Those immersed in the design, art and fashion scene will know We are Ona: the theatrical, nomadic dinner party experience that has staged pop-ups during major international events since 2019. Founded by Luca Pronzato, a stalwart of hospitality who honed his skills at Copenhagen’s Noma, the creative culinary studio collaborates with some of the world’s most innovative designers and chefs, travelling to major cities: from Mexico City to Paris, Venice and New York. The immersive experiences are a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. At Art Basel Paris in 2024, artist Carsten Höller and his Stockholm restaurant Brutalisten regaled guests with refined minimal dishes within a cavernous, disused warehouse at Gare Montparnasse. That same year, French fashion set and events designer Alexandre de Betak envisaged dinner in a Haussmann-style apartment mid-renovation: diners were surrounded by raw, unfinished architecture, turning the evening into a highly engaging live performance.
We are Ona also hosts immersive events for major luxury houses, including Chanel, Saint Laurent, Cartier and Alaïa – and, in 2022, it teamed up with chef Nadia Sammut to create a dining fantasy at Simon Jacquemus and Marco Maestri’s wedding in Provence, France.
Οn July, it is staging another must-experience moment: its first pop-up hotel and restaurant in Arles, France, named Casa Ideale. Central to the experience is a photography exhibition, which will feature works selected from the Italian editor and gallerist Carla Sozzani’s archive collection, alongside a design furniture curation by Downtown+ and Luna Laffanour, which brings a new dimension and spirit to the space.
As one might expect, dining here is theatre: led by guest chef Gil Nogueira, a visionary Portuguese culinary nomad known for his bold cuisine rooted in sustainability and open-fire cooking. Nogueira previously led the kitchen at Paris’s Le Grand Bain and earned a Michelin Green Star at Le Garde Champêtre in Champagne.
Casa Ideale
5th to 12th July
Villa Bank, Arles, France
Image credit: Photo by Laurent Giannesini
