Roland Kreiter, “Mysqueeze Juicer” circa 2010. Image courtesy of Alessi

Food: we rave about it; we crave it; we critique it; spend time and energy preparing it; watch T.V. shows about it; sometimes it even drives us to blaspheme. But what about the objects that we use to prepare it and to present it? How much consideration do they get?

This is the focus of the current exhibition at the Mint Museum Uptown (a Knight Arts grantee), “F.O.O.D. (Food, Objects, Objectives, Design).” Displaying more than 300 objects, “F.O.O.D.” showcases the design behind the objects many of us use everyday in the kitchen and dining room. The exhibition is organized around four themes: the table, the kitchen, the pantry and the garden. The objects within those spaces relate to each room’s function and push us to think about food and all its accoutrements’ roles in our lives.

Fernando Campana and Humberto Campana for Alessi, “Citrus Basket” Blow Up Bamboo Collection. Image courtesy of Alessi

On Friday, April 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., in conjunction with this exhibition, the Mint is hosting the F.O.O.D. Conference, a day of food- and design-related presentations. Featured speakers include Darra Goldstein, founding editor of “Gastronomica;” Jessica Harris, cookbook author; Johnson & Wales chef Peter Reinhart; architect Ken Gaylord; Matteo Bologna of Mucca Design in New York; and designers Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin, who created “Autarchy” for the “F.O.O.D.” exhibition. Michael Graves, internationally renowned architect, will be giving the keynote address and moderating the conference.

The presentations are organized around the thematic topics of the exhibition.  According to Annie Carlano, one of the curators of “F.O.O.D.,” the conference promises to bring “together top international talent—chefs, culinary historians, designers and architects—to discuss their perspectives on the meaning of table, pantry, kitchen and garden in our lives today.”

Tickets for the Conference are $60 for museum members and include a box lunch and admission to Michael Graves’ CAD lecture on Thursday evening. Tickets for non-members are $85 with a box lunch or $100 for lunch and the Graves’ lecture.

Richard Sapper for Alessi “Melodic Kettle” 1983. Image courtesy of Alessi

Mint Museum Uptown: 500 South Tryon St., Charlotte; 704-337-2000; www.mintmuseum.org. Open Tues., 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; and Sun., 1–5 p.m. Admission: adults, $10; students/seniors, $8; children 5-17, $5; free to all on Sept. 3.