About

Museum Curator

Deborah Henson-Conant is the curator of (and founder and primary contributor to) the Burnt Food Museum.

Assistant Curator

Beatriz Harley (here seen with one of the BFM Mugs) is assistant curator of the BFM.

OFFICIAL MUSEUM HARPIST: Katya Herman

Katya Herman is the official Royal Burnt Food Museum harpist.

TOURS: The Private BFM Tour “Experience”

The BFM contains some of the greatest original carbonized cullinary artwork in the world.  It’s been featured on the Food Network’s “Unwrapped,” NPR’s “Weekend Edition” and “Splendid Table,” ABC’s “The View” and countless blogs and programs worldwide.

Now YOU can visit this intimate museum in a private tour experience with BFM founder and curator, Deborah Henson-Conant, herself as your guide. Invite up to nine companions to join you for this interactive theatrical tour experience that combines an engaging mix of character, observation, humor, discussion and performance-art — all inspired by the cullinary and philosophial complexities of the Burnt Food Museum’s exhibits.

The Curator will greet you, guide you through the museum, providing a personal history of each piece and presenting a brief dramatic reading of testimonials from BFM contributing artists. You’ll see dozens of original BFM exhibits first-hand, including the seminal “Free Standing Hot Apple Cider” … and upon request, the curator may even play you a tune on her harp.

The Burnt Food Museum is a private museum, and open exclusively for private events. A Private Museum Tour Experience is a 90-minute interactive event for up to 9 guests ($3500). If you have a larger group, let us know the size – and we’ll let you know what’s possible.

To arrange a Private Museum Tour Experience, email the curator at the email address above, and let us know what dates/times you’re interested in and the size of your group.

MUSEUM HISTORY

The museum was founded in the late 1980’s one night when Deborah put on a small pot of Hot Apple Cider to heat, then received an unexpected . . . fascinating . . . and very long phone call. By the time Deborah returned to the kitchen, the Cider had become a “Cinder” and thus the first, and perhaps still the most impressive, exhibit: “Free Standing Hot Apple Cider” was born.

SINCE THEN, countless other works have entered the museum, such as “Thrice Baked Potato,” “Why Sure, You Can Bake Quiche in the Microwave,” the indestructible “Mmmm……Soy Pups,” and the lovely matching set of Pizza Toast.

DOCUMENTATION: The museum, its curator and it’s educational display “Before and After: Toast” were the cover story for the Jan/Feb 1992 “Journal of Irreproducible Results;” the Museum has been toured by the hosts of NPR’s Weekend Edition, Morning Edition, and featured on NPR’s “The Splendid Table.” In 2002, a televised tour of the museum featured on the Food Network’s “Unwrapped”

Please remember the Museum’s Motto: “To Cook the Museum Way — `always leave the flame on low . . . and then take a long nap.”

HOT TIP: Never scrimp on fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. They are decorative, colorful and lend a cozy, warm atmosphere to any kitchen .

START YOUR OWN BURNT FOOD MUSEUM FRANCHISE!!!

How many times have you ‘ruined’ a batch of chocolate chip cookies or a romantic dinner for two?

Turn those culinary ‘failures’ (that, if ‘succesful’ would have been gone forever after a single meal) into LIFELONG TREASURES for you and your famiy to enjoy!

That’s right – you, too, could have a wing of the Burnt Food Museum in your very own home! Set aside a special shelf in your own kitchen for those surprising and wonderful objects of art that YOU created without even trying!

Submit your works via our “Burnt Food Museum: Artwork Submission Form (pdf)”

Then surprise & delight your friends! Wear your “Museum Of Burnt Food Field Research Team” apron while you display your culinary artwork (Aprons and other BFM delights available at our online Museum Souvenir Shop).

And for girl scouts and boy scouts. . . join our efforts to lobby the Scout Council to include a “Burnt Beyond Perfection” badge!