COOKED by Long Prawn and friends
Long Prawn and friends are bringing the spirit of democracy sausage to Fed Square where the hot plate meets the stage in a Festival-long pop-up dedicated to the art of grilling – and where grilling meets art.
Culinary mavericks Long Prawn and their collaborators will be at the pass day and night slinging snacks – both edible and artistic – in the purpose built dining and performance space, designed by Mikhail Savin Roderick Projects with a working barbecue designed by artist Mike Hewson.
They’ll start like all good BBQs do with Seasoning the Grill – a deadly First Nations-led take over of the space where the oldest continuously grilling culture lights up the barbie for a night of smoke, dance, DJs, art and mad feeds.
Gather and grill at COOKED: Open Grill a free, daytime drop-in series facilitated by artists who’ll add flavour to conversations and spice things up with pop-up performances.
When the sun sets, things heat up with COOKED: Hot Nights where chefs and artists take over the space to collaborate over the BBQ with live music, performance and snacks. While COOKED: Grill Prive draws the curtains and sets the table for utterly absurd, undeniably satisfying limited season of dinners hosted by the UK’s Ecstasy Cookbook, and dancer, choreographer and film maker Harrison Ritchie Jones.
This is the public BBQ – but not as you know it. COOKED is open 1–20 October. Come and join in you silly sausages.
1 October, 5pm-11pm
Come to the new public BBQ space at Fed Square for a First Nations grill up and smoke out.
2 & 16 October, 7pm-9.30pm
A closed-curtain sit-down dinner serving heightened food, art and performance.
3 & 17 October, 6pm-9pm
On this red-hot night, Ari Angkasa and friends perform a live film-infused soap opera and variety show. Drawing on early 2000s Indonesian primetime television lore with snack offerings from Earth Angels’ Narit Kamsat and a live score from a jazz band.
9 October, 6pm-9pm
Hot Nights see artists and chefs take over the COOKED public BBQ for an evening of performance and hot salty snacks.
10 October, 6pm-9pm
Amongst the sizzling grills, join Deep Soulful Sweats for a night of experimental performance and dance. A BBQ occasion where the sweats are not (necessarily) meat-related – a contemporary collision of new and old, the raw and the well-done.
14 October, 7pm-9pm
Seated in a large circle, a group of artist/citizens and audience/citizens (some of whom might also be artists) will collectively reflect upon the psychic and embodied experience of democracy right here and now.
4-8, 11-13 & 18-19 October 2024, 12-3pm & 4pm-8pm
Through food, smoke, sensory immersion, provocation, participation and interaction, COOKED hopes to subvert tradition, blend cultural practices, activate public space and engage all communities. Over two weeks, the space will create a detailed, palpable display of what makes a truly flavorful BBQ – and let’s just say it’s not a burnt chop or a sunken pav.
About Long Prawn
An artistic food practice headed up by F GM Mora and L B Stephens that delivers rigorously researched food expertise heavily seasoned with creative event design. Food enveloped in community, props and performance from buffet tables to nouveau- haute cuisine – responsive, rewarding and resourceful eating, ideas, events and workshops.
Producing food events that thoughtfully and resourcefully respond to a theme, location and purpose. Thinking and cooking since 2015.
Artistic Team
This event occurs within the COOKED public BBQ space designed by Mikhail Savin Rodrick Projects and Long Prawn, with BBQ designed and built by Mike Hewson.
Curated by Long Prawn.
Supporters
Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Fed Square.
COOKED was commissioned with Principal Partner support of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation. This project received Cash to Create through the Fringe Fund.
A special thanks to our COOKED Partner, Cookers.
