Head chef Laura Greenfield, who has been at the café for four years, presents an eclectic mix of 40 of her favourite recipes organised by season (and yes, this does include the auction season), from lemon ricotta stuffed courgette flowers to bellini sorbet, alongside recommendations of the ideal accompaniment from head of Sotheby's wine department Serena Sutcliffe.
Ms Greenfield is accustomed to cooking not only for Bond Street regulars but also international collectors and dealers and adapts her menu accordingly, constantly perceptive of her food's tie to art and the auction calendar.
For example, borscht becomes a staple on the menu for Russians arriving for the November sales, while Asia Week sees the carte du jour take on an Oriental twist, an international variety reflected in the cookbook.
In the 160-page book, each recipe is interspersed with images and articles exploring the relationship between food and art. Accompanying the recipe for lobster club sandwich is Cecil Beaton's photograph of Wallis Simpson wearing a Surrealist lobster dress by Dalì and Schiaparelli, while Sotheby's specialists explore topics from the café culture of the Impressionists to the development of the dining room and the use of food in Contemporary Art.
The list of contributors includes artists, chefs, art historians and interior designers from the likes of the National Gallery, Harper's Bazaar, and the White Cube Gallery.
The hardback books are available at Sotheby's offices worldwide and can be ordered through catalogue subscriptions (020 7293 6444) and online at www.sothebys.com.
By Stephanie Harris
