Some stars shine on stage. Well, tonight’s headliner grows bright in a garden. One South Florida dinner is turning a humble tomato into a feast. Our very own saucy guy, Alex Miranda, has more!
What is a tomato’s favorite dance? The salsa! At “Mad Arts,” the tomato is taking center plate in an immersive dinner that’s ripe for the picking. Forks up!
Guest: “I love tomatoes, but I’ve never had tomatoes like this. I have a different relationship with tomatoes now because of tonight.”
The folks at “Mad Arts” in Dania Beach are taking a plump fruit and turning it into dinner’s leading star.
Amanda Deroxtra, events and community coordinator at Mad Arts: “Mad Arts is a little bit of everything. It is a community hub; it is an immersive and interactive art space. Currently, Mad Arts has 21 exhibits that you can come and explore. But that’s constantly changing; we always have new and exciting things that are happening both locally and internationally.”
Yes, like, “Ode to Tomato.”
Amanda Deroxtra: “We have this incredibly exciting immersive dinner series that’s happening in conjunction with Dine Out. It’s really a nod to tomatoes, to the tomato season, but it even goes further because Dania Beach actually once was the largest tomato farm here in all of the southern United States.”
This six-course meal is complete with sensory experiences, and for three nights, guests can take in the creation of artists breaking into the scene—like Mark Espinosa, who created the digital displays all around.
Mark Espinosa, artist: “We had a lot of creative freedom with how we wanted to draw the tomatoes. We illustrated them in ways that we as artists can express ourselves.”
Mark Espinosa: “As the guests are coming in, the bread would already be there. Then it transitions to salad; you’ll see blooming flowers. You’ll see foliage through these frames. I think it enhances the experience in general. I mean, food is, in my opinion, one of the most important art forms there is because it serves a lot of purposes.”
Chef Sam Diaz has a lot planned for these juicy crops.
Sam Diaz, chef at Mad Arts: “I’ve always held a special place in my heart with tomatoes. I’m mad I get to eat them three months of a year when they’re really good, and might as well highlight them and show my love for them. There’s just a huge amount you can do with them, pastry-wise, pasta, everything; it’s such a versatile fruit.”
And building a real tomato town around the dinner table is the expertise of Astrid Marie.
Astrid Marie: “I felt like it was very important to bring in physical assets into rooms that are kind of digital. And just incorporating the idea of this town. It’s anthropomorphic tomatoes that live in these houses, and they all have little jobs and their own life. So the houses and the design of the room kind of reflects that. It follows no logic really, and I think that’s one of the best things about this experience.”
Guest: “It’s such a fun experience, definitely different from just going out to a random restaurant.”
“Ode To Tomato” dining experience starts at $100. There are three special nights to choose from with the first one this Friday.
FOR MORE INFO:
MAD ARTS: Ode to Tomato: An Immersive Seasonal Dinner Experience
Ode to Tomato: An Immersive Seasonal Dinner Experience
Friday, August 7 | 7:00–9:00 PM
Friday, August 21 | 7:00–9:00 PM
Friday, August 28 | 7:00–9:00 PM
MAD Arts
481 South Federal Highway
Dania Beach, FL 33004
Event Tickets
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