Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design
Mycelium meets gastronomy
Bio-degradable dessert plates created in collaboration with SALT
Project overview
SALT, a Michelin star restaurant based in Budapest, has asked us to create a mycelium composite platter to be used as a dessert serving plate. The realisation of a unique design, developed in consultation with the client, proved to be a challenging yet rewarding project where we could contribute to the future of a more circular gastronomy.
MOME Innovation Center’s Material Research Hub has been exploring the alternative use of mycelium in recent years. The market has already discovered the potential of this material in industries such as furnishing or packaging. However, the true novelty of the current project lies in combining material research and applied design in the field of gastronomy. The serving plates in this project were created from a blend of mycelium and hemp, ensuring that the plates can maintain the desired shape to hold the dessert plate while providing sufficient durability to be used for multiple servings.
Another intriguing property of these items is biodegradability, meaning they can fully decompose over time, leaving no waste behind. The notion of enjoying a piece of art is infused with new meaning in this project: high-brow gastronomy has treated us for years to exquisitely beautiful dishes that we consume in a matter of minutes, and now the accompanying plates can be made of fully degradable materials. Are we truly entering an era of more circular gastronomy?
Research phases
Design
An organic form that resembles the material. Beautiful in its simplicity, the form was engraved at MOME TechPark Digital object creation lab.
Filling
Filling the biocomposite into special moulds. The moulds were created at MOME TechPark Form workshop.
Growing
The growth phase requires constant temperature and humidity for several weeks.
Drying
We need to dry the finished products in order to make it durable and ready to use.
Finished Product
Once the final plate is ready, there is only one thing left to do: use it as a dessert serving plate and discover the material's behavior in the restaurant environment.
Design
Filling
Growing
Drying
Finished Product
