The Frist Gala Captures the Art of Cuisine

A garden of enchantment greeted guests at the Frist Gala. Inspired by a French garden and several works in the current exhibit — including Alfred Sisley’s “The Kitchen Garden”— the decor transformed the space into an ethereal setting. Under a clear tent, Jim Knestrick of Knestrick By Design installed halos of lush, blooming florals and dressed tables with baskets of fragrant flowers tucked between taper candles — the electric, drip-free kind. The evening felt like a dreamlike dinner party, with the added benefit of supporting the Frist Art Museum, one of the city’s treasured institutions.

Co-chairs Corinne Kidd, Amy Richards and Kathryn Saunders — best friends since their days at Vanderbilt University — embraced the theme and wore beautiful spring-inspired gowns. Known as an evening of community spirit and conversation, the gala offered an extended cocktail hour, as servers passed delicious and perfectly portioned hors d’oeuvres.

During the reception, guests explored the current exhibit, Farm to Table: Art, Food, and Identity in the Age of Impressionism, and its companion exhibit, Tennessee Harvest: 1870s–1920s. The latter highlights late-19th- and early-20th-century painters who used both realistic and Impressionist styles to depict food and farming in Tennessee. Many guests reflected on both exhibits, commenting on the relationship between food and identity and how food can spark dialogue.

Once guests took their seats, Seth Feman, Frist Art Museum executive director and CEO, thanked them for supporting the museum. “The Frist exists to bring people and art together,” he said. The co-chairs joined him onstage to thank the sponsors and Mother Nature for the beautiful evening. “Food is connection, it is community and it is art,” they noted. 

Kristen Winston Catering served an artistic and delicious dinner, and guests lingered over food and conversation well into the evening — closing the gathering with a remarkable example of life imitating art.