Subnature was initially applied to architecture—the idea that marginalized spaces and materials should not be rejected, but embraced. This concept was brought to food by the Nordic Food Lab in Copenhagen, a project born out of the world famous Restaurant NOMA. Duke partnered with the Nordic Food Lab when they decided to do a program on Subnature and Culinary Cuisine, which concluded with the Carolina Chefs Dinner at the Cotton Room—a beautifully renovated former cotton warehouse in Durham’s downtown Golden Belt development.