Header: IKEA
Food for Thought, an exhibition by IKEA, will tell the story of how design reflects daily rituals of food preparation, consumption, and shared moments. By merging its trademark democratic design with the sensory world of food, the Swedish company will also spotlight selected items from its new flagship collection.
Reimagined Swedish food market at Spazio Maiocchi
Architect Midori Hasuike and spatial designer Emerzon will transform the exhibition venue Spazio Maiocchi into a traditional Swedish indoor food market hall called “saluhall”. The exhibition will pair interior designers and the finest international chefs. Five interior designers will meet five chefs to design a room and a menu that resonates with real home scenarios. Together, they will explore how we experience food in different areas of our domestic settings and reinterpret the range of IKEA furniture.
A different designer-chef duo every day
On Tuesday, April 21, interior designer Maye Ruiz and chef Rosio Sanchez will reimagine the living room that is both a private sanctuary and an inviting place for visitors and friends. Designer and architect Charlotte Taylor and chef Ben Lippett will take over the following day, while multidisciplinary artist Lydia Chan and chef Alessandra Lauria will present their collaboration on Thursday, April 23.
April 24 is reserved for designer Oliver Lyttelton and recipe developer and content creator Tina Choi. Visitors can enjoy the cooking and design of art director Mehek Malhotra and chef Maurizio Tentella on Saturday, April 25, 2026. Every day will feature a music set, interior design talks, and live cooking, followed by a tasting of a menu inspired by IKEA designs and prepared on-site.
Additional Activities
The venue will also feature a BILLY Café with an extensive Phaidon cookbook library, where visitors can hang out and have some coffee, and an IKEA Food kiosk, where they can taste hot dogs, ice cream, soft drinks, and other food. IKEA Food Market will host several stalls showcasing IKEA food products, local vendors, and Phaidon cookbooks.
IKEA announces a new flagship collection
Interactive installations and live cooking will powerfully portray how design can be used to achieve wellbeing, nurture curiosity, and create a sense of belonging. By framing the home as a place of ritual and community, IKEA presents numerous ways to make life at home more meaningful and human-centric. The exhibition, imagined as a bold design statement, also serves as an announcement of the company’s new flagship collection – IKEA PS. Two large floor lamps designed by Raffaella Mangiarotti will also make their debut at Milan Design Week.
IKEA at Milan Design Week
Food For Thought will take place from April 21 to 26, at Spazio Maiocchi in Porta Venezia during the Milan Design Week. The event is free for visitors who can get to the venue with a complimentary IKEA-wrapped bus.
IKEA’s latest installation provides a window into different cultures and daily rituals through food. By pairing top-notch international chefs with established interior designers, IKEA’s Food For Thought exhibitions explore how furniture design shapes the way we experience food and vice versa.
