Lexus' installation "LEXUS -A JOURNEY OF THE SENSES," unveiled during Milan Design Week in 2015, was realized through collaboration with two cutting-edge designers: Philipp Nigro, who handled the spatial design, and Hajime Yoneda, chef named one of the "100 World's Greatest Chefs" by the French magazine Le Chef. The luxurious sense of security and meticulous craftsmanship that Lexus cars offer were translated into a unique approach through food through the interpretations of these two artists.

When considering the design of the exhibition venue, Philipp began by listening to Yoneda's thoughts. "This exhibition is divided into three themes: 'Rain,' 'Trees,' and 'Earth.' I considered how to effectively convey what he wanted to express through spatial design and proposed this approach to him."

Yoneda, however, admitted that he "doesn't originally have the feeling that he's cooking." His style is to "use ingredients to give form to messages and thoughts he wants to convey." He says he incorporated the aesthetic sense he developed from his childhood exposure to nature into his "Inside-Out" installation. He wanted visitors to experience with all five senses through food the cycle of nature on Earth.

Chef Yoneda's belief that "the answers to cooking lie in the mysteries of the universe" is reflected in this food installation that takes visitors on a journey of the senses.

The space created in collaboration with Philippe to liberate the senses is composed of three sections (scenes). Scene 1 was inspired by Chef Yoneda's experience driving his beloved Lexus on a rainy day. The exhilaration of speeding while enveloped in the rain of life's bounty is evoked by the popping of raindrop candies, the sound of rain hitting the windshield, and a light installation, allowing visitors to feel the "rain" falling from both inside and outside their bodies.

In Scene 2, a sphere was served that popped in the mouth and released a sap-like kiwi fruit. As the fresh texture spread throughout the mouth in a round space reminiscent of the inside of a tree trunk, guests experienced a mystical feeling, as if they had become one with the tranquility of the forest.

And finally, in Scene 3, a warm soup awaited, made with beef, seafood, kelp, and more than four types of vegetables. In an exclusive menu limited to 12 servings per day during the event, Chef Yoneda's signature "Earth Salad" was served instead of the soup. Guests ate a salad made with more than 30 types of vegetables at a round table where images of the sky, clouds, and earth were projected. Both the soup and the salad were dishes that encapsulated gratitude for the blessings of nature. "It was a new challenge, both in the sense that we incorporated food into spatial art and in the sense that we were able to accommodate 20,000 meals. If we look at restaurants and cafes as existing designed business formats, I think we were able to design a new field called 'installation gastronomy.'" Yoneda spoke of the results of their collaboration with Lexus. When asked about their impressions of the installation, both Philippe and Yoneda agreed that "(this project) produced unexpected results, shedding light on new directions and visions for both of us." Visitors likely gained a pleasant aftertaste from "LEXUS - A JOURNEY OF THE SENSES," with experiences and emotions beyond their imagination. Read the first part, "Lexus Expresses Japanese Hospitality and Innovation Through Food."