To the table!

Cookery books, food blogs, food fads, culinary influencers, trendy restaurants… nowadays, there is no avoiding them. Everyone seems to be involved with food: eating, cooking, partying, fasting… Food is a necessity. It is of all times and of all cultures. But have you ever stopped to think about its cultural, philosophical or religious significance? At the dining table, issues such as identity and solidarity are magnified. What you eat and how you eat it speaks volumes about who you are, where you come from and what you stand for. 

This exhibition explores how food and religion interact. For countless people across the world religion determines what, when and how they eat. We examine the dietary laws, customs and traditions of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. What role does food play in the everyday lives of believers? What place does it have in their celebrations, rituals and traditions? What are the roots and significance of particular rules and customs? We delve deeper into three specific areas: dietary laws, fasting and celebration. Differences between the three religions are often exaggerated. In this exhibition, you will discover that when it comes to food there are also many similarities.