Layers of lasagna bursting with bolognese, pistachio-filled cannoli dusted in icing sugar, and a seductive slab of pillowy tiramisu.
These are just some of the mouth-watering dishes available at Kate Jenkins’ new ‘Knitalian’ restaurant.
But here’s the catch: none of them are edible.
Instead, Jenkins has knitted, crocheted, embroidered and sewed every single recipe, hand-crafting a feast of fiber art for her new exhibition at the Air Contemporary gallery in London, United Kingdom.
The gallery has been re-modelled accordingly, fitted with traditional trattoria-style gingham tablecloths, rustic wall art and a giant gelato fridge. If it weren’t for a lack of baked dough wafting through the air, you could almost swear you’ve teleported from the bustling streets of Soho to a charming Italian deli.
This immersive element is an integral part of Jenkins’ work, which has previously included knitted replicas of fishmongers, bakeries, supermarkets, bagel bars and more.
Her latest installation feels much more personal, however — inspired by frequent trips to Italy with her Italian partner.
“I always feel inspired [in Italy] because there’s so much culture there in terms of food,” Jenkins told Euronews Culture.
“There are all these amazing different parts of Italy and they’re famous for different things. So, looking at the food culture in Venice, you’ve got cicchetti, which is like the equivalent of the tapas. And then there’s Crotone, which is famous for its red onions.”
The diversity of Italy’s foods combined with Jenkins’ interest in their subtle regional differences became a starting point for a year-long project that features more than a thousand fabric food and drink replicas.
Among them are slices of salami, various cheeses, bottles of Chianti, and hundreds of individual pasta pieces in bowls. No detail is left untouched, with Jenkins treating the process of knitting a lasagna as if she was actually cooking one.
“I was knitting the sheets of pasta, then making the Ragú, so that’s crocheted, and then layering it all up, as you would when you’re making your own cooked lasagna,” Jenkins explains.
“It requires really looking at how things are constructed and then breaking it down and then rebuilding it, but knitted.”
Getting the colours and textures correct also required endless experimentation, mixing yarns and trialling different stitch techniques to make it look as believable as possible.
“Making things like ravioli, it has to have a certain puffiness to it, and then it’s got the little serrated edge and that has to be a certain stitch,” she said.
“Or when I’m making an ice cream cone that’s a 3D waffle structure, there’s some things I use a crochet technique for and then others I’ll use a knitting machine to get it to look right.”
Ever since her grandma taught her how to knit as a child, the craft has been a major part of Jenkins’ life.
She began her career as a knitwear designer in the late ’90s, working with big fashion designers including Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs and Kate Spade before later founding her own label, Cardigan.
Then, while brainstorming ways to promote an accessories line, she started knitting foods — mostly for fun, but also as a way to get people to view things in a different way.
It proved so popular that Jenkins was able to open her first food-themed exhibition in 2007, ‘Comfort Food’, which ultimately changed the entire trajectory of her career.
“I think people love seeing food,” she said, believing there’s something universally joyful about seeing and creating replicas of pre-existing things.
“I find it very satisfying once I’ve set myself a goal and I go, right, I’m going to make a bagel and make it look identical to an actual bagel.”
The exhibition also opens at a time when so-called “grandma hobbies” like knitting have soared in popularity among younger generations, with 86% of Gen Z now identifying as “crafters” or “makers”, according to a survey by Mintel Group Ltd.
“The internet has opened the world up to people being able to learn online,” Jenkins said.
“It’s amazing and I can see why there’s such a massive interest because it’s more accessible and it’s not too taxing. You don’t need massive amount of tools or money to make something.”
The communal nature of crafty hobbies has also allowed Jenkins to make her exhibitions more sociable and interactive, encouraging people to knit their own cakes at her 2022 ‘Cafe Kate’ show in the Netherlands.
“It’s nice to have that excitement, for people to go and just hang out and do a bit of knitting, or feel absorbed in the exhibition in that way.”
There’s a similar sense of conviviality at ‘Kate’s Knitalian’, although guests can rest assured they won’t need any knitting (or cooking) skills to visit the build-your-own-pizza station.
They will, however, need to exercise a lot of self-restraint not to take a bite out of anything…
‘Kate’s Knitalian’ opens at Air Contemporary gallery in London, United Kingdom, from 30 October until 5 December 2026.