#metropolitan museum of art

I first heard about Yotam Ottolenghi in a program detailing the Metropolitan Museum of Arts’s gala for their Versailles Exhibition. He was asked to organized food for the event. He invited five innovative pastry chefs to help him create deserts “fit for a king” (and anyone who bought a ticket).

I loved his passion for his art - pastries - and I was interested in learning more about him.

Ottolenghi was born in Israel. As an adult he moved to Amsterdam, then to London where he learned French Pastry techniques at the London Le Cordon Bleu. There he met his future business partner Sami Tamimi, a Palestinian born chef. They bonded over their shared love of Jerusalem’s and a joint “incomprehension of traditional English food”.

Together they started a deli - Tamimi was put in charge of the savories dishes and Ottolenghi was in charge of the pastries. The two now co-own six delis and restaurants across London. Both are acclaimed cookbook authors.

Ottolenghi describes his cooking philosophy:

“I want drama in the mouth.“

Ottolenghi met his romantic partner Karl Allen in 2000 and they got married in 2012. The two decided to have a children via surrogacy (sons born in 2013 and 2015).

He described coming out:

“… everything was smooth, relatively easy and painless for us. The only obstacle was coming out to our families, which we both did in our twenties. But actually we were not completely liberated gays, we still had a few serious chips on our shoulders… about keeping certain aspects of our lives “private”. It always took me quite a while before a new person earned my trust trust and I could reveal the sex of my allusive partner.”

Ottolenghi had his “second” coming out as a Gay Father in an essay published in 2013. It describe the long process of having their first son conceived via surrogacy. Although it can be expensive, he wanted other gay men know that they too could have families of their own.

Ottolenghi always wanted to have children because of he grew up in a nurturing family. He was in his early 40s abs wanted to inject some new meaning into his life. His partner Karl had some reservations. Until he met Ottolenghi, he never considered having children. But in the end, he agreed - twice!

Ancient Roman marble statue group depicting the three Graces. Artist unknown; 2nd cent. CE. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Limestone statue of a bearded man wearing a wreath and carrying votive offerings. Artist unknown; ca. 475-450 BCE. From Cyprus; now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Ancient Egyptian block statue (gabbro with traces of pigment) of Neskhemenyu, son of Kapefha. Artist unknown; 4th cent. BCE (early Ptolemaic period). From a cache at the Temple of Amun, Thebes; now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In Love With Neon ⭐

Gwen Stefani wearing Vera Wang at the 2022 Met Gala

Kylie Jenner wearing Off-White designed by Virgil Abloh at the 2022 Met Gala

Gwen Stefani wearing Moschino by Jeremy Scott at the 2019 Met Gala

Rihanna in Balenciaga and A$AP Rocky in ERL, 2021 Met Gala

Kylie & Kendall wearing Versace, 2019 Met Gala, “Camp: Notes on Fashion”

Katy Perry wearing Moschino by Jeremy Scott, 2019 Met Gala

Pussy’s Return Publisher: Currier & Ives (American, active New York, 1857–1907) Date: 1874–78 Medium: Hand-colored lithograph Dimensions: image: 8 ½ x 12 ½ in. (21.6 x 31.8 cm) Classification: Prints Credit Line: Bequest of Adele S. Colgate, 1962 Accession Number: 63.550.314 Metropolitan Museum of Art

“A Gathering of Court Women", Folio from the Davis Album Object Name: Illustrated album leaf Date: late 17th–early 18th century Geography: India Culture: Islamic Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper Dimensions: 13.12 in. high 8.25 in. wide (33.3 cm high 21 cm wide) Classification: Codices Credit Line: Theodore M. Davis Collection, Bequest of Theodore M. Davis, 1915 Accession Number: 30.95.174.27 Metropolitan Museum of Art

Joseph Interpreting the Dreams of His Fellow Prisoners Artist: Master of the Story of Joseph (Netherlandish, ca. 1500) Medium: Oil on wood Dimensions: Diameter 61 ½ in. (156.2 cm) Classification: Paintings Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953 Accession Number: 53.168 Metropolitan Museum of Art