As a traveling photojournalist and food Photographer, Evan Sung is an ambassador for the tabletop experience and its universal message of hospitality. From enjoying a communal meal in Senegal to photographing cookbooks for world renowned Chef Paul Liebrandt, Mr. Sung, who is also on staff for The New York Times and former photo assistant in Paris, witnesses the solidarity that the tabletop experience can have all around the world.

TabletopJournal’s Sean Dackermann spoke with Evan just getting back to his NYC residence after a weekend in North Carolina.

TJ: How was North Carolina? Were you on a Project?

ES: Yes, working in Ashville with Chef Katie Button at her Tapas restaurant, Cúrate.
TJ: Thanks for taking the time to let us interview you. When I look at your food photography, I see many images that have a consistent look to them, but a diverse ethnic background. With that being said, music is a universal language for human emotions and the understanding of them. Would you say that food is a universal language for cultural understanding?

ES:
 I definitely think that food is, for me, the best way to access a culture and understand what they value. I’ve often said that the more one travels to global cities, you see a lot of the same stores, brands, films, what have you. I think food is one thing that stays pretty local.  When I’m traveling, my first thought is to go eat and see what the culture offers. And the more I experience the more I see various dishes and recipes that have parallels in other cultures. When I was in Senegal recently, I had a leafy green dish with stewed greens that reminded me of an Indian saag dish (stewed spinach).  It’s a pretty simple dish, but I like finding those parallels.  In terms of Universal language I just finished working on a Icelandic cookbook and because of the extreme temperatures there’s a lot of pickling, fermenting and drying of things – and I think those are things you see again and again in other cultures of extreme temperatures, even if those places have nothing to do with Iceland topographically. My parents are from Taiwan, another island culture, and you can definitely find those techniques there. Even though on the surface you’d think that two places don’t have anything to do with each other, there are a lot of commonalities. I think when you travel you can find a lot of similarities in various food cultures.  I don’t think know if that makes it necessarily universal, but I think you can communicate a lot through food. 

TJ: The food service industry of course goes under the blanket as a form of hospitality. When you’re creating these images, what thoughts go through your head as far as composing them? When I look at them, I see the sense of gathering, from the viewpoint of someone involved in the moment. Granted, that is just one perspective, what do you aim for?

ES: I’ve worked on cookbooks with Chef Paul Liebrandt where the food is very designed, very technical; I try to let that food stand alone, like an artwork. His food is very sculptural, very designed. It needs to stand alone, and be isolated so you can study all of the details. When I’m shooting humbler food, I love to create a sense of gathering. I like the sense of a table in action, you know you’re seeing plates being passed around, drinks half gone. Eating is something you experience over time, and I think that, generally speaking, it’s enjoyable to see that meal unfolding in a photograph. I like the sense of gathering, a story, of something happening inside and outside of the frame. 

TJ: When I saw these pictures, I thought to myself, “Man, I wish I took these pictures!”

ES: (Laughs) thank you! 

TJ: I see that you do a range of different photo genres, when and what put you in the field of food and hospitality photography?

ES: It’s a bit of a longer story. Basically, I lived in Paris for two years, and I worked with a photographer as an assistant. He did a lot of different work – travel, portraits, fashion, interiors, beauty – including food. When I came back to New York, I didn’t intend to do what he was doing, but I found myself accidentally doing what he was doing. Food was certainly a perk of the job, and with him we did a lot of amazing food stories and traveled to Spain, Germany, French wine country – all over -to photograph assignments. It was a real treat for me to see these things and enjoy all these places. Food is such a great way to access people. People love to talk about food. Everyone eats, and everyone can relate to that experience. I think the whole world around food is fascinating, and there are so many aspects around the experience of food that one can focus on. Whether it’s the design of the restaurant space, making portraits of Chefs, purveyors, producers, front of house staff, and looking at the tabletop ware, all of these things start at the food, but you can go in many directions from there.   
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TJ: What companies/magazines have you shot for?

ES: I’ve been shooting with The New York Times for about 9 years. Food is a popular topic so there are definitely a lot of places that have food content. The Times has been a mainstay. I’ve also worked with Bon Appetit, GQ, Manhattan Magazine, Gotham Magazine, Delta Sky, Art Culinaire – which is a very chef centric magazine, and in the last few years I’ve become increasingly busy with cookbooks, having worked on about 15 or so now. On the fashion side, I’ve shot for Vogue, shooting behind the scenes at Fashion Week for about 4 years now. It’s been more of a documentary, kind of work which has been great fun and allowed me to travel a good deal. 

TJ: With your photography, people are getting an exciting view of what is often considered a bland market. How does it feel to contribute to the changing conditions of this industry?

ES: I think that at least for high end cookbooks and restaurants, I think that there is a really strong awareness for unique serving ware and plates. I remember when I first saw the Alinea Cookbook and was really blown away by the unique pieces they had to present the food. The Noma cookbook did a great job of using plates and surfaces that complement the food and really tell the story of what it’s like to eat at Noma or maybe be in the mind of René Redzepi. You know, what it feels like to think like he does. I, myself have never really thought it to be that bland. I think a lot of restaurants have the simple white plates, but the more sophisticated restaurants take more time to focus on the forks, knives and what kind of plates(to use) – which I think is really exciting.  It makes it easier and more compelling to photograph food when it’s sitting on something that has more texture, seems unique, and has character. For me, plate ware is very essential to shooting food. It’s nice to have a nice array of plates that can help tell the story and showcase the food in its best light.

