A slight departure from the traditional adage, one might say that the way to Bob Noto’s stomach is through his camera lens. Before using them to satisfy his expert appetite, the dishes of some of the world’s greatest chefs have been immortalized by the photographer, graphic designer, and – most of all – the ironic and passionate gourmand.
In fine dining food photography, Bob Noto follows a very precise technique: he never uses either a studio or set, but captures the dish in its indigenous habitat – a restaurant. After he places his order, he photographs the dish in just a few short minutes, before it becomes cold and loses flavour. Only later, with his appetite satisfied by the subject of his shot, does he elaborate the work on his computer, with the aim of de-contextualizing the image: the ambience and table settings disappear from the frame. Only the food remains.
While a picture may be worth a thousand words, the proof of Noto’s love of haute-cuisine can also be found in his numbers: over his career, Noto has eaten at elBulli, in Roses, Spain, almost 90 times, and has tried close to 1,200 of Adrià’s dishes. As one of the restaurant’s most expert customers, he was the natural choice to oversee and curate the limited edition volume, Tribulli. A tribute to elBulli: published in only one thousand copies and edited by Rafael GarciaSantos, the book pays homage to the innovative, incomparable cuisine of Ferran Adrià.
With ten juicy questions and answers, we serve you up a portrait of the gourmet photographer.
If you were a dish?
Sweet and sour pork.
What’s the first taste you remember?
Soft caramel candy.
The most incredible taste experience you’ve had in your life?
Grilled eel eaten at Asador Etxebarri.
What’s never missing from your fridge?
A bottle of bubbly.
The perfect taste?
Paccheri pasta with ragù.
What would you happily die eating?
Sea urchins, accompanied by Macon Viré Clessé.
The subject of your first photo?
Alina, a Venetian Siamese cat.
Your first “real” camera?
A Canon reflex FTb bought in 1972.
Black and white or colour?
Both!
How do you determine if a food photo is good?
When it stimulates your appetite.
The impossible photo: what or whom would you love to capture?
Benjamin Netanyahu while eating Joselito ham.
The Michelin Guide has announced a return in the US, with 2021 editions for Washington D.C., New York and Chicago to be released over the next three weeks in a virtual event called 'Still Serving'.
Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford has teamed up with Michelin-star chef Tom Kerridge for a cooking video series called Full Time. Find out more.
You've probably tasted Japanese sake, but what about its spirit-relative, shochu? Read on to discover just what shochu is, how to drink it and what to eat with it. Take a look.
These are tough times for chefs and restaurant professionals around the world, but there has never been a better time to seek advice and help around a number of topics affecting hospitality workers. Here's a round-up of some of the most useful resources for chefs.
Mauro Colagreco will be taking the World's Best Restaurant to the Mandala Club in Singapore for a three-month residency, from 14 May to 11 August. Find out more.
