Culinary artist Imogen Kwok on her ‘old-school’ rented Notting Hill kitchen

Imogen Kwok is a chef and meals stylist who spins sugar into clouds for the artwork world and interprets scents into edible installations for the good fragrance manufacturers. Her playful and compelling method with substances sees her jet from Hong Kong (for Artwork Basel) to Paris to do way more than simply cater; with Kwok within the kitchen, the meals turns into an artwork type.

Her flat in Notting Hill moonlights as a laboratory. She has rented in W2 since 2019 and was drawn to the duplex residence on a sublime, stucco-lined road not only for its roof terrace however for its gasoline cooker. “That’s sort of a deal-breaker for me,” she says, laughing.

“I don’t love induction. I’m very tactile in that I prefer to see the flame because it helps me focus and perceive the warmth. I a lot favor the old-school method,” she provides.

The straightforward home kitchen on the decrease flooring is repeatedly put by way of its paces by Kwok. Trestle tables will likely be put up for additional counter area and moveable hobs — induction this time, for plug-in practicality — will likely be laid out. “It transforms lots and it could get messy,” she says. At all times inside shut attain is her Vitamix blender — “you’ll be able to’t get that silky, restaurant-quality purée with out it” — and a choice of the sharpest knives from Victorinox and Japan.

After we meet, she is about to make use of the area to crystallise 300 locally-grown snapdragons, dahlias, calendulas and roses for an occasion at Christie’s public sale home.

The method entails brushing every petal with meringue powder whisked with water, then dusting with a positive sugar. Nonetheless connected to their stems, the edible flowers will likely be displayed Ikebana-style in a eating room surrounded by work by Outdated Masters commanding seven-figure sums.

“I’m curious to see how individuals will method it. Usually with my meals, I make one thing that could be a little stunning, and a part of the enjoyable is me watching everybody being like, ‘Oh, what is that this?’” she says.

“Stunning” has develop into Kwok’s calling card in a time when anybody with a TikTok profile can name themselves a chef. She has joyfully carved out a novel position that no careers advisor might have signposted her in the direction of. Born in Sydney to Chinese language and Korean mother and father, she was raised in New York and loved a style of the British lifestyle whereas finding out artwork historical past on the College of St Andrews. On returning to the US she craved a extra sensible outlet and educated on the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan, then honed her craft at a Michelin-starred restaurant upstate.

She ultimately switched from back-of-house to units, styling meals for editorial shoots, movies and adverts. On transferring to London, Kwok’s need was to discover meals in the identical realm as artwork and trend, and the pandemic gave her time to experiment and construct up her portfolio. Reaching out to manufacturers for collaborations, she landed her first venture with luxurious Spanish model Loewe — below the artistic course of Jonathan Anderson on the time — and tasks have flowed ever since.

“It’s a reasonably bizarre job. Clearly I’m a chef, I get to take action way more than develop recipes. My work is all about opening up this dialogue between meals and totally different genres like artwork and design, and recontextualising it. It’s thrilling to take one thing that we already know and reframe it in an edible method,” she says.

When cooking for associates, what’s on the desk tends to be much less conceptual. Her present summer time menu entails charring lemongrass fish on the barbecue and skews Thai “as a result of it’s recent and spicy”. And since the Tawana Oriental Grocery store on close by Chepstow Highway is a goldmine for all of the substances required.

Regardless of being spoilt for selection within the neighbourhood — Dove and The Pelican are on her doorstep — consuming in is at all times her choice. “Feeding individuals is how I specific myself. And I like having associates over as a result of you’ll be able to have no matter music you need taking part in, individuals can smoke inside or open a bottle of wine once they really feel prefer it… I simply need everybody to really feel tremendous comfy.”

She and Sebastian, her fiancé, are in adorning limbo till they discover a extra everlasting dwelling: “It’s difficult as a result of I’d wish to change plenty of issues, however I haven’t bought that a lot freedom.”

Simmering away in her creativeness is what her final kitchen would appear to be. “As a result of I’m quick — I’m 5 ft 1 — I’d want to have the ability to entry issues simply. Proper now, I’m at all times getting a step stool for climbing on the counter tops. I’d desire a particular outlet for the compost and foot pedals to manage the tap… and an enormous, loopy walk-in fridge. I would like plenty of issues!” she chuckles.

Within the meantime, she is having fun with buying a handful of thought-about, simply transposable items. A pair of rugs from Nordic Knots’ funkis-inspired Modernist assortment channels her minimal fashion: “I’m not a sample individual. I’m about one color and no floral issues.”

Poised to hitch them is a large mirror by Canadian artist Willo Perron, whose artistic path she crossed whereas at design showcase Matter and Form in Paris earlier this yr (curated by award-winning We Are Ona, Perron conceived the pop-up restaurant and Kwok was the visitor chef). “It’s like a spaceship,” she says of her new buy.

Combating for area behind her, within the kitchen cupboards and on open cabinets, are smaller cherished items equivalent to a tableware set by Serax and ceramics by Mud Australia. “My job comes with plenty of baggage — actually! I’ve amassed so many various pots and pans and sheet trays and particular issues that I’ve gathered and bought connected to,” she says.

There may be additionally a brand new gadget within the bed room which she received’t be parted from. She bought a superb deal on a second-hand steam closet which has proved a godsend for refreshing and sanitising garments. “I’m at all times doing tons of laundry and it has saved me a lot cash on dry-cleaning — I’m obsessive about it,” she says. She jokes: “I’m only a bag woman with my blenders and my steam closet and my million ceramic issues.”