I think a good restaurant really is thinking about every element. Everything the customer touches and sees needs to be put through that filter of “what story do we want to tell?”   TJ: What’s a place you’ve gone to enjoy a meal, and it might not be considered the “best”, but to you it’s a place you go to knowing it’s going to be a great example of tabletop excellence?

ES: Chef Paul Liebrandt’s Corton was a great place that pays attention to every aspect of the appearance. He is now at The Elm in Williamsburg, Brooklyn – (which is) more casual, but also carries forward that attention to detail and presentation. It’s more of a relaxed environment, but I think they still strive to emphasize presentation. When you look at your food, at your table, it stimulates your eyes as well as your appetite. Another place I really love right now is a place called Khe-Yo, it’s a Laotian restaurant in Tribeca. Something about the tabletop experience is really enjoyable. Instead of bread service, they bring you out a basket of sticky rice that you’re invited to eat with your fingers and that experience is a bit unique in New York.  To me it feels like traveling a bit, and many cultures often say food tastes better eaten with the hands. They also have a dish where they bring out a tabletop grille and you can roast your food on wooden skewers. They pay attention to the overall experience. On the other end of the spectrum, my wife and I love Korean BBQ where you do a lot of the grilling yourself at the table. It’s flavorful, it’s easy, it’s fun, and that’s definitely super casual. In terms of an experience, there’s a lot there.

TJ: What does tabletop and hospitality mean to you?

ES: I like to go to places where it doesn’t feel too stuffy, the service is warm, doesn’t feel too rehearsed, and makes you feel welcome. I think we’re all looking for an experience that feels warm and authentic. I see it a lot in travel, and having the great fortune to meet locals who offer their food and open their homes to share a meal – I think that’s huge. That’s where the hospitality industry comes from – The sense of sharing as a means of making a connection. I’m working on this Senegalese cookbook right now and have been to Senegal three times over the last couple years. They have a concept called Teranga (their spirit of hospitality). Often as we’re working, I’d meet a family or individual and they’d offer food to us. It’s not a wealthy country so what they’d offer to us was valuable to them. It’s always impressive and heartwarming to be invited by someone whom you’ve just met or maybe exchanged a few words with. That sense of hospitality is at the heart of what the best restaurants are trying to do today.  TJ: What has been your most memorable tabletop photoshoot to date? Seeing these different locations and diverse food preparations, I imagine it’s something spectacular.

ES: There have been so many, but recently, when I was in Dakar, Senegal I was photographing at this local wood grill restaurant. They brought out their family meal which is a big plate of grilled fish, on platter of grains. They put the plate on the floor and everyone huddles around and starts to eat from the same plate. They invited me over and asked me to join in on the meal. I said of course, and asked them to begin so I could get photos of them reaching into the platter and enjoying the food together. I was really moved by them inviting me.. I wouldn’t have had the experience otherwise if it wasn’t for my camera.

On the other hand, working with Chef Liebrandt on his cook book was always a great experience. We’d have a simple surface, black or white, and to be able to watch him plate his insanely creative food was such a treat. TJ: How do you see the role of tabletop within the guest dining experience?

ES: It’s hard for me to think of a situation where the tabletop is not a key part of the experience. I think everyone is on some level is thinking about making it nice, and making sure people want to enjoy and participate in the meal. I think it’s important for people to be aware of what the tabletop experience is. 

TJ: Is the tabletop segment limited to just fine dining, or is it virtually anywhere that involves the idea of food being presented to someone?

ES: I think it’s a much more universal concept – it is important everywhere.

TJ: What do you think of the idea of a publication like TabletopJournalbringing more awareness to the tabletop industry, in a way that will interest not only people working in hospitality, but the general public too?

ES: I think it’s great. People definitely think about service ware to a certain extent. My wife and I were married not too long ago and dining sets were certainly a big part of the registry. I have some friends at  Steelite and of course they make amazing plate ware for restaurants. But it’s very practical for home use as well. It’s really nice to have something like that at home where you can present your own food and have that experience elevated a little bit. I think restaurants spend a lot of time to create an experience from top to bottom, and it’s worth the average consumer and diner to be aware of what they’re eating off of, what they’re eating with. 

TJ: What is it about Evan Sung that the world doesn’t yet know, but it should?

ES: (Laughs) Um, I guess that my wife and I got married in a bowling alley? (laughs) You can put that down. I’m not great at talking about myself. That was a great day though. (We) had a great time; had some amazing food and just invited our nearest and dearest to share it with us. It was a high-brow/low-brow kind of day and a lot of fun.  

To learn more about Evan Sung, be sure to visit his webpage by going here:
http://www.evansung.com/#0

– Sean C. Dackermann

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