Narrative Design
Culinary CMF
Bringing colour, material and finish trends to life through an edible presentation
Client
Self-initiated
Expertise
Concept Development
Creative Direction
Food & Drink Design
Event Design
Trend Forecasting
Sector
Food & Drink
Year
2019
Rethinking team presentations
Having returned from Milan Design Week, my usual course of action would be to share my observations through a series of slides. This time, I wanted to think about how else I could present these insights.
1
Harmony, a collaborative spatial installation by Koizumiya and Hideki Yoshimoto
Image: Elle Decor
2
ISKO’s Sound of Denim brings its textiles to life in interactive ways
Image: Vogue Italia
3
BRIK chocolate slabs resemble colourful terrazzo tiles
Image: BRIK
4
Caul fat has a lace-like structure and transparency
Image: Alchetron
5
Colour swatches are a key tool for colour, material and finish design
Image: The Peak
A multi-course trend showcase
I wanted to use food as a means of bringing trends to life, being able to present findings clearly whilst providing an enjoyable dining experience.
Starting with a sunset
The result was a five-course meal that highlighted different colours, materials and finishes using a mixture of ingredients and tableware.
We started with a serving of rice balls rolled in red and violet toppings, creating a speckled effect reminiscent of the colours of a sunset.
Sunset Hues,
Electric Blue,
Ceramics
Japonica rice, purple sweet potato crisps, shichimi seasoning, black sesame, shiso leaf
Served on a bright blue ceramic platter
Layering ingredients
Inspired by objects that feature a variety of finishes, the second course comprises many different elements that are brought together to create a multitude of textures.
Textural Detail,
Golden Glow
Daikon, cured trout, red pepper, purple cabbage, courgette, chia seeds, black sesame, dashi
Served in brushed gold dishes
A little bit of family history
The pebble shapes I saw a lot during Milan Design Week made me think of one of my grandmother’s recipes – Hakka abacus beads. Ours was made using purple sweet potato instead of yam.
Cotton Candy Cloud,
Organic Shapes,
Liquid Mirror
Purple sweet potato,
abalone sauce, pork mince,
shiitake mushrooms, chives
Served in a polished silver bowl
Letting the light in
The aim for the fourth plate was to create something that was earthy, yet light. We paired tea-smoked duck with thinly-sliced pickled citrus fruit and root vegetables.
Layered Translucence,
Natural Structures
Duck, longjing tea, shallots, roasted peanuts, daikon, pickled orange, kohlrabi
Served on a wooden board
Savoury and sweet
Inspired by a memorable dessert, we wanted to build something around a basil sponge. White chocolate brought a sweetness to balance out the more savoury elements of the dish.
Mint Green,
Pale Lavender
White chocolate, basil sponge, purple sweet potato puree,
Sichuan peppercorn
Served on a bright orange platter
Material moodboards and Pantone swatches
Each menu consisted of a set of cards inspired by Pantone swatches, with a theme on one side and a list of ingredients or materials with corresponding colour codes on the other.
Blocks of colour visualised the prominence of each element within the dish, whilst project names and owners were included for future reference.
The cards were packaged in a small case made from silver cardstock as a nod towards recent interest in a retro, futuristic sci-fi aesthetic.
A starting point for future presentations
The event was voluntarily hosted for the team at Chris Lefteri Design, giving rise to thoughts on how else we might be able to present ideas in future.
Created with
Ben Pendlebury, Jewel Tai
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