NPR

Edible Oddities: David Bowie-Inspired Menus Reflect His Many Personas

Ziggy Stardust and the Thin White Duke are just two of the characters David Bowie created for himself. The innovator explored music and identity, and his art exhibition inspires chefs and mixologists.
From left: Aladdin Sane, Thin White Duke, Ziggy Stardust, Major Tom, The Man Who Fell to Earth, and Halloween Jack are Bowie-inspired cocktails made by BKW by Brooklyn Winery.

Matthew Yokobosky finds food inspirational — which is perhaps not entirely surprising, considering that as an art curator, it's his job to make connections between seemingly disparate objects, just as a chef creates a cohesive dish out of contrasting ingredients.

So when New York City restaurateur and chef Saul Bolton suggested developing a themed menu and a series of dinners around the "David Bowie Is" exhibition now on view at the Brooklyn Museum, Yokobosky was intrigued.

"I was knee-deep in research for the show," says Yokobosky, who selected 100 additional items for the collection's final stop in Brooklyn. The exhibition has been traveling the world since starting its journey at the Victoria and

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min read
Have You Seen This Emotional Support Gator? Wally's Owner Says He's Lost In Georgia
Wally has many fans in Pennsylvania and across social media. His owner is enlisting their help, saying Wally was kidnapped, located by a trapper and released into a swamp while vacationing in Georgia.
NPR4 min read
Cicadas Are Back On The Menu. One Chef Shares His Dish Ideas — And An Easy Recipe
The cicadas are coming! And so are some new flavor profiles. This spring, the bugs of two broods, the 13-year Brood XIX and the 17-year Brood XIII, will crawl from the ground simultaneously across the eastern and southern parts of the United States.
NPR5 min read
Can You Survive Summer Indoors Without AC? In Arizona, Many Don’t
Nearly half of the people who suffered heat-related deaths in Arizona last year lived outdoors without shelter, but public health officials and lawmakers are starting to pay more attention to the risk of dying indoors.

Related Books & Audiobooks