Taste Etc: A Slice of Life

When I was a kid growing up in Mexico in the 1990s, Frida Kahlo was already an icon. But it wasn’t until I left the country that I realised what a global phenomenon she really was. When I first arrived in London in 2017, I often found that people didn’t know who the President of Mexico was, but they knew of Frida – not only her work, but also her fame, her legacy. It seemed to spread out of the art world and into other areas of life: from Chicano culture to tattoo art, fashion, design and even food.

As a chef, my dream is to showcase the richness of Mexican culture to the world. Frida, I feel, did something simi lar, and in such an elegant way: living her life powerfully and believing in herself, while respecting traditions. She had an avant-garde outlook that became an important part of Mexican history.

In my recipes, I like to take inspiration from people beyond the world of food. When I was asked to create a menu for Tate Modern, I imagined what I might cook for Frida, and what she would like to eat, as though I were bringing these dishes to her table.

I wanted to end the meal with some thing joyful. So, I looked at her final work, Viva la Vida 1954, which is a vibrant painting of watermelons completed just days before her death. This inspired a dish of crisp buñuelos (which signify celebration) and a trio of vivid red, green and white ice creams that evokes the flavour and sensation of watermelon. When eaten very ripe and very cold, watermelon is the most refreshing thing. When you bite into it, it’s like biting into life.

^{Santiago Lastra is Chef Patron at the Michelin-starred KOL, Marylebone, which was named oneofthe world’s top 50 restaurants in 2025. He talked to Anna Ovenden.}

^{Lastra has created a Frida-inspired menu for the Tate Modern Restaurant, available 25 June– 31 August. It is served daily at lunchtime and on Friday and Saturday evenings. Advance booking is recommended.}