Open Doors Project

At the beginning of the traffic light system as the Delta wave was ending and Omicron was just discovered in the community, the uncertainty for the future was rife. Despite this, owner-operator restaurants have battled on and found ways to pivot and change. They are part of a group of chefs whose passion and tenacity I admire deeply and get inspired by. Through the lens, I tell their stories.

A long way underway, with publication a lot later in the year than I had hoped for, this project illustrates the continuous impact the pandemic has had on our lives, and although pushed to the side, still continues to have. This project explores the contrast between pain and suffering, pleasure and desire, and visualises wanting something you can’t quite have or reach.

During the pandemic lockdowns, the hospitality scene has taken on the role of speaking up about some of the issues the pandemic has presented, making verbal the toll this new reality of life had on us all. Yet there's a lot of hope and despite continuous issues with supply chains, workforce, and inflation, it seems that the hospitality industry holds the key for us all to return to normalcy. Their doors are open.

I'm excited to release this series online in association with Cuisine Magazine.
Read their stories via Cuisine here & view more images from the series on my website here.

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