Down in St. Pete, The Dalí Museum launched its first cookbook titled “The Dalí Museum Café Gala Cookbook”, a 200-page book celebrating Spanish-inspired cuisine. The book is curated by Chef Chuck Handel, chef of Café Gala, in collaboration with Museum Director Hank Hine.

Named in honor of Salvador Dalí’s wife and muse Gala, fans of Dalí and foodies alike can experience 55 carefully crafted recipes that capture the essence of Catalan and Spanish flavors. Bandel’s expertise is highlighted throughout the cookbook with recipes ranging from classic tapas to hearty soups, savory meats, and desserts.

“Cooking is, in itself, a process of transformation,” says Hank Hine, Dalí Museum Director, in the cookbook’s introduction, emphasizing the creative intersections between the culinary arts and Dalí’s boundary-pushing artistic vision. “Just as Salvador Dalí saw the world as fluid and ever-changing, cooking transforms raw elements into something entirely new, inviting the same sense of wonder and metamorphosis we find in art.”

Each recipes tells the story of its origins mixed in with Dalí’s world and Catalonia’s food traditions. Bandel’s inspiration include Catalonia’s famous chefs like Ferran Adrià and other legends including Paco Pérez, Martín Berasategui and Jaume Subirós, who helped shape the Café Gala’s offerings.

In honor of the cookbook’s launch, The Dalí hosts an exclusive event series called “Regions of Spain” on December 11 with tapas, sangria flights, and live Spanish guitar. Chef Bandel will be signing copies at the event. The series will continue in 2025 highlighting other regions of Spain from the Basque Country to Andalusia and ending with a tribute to Dalí’s homeland Catalonia.

“The Dalí Museum Café Gala Cookbook” is available for purchase at the museum store and online for $39.95.

While you’re visiting The Dalí, make sure you view their newest exhibition “The Subversive Eye: Surrealist and Experimental Photography from the David Raymond Collection”, which offers guests a look at the evolution of photographic experimentation through over 100 rare works by 50 visionary artists between 1925-1948.

“Photography was a vital tool for Surrealists to blur the lines between reality and imagination,” said Dr. William Jeffett, Senior Curator at The Dalí and curator of The Subversive Eye. “As The Dalí celebrates the centennial of Surrealism, this exhibition highlights how artists used experimental techniques to challenge perceptions and explore the subconscious, transforming photography into a powerful medium of expression.”

While the exhibition is available for viewing, various workshops are offered, providing deeper engagement with surrealist photography techniques from creating surreal collages to iPhone and Polaroid techniques workshops.

Purchase tickets to The Dalí Museum here and make a day out of exploring St. Petersburg.

Photo c/o The Dalí Museum