by senior contributor Brendan Kownacki
Photo credit: Brendan Kownacki
When restaurants need a change, maybe they change chefs, maybe they hang a chandelier or add a cocktail to the menu, but at Pinea within the W Hotel the answer is to hire a renowned street artist to paint floor to ceiling murals across the walls.
Artist Gaia
Enter Gaia, the Baltimore based artist who draws his inspiration from any setting he enters and from the history of the area. Having painted across the District before, he had noticed the European influences in the architecture and that culture and the themes of liberty became the basis for his creations at Pinea.
To celebrate the art intervention and a fresh start for the restaurant, chef Barry Kaslow wanted to highlight rustic Mediterranean flavors in a bold way, where a single bite could prove its merit. Kaslow highlighted his penchant for fresh ingredients and locally sourced dishes by pointing out that no matter it be pork from a whole hog or a tiny deviled quail egg, it only takes a single bite to gush flavor if you treat each ingredient with care and an attention to detail.
Chef Kaslow
Gaia and Kaslow
Be sure to stop by Pinea inside the W Hotel to check out the art and chef Kaslow’s culinary creations.
Here’s a check in with the chef and the artist about each of their approaches:
