Chef Andrew Featherstone, Executive Chef for Burge Plantation in Mansfield. Andrew was born in Marietta, Georgia and left at age 4 to live in England until he was 25, and then returned to Georgia.
He believes that supporting local is everything, organic is good but local I think is more important. People say they want farm to table but when to tell them it is not the season or offer something they have never heard of or have not had a good experience with they change their mind sometimes. I’m very lucky to work at Burge. We are a private hunting club and I pretty much have full reign over what I do. We also do corporate functions and about 20 weddings a year.
So one day I might be doing a 5-course dinner from anywhere from 12 to 40 people, and the next a wedding for 250. The Burge Club has its own organic garden and and Andrew has his own chef’s garden with about 30-40 different herbs and various other seasonal lettuces and vegetables. It’s never the same thing twice, so it’s always a creative challenge.
Having the chance to work with his creative culinary gifts was by far a true testament of what I am so passionate about when I photograph culinary projects. Farm to table has a big spot in my heart, it is sustainable and provides perfect healthy and well made meals for anyone. Now, his plating is of impressive coordination, the arranging and decorating of his meals to enhance its presentation, it it fabulous!
See? Plating isn't just an aesthetic choice. It controls the way we interact with our food, from first glimpse to final forkful - This why it is so important to notice the plating.
It was a true honor to have been able to work with Andrew this month of March before the very challenging events of Covid-19 struck our lives. Here is a few examples of what our lens presented!