Few photographic projects have captured the emotional and visual narrative of a global moment quite like Chefs in Lockdown. A deeply human series, the work of acclaimed photographer John Carey offers a rare, intimate portrait of the hospitality world during one of its most turbulent chapters. John Carey is no stranger to photographing chefs, restaurants, and the intricate details that shape their world. Having spent years documenting the essence of hospitality, his latest project is not only a tribute to the resilience of the industry but a powerful visual reminder of its vulnerability.
Natalia Ramalho, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Luxe Resident, sat down with John to explore the story behind Chefs in Lockdown, the creative decisions that shaped it, and his advice to aspiring photographers hoping to carve out a niche with intention.
Your work beautifully captures the intimacy of the hospitality world. What initially drew you to photographing chefs and restaurants?
I have always had a passion and interest in photographing people. When I was at the Times Magazine, I photographed a lot of fascinating and interesting people. But I was always drawn to chefs. I admire their dedication, their hard work, their craft, their passion, their skill level. I see a lot of synergy between chefs and photographers (although I won’t pretend we have the physical demands or work the hours many chefs do).
Chefs in Lockdown is not only powerful visually, but emotionally. How did the idea for the book first come to you during those early days of the pandemic?
The idea came from missing my work after a couple of months of lockdown. The realisation that the restaurants (my places of work) weren’t opening back up anytime soon led to an uncertainty, a sadness, and a curiosity as to what was happening in these places. What did they look like, lifeless? Empty? What were the chefs up to?
Most restaurants are a hive of activity from very early in the morning to very late at night. I wanted to somehow visualise the fact that this wasn’t the case due to lockdown.
You’ve shot over 180 chefs, many of whom are household names. Was there a moment or subject during the project that stood out or surprised you most?
No specific moment stands out. I think the thing that really stood out for me was the understanding and support I received from the chefs themselves. I enjoyed the conversations we had when I photographed them and I think it was good for all of us to share stories and lockdown experiences.
Angela Hartnett called you the most qualified photographer to tell this story. How does it feel to be considered such a trusted lens into the industry?
Anything positive Angela says about me is such an honour. She is such an inspiration! I think Angela just meant that I am getting old and have been hanging around chefs for far too long!
In the age of rapid content, your work feels reflective and timeless. How do you approach storytelling through photography?
It makes me sad the way photography is ‘consumed’ these days and has led to a general decline in quality and standards. But things change and we have to embrace it. I feel that social media is important and has its place and I use it as much as anyone else.
The fact we are all now ‘photographers’ is a positive and I think this drives me on to want to be better. With this project, I wanted to produce a piece of work that would stand up as a book and as prints on the wall, not images that would sit on social media and disappear quickly. I wanted to document a moment in time, something that people can look back on as a social documentary of a period in history.
Many photographers dream of publishing a book. What was the most challenging and rewarding part of creating Chefs in Lockdown?
Self-publishing is thoroughly rewarding, but there have been many challenges. It’s not easy and it’s expensive. I was fortunate that I had a very successful crowdfