Fifty Chefs – The Hands that Feed London

The Staff Canteen
Londonewcastle Arts Programme launches a new exhibition in Shoreditch next month called Fifty Chefs - The Hands that Feed London which  tells the stories of the people who work in London’s favourite kitchens. The images from photographer/artist Katie Wilson are a culmination of a ten-year photographic project.  From kebab shops and greasy spoons to the city’s most rarefied restaurants, and all the everyday eateries in-between, Katie has captured the intriguing faces and battle-worn hands of fifty diverse and dedicated chefs. ollie dabbous “I was fascinated by the scars worn with pride on the hands of the chefs I met,” said Katie. “I began to wonder, who are the people who cook for London? Not only the famous faces, but the sous chefs and kitchen hands; the dishwashers and potato peelers.” So began a project to document the Hands that Feed London. Rose Gray, Ollie Dabbous, Mark Hix and Fergus Henderson sit side-by-side with the Pellicci family of legendary Bethnal Green caf, Pellicci’s and Sevket Boyraz of infamous Chalk Farm kebab shop, Marathon Kebabs. 45_Pierre_Koffmann low res Shot in a raw documentary style, each subject was photographed on location, before briefings, or as they woke from sleep snatched between services. This is a look at the hard graft that goes on in the restaurant engine room; the blood, sweat and tears that go into making the serene and sometimes glamorous dining experience we’ve come to expect. 20_Angela_Harntett_Murano low res “Over the last ten years our interest in food has evolved enormously and as a result everyone has had to up their game - not just at the top end but local cafes too. It is us Londoners - in all our diversity - who have made this City the serious food capital it has become,” explained Katie. The exhibition is a collaborative work; writer Nellie Blundell has collected stories of the city and its kitchens to sit beside each image, and artist Caroline Hobkinson has created a banquet table revealing the often unlikely foods the featured chefs actually eat while working. 50_RICHARD_CORRIGAN_BENTLEYS low res Proceeds from the sale of prints at the exhibition will be donated to London-based food charity, FareShare. The exhibition  at Londonewcastle Project Space, Redchurch Street, Shoreditch, runs from April 3 - 12. 

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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 19th March 2015

Fifty Chefs – The Hands that Feed London