It all started when Bottura, a longtime collector of vintage cars, acquired a 1993 Maserati for a relatively small sum. Instead of leaving it to collect dust in his garage, he decided to use it as an expression of his passion for food and design. He approached the students of Parma’s University of Gastronomic Sciences, asking them to transform the car into a work of art using their culinary skills.
The project was a collaboration between the university and Bottura’s own foundation, Food for Soul. Under the guidance of several renowned chefs, the students spent months researching and experimenting with different techniques and ingredients before finally settling on a concept. The idea was to create a “recipe” for the car, using ingredients that represented the essence of Bottura’s philosophy of food: quality, diversity, sustainability, experimentation, and beauty.
The transformation of the Maserati was nothing short of extraordinary. The exterior was painted a lustrous golden hue, reminiscent of the colors of freshly baked bread. The wheels were replaced by spirals of fried potato, while the windshield became a mirror reflecting a colorful array of fresh produce. The car’s interior was turned into a gourmet kitchen, equipped with a stove, oven, and sink made of stainless steel. The seats were covered in a fabric made of recycled plastic, while the headliner was replaced by a series of hanging herbs and plants.
But the real masterpiece was the car’s engine. It was completely disassembled and replaced by a complex system of pots and pans, each one connected to a different lever or button on the dashboard. When the car was started, steam poured out of the engine, filling the air with the enticing aromas of caramelized onions, sizzling bacon, and roasted garlic.
The Maserati of Massimo Bottura was not only a stunning visual spectacle, but also a multi-sensory experience of taste, smell, and touch. Visitors were allowed to step inside and sample the various dishes that the car “cooked” throughout the day. The menu featured a variety of traditional Italian dishes, such as ragù alla bolognese, risotto alla milanese, and pizza margherita, all made with the freshest local ingredients.
The project was a testament to the power of collaboration, creativity, and innovation. It was also a statement about the relationship between food and society, and the potential of food to inspire social change. Food for Soul, the foundation that Bottura and his wife Lara founded in 2016, is dedicated to fighting food waste and social exclusion by creating community kitchens that serve nutritious meals to people in need. The Maserati project was a way of raising awareness about these issues, while also celebrating the transformative power of food.
In the end, the Maserati of Massimo Bottura was not just a car, but a work of art that represented the convergence of different disciplines, cultures, and ideas. It was an expression of the human spirit, and a tribute to the beauty and complexity of the world we live in. It was also a reminder that, sometimes, the most unexpected things can become the most inspiring.