We Are Ona: The art of crafting unrepeatable culinary experiences
We Are Ona is a creative collective that is redefining the contemporary culinary experience. Founded in 2019 by sommelier and restaurateur Luca Pronzato, a former member of the iconic restaurant Noma (Copenhagen), the project has graced some of the world’s most exclusive tables thanks to its disruptive, nomadic and profoundly sensory approach. More than just a gastronomic studio, We Are Ona is an ephemeral symphony—a celebration of taste, space, and aesthetics that blurs the boundaries between disciplines to offer something greater than a meal: a total artistic experience.
A 360° vision of culinary experience
At its core, We Are Ona defines itself as a 360° creative culinary studio, with a mission to strengthen the emotional connection between brands and their audiences through gastronomy. It’s not about simply serving dishes, but about designing tailor-made, memorable moments where everything—from the menu to the setting—tells a story.
Inspired by the worlds of contemporary art, fashion, and design, they create multisensory experiences that reinterpret fine dining by placing it in unexpected contexts: immersive art installations, natural landscapes, or remote and unconventional locations.
“They create multisensory experiences that reinterpret fine dining.”
A community of creative talent
What sets We Are Ona apart is not just its vision, but its global network of talent: chefs, sommeliers, artists, designers, and producers who collaborate to shape each event. This diversity of backgrounds and styles ensures that each experience is truly unique—a reflection of its local context, the brand’s identity, and the chosen space.
Over the years, they’ve collaborated with some of the most influential names in the fashion, luxury, and cultural industries, including Hermès, Jacquemus, Givenchy, Saint Laurent, Y-3, Chanel, Gucci, Margiela, Vogue France, Balenciaga, Meta, and many more. Each event becomes an interdisciplinary showcase, where storytelling comes to life through flavour, texture, light, sound, and scenography.
“What sets it apart is not just its vision, but its global network of talent.”
Spaces that tell stories
A key element of We Are Ona’s success lies in their meticulous selection of spaces. As mentioned earlier, they don’t seek conventional venues, but rather stimulating, thought-provoking environments that enter into dialogue with both the artistic and culinary narrative.
One of their most celebrated pop-ups took place in December 2024 in Paris, in collaboration with designer Alexandre de Betak. The setting: a Haussmann-style apartment mid-renovation, with bare walls, cracked columns, and unpolished floors. Rather than conceal the imperfection, the event embraced it as part of the story—adding a raw sense of authenticity to a dinner that became a live performance.
On another occasion, during Art Basel, We Are Ona worked with artist Carsten Höller to create a monochromatic dining room in all-white tones—challenging the senses and playing with visual perception. An equally compelling example was the pop-up created in partnership with Russian architect and furniture designer Harry Nuriev, where a sea of stacked kitchen sinks functioned both as a cooking space and as an artistic installation. Because as with every We Are Ona event: nothing is purely decorative—everything has intention.
From local to global: Ingredients with identity
Each We Are Ona event begins with a deep investigation into the local context. Ingredients, producers, and regional traditions become narrative pillars of the menu. Their culinary approach prioritises sustainability, seasonality, and craftsmanship, respecting origin while reinterpreting it through a contemporary lens.
There is no signature dish or fetish ingredient. The essence of We Are Ona lies in constant transformation, in exploration, and in the ability to connect emotion with aesthetics. Sometimes, a raw vegetable can be more impactful than an exotic protein—when presented with care, intention, and beauty.
Design as an emotional language
Design is not an afterthought—it is part of We Are Ona’s DNA. From the arrangement of tables to the choice of crockery, lighting, and music, every detail is orchestrated like a visual symphony. Their approach draws on sensory minimalism, performance art, and theatrical scenography. Guests often become actors within a living experience—one that happens only once, and then vanishes. This is how they ensure that no event is ever repeatable.
A philosophy of exclusivity without elitism
Although We Are Ona’s events are undeniably exclusive, they don’t aspire to elitism—they aspire to emotion. Luxury, in their philosophy, is not about price but about the uniqueness of the moment. The idea of the ephemeral—of something that only happens here and now—becomes their true hallmark.
This resonates strongly with new generations of diners, who seek authenticity over ostentation. Instead of fixed restaurants or repetitive menus, they crave experiences that inspire, surprise, and move them. We Are Ona responds to this new demand with a boldly contemporary offering.
“Although its events are undeniably exclusive, they don’t aspire to elitism.”
Gastronomic guide curated by chefs
As a natural extension of their community, We Are Ona has launched The Chefs’ Guide—a free international gastronomic guide that brings together personal recommendations from chefs across the globe. Available as a mobile app, it allows users to discover unique restaurants in various cities, backed by those who know the industry best.
The project reinforces We Are Ona’s mission to create a global network of knowledge, flavours, and talent—connecting cultures and sensibilities through cuisine.
Looking to the future: Expansion and new horizons
We Are Ona is in full expansion. After establishing itself in key cities such as Paris, Milan, New York, and Hong Kong, they’re now planning to open permanent offices in London and Los Angeles. Their goal is to continue collaborating with visionary brands, but also to develop more independent projects that explore new forms of sensory storytelling.
This year, several new pop-ups are planned in destinations—some still under wraps—as well as collaborations with world-renowned artists, architects, and designers who will bring fresh layers of complexity to each experience.
“Gastronomy, now more than ever, is a living form of art.”
The dream of Luca Pronzato and his team is clear: to keep surprising, moving, and leaving a mark on our collective memory—proving that gastronomy, now more than ever, is a living form of art.
We Are Ona: The memory of a moment
In an age of standardised experiences and mass consumption, We Are Ona swims against the current. They champion the exceptional, the poetic, and the handcrafted. Every event is a manifesto of ephemeral beauty, a tribute to creative collaboration, and a testament to the power of food as a medium to tell stories, build identities, and stir deep emotion.
“Every event is a manifesto of ephemeral beauty and a tribute to creative collaboration.”
With a distinctive aesthetic, a deep respect for process, and a forward-thinking vision, We Are Ona doesn’t just feed—they transform. And they do it through the art of creating moments that, although they last only a few hours, stay with you forever.
(*) Photos provided by We Are Ona.
