THOUGHTS ONLY
