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THE BRUTALIST KITCHEN MANIFESTO

  • Brutalist kitchen is a dogma kitchen where certain rules apply.
  • Brutalist kitchen is titled in reference to Brutalist architecture, renowned for its linear and blockish appearance.
  • The main rule is the following: ingredients are used alone for a certain dish; only water and salt may be added.
  • In Orthodox Brutalist Cuisine, neither water (nor salt) is added. Generally speaking, the Brutalist Kitchen is less about recipes and more about finding and preparing ingredients.
  • We are born as Brutalist eaters, as mother’s milk is essentially Brutalist. 
  • One ingredient is often divided and cooked in different ways and then added again on the same plate.
  • The use of overlooked, hard-to-get or rare ingredients, or ingredients that are generally discarded, is characteristic of Brutalist kitchen.
  • Brutalist Cuisine is not about lack of sophistication, but lack of combination of different ingredients and a commitment to purity.
  • Elaborate cooking techniques are allowed, as is raw or quickly heated food.
  • Decoration on the plate is avoided.
  • Different ingredients are not permitted on the same plate, they have to be presented as different units. The different dishes may be served at the same time.
  • The eater may combine the tastes of different ingredients while eating. Instead of a chef imposing what should go together and which amount for a given serving, the eater takes these decisions.
  • Portions tend to be of substantial size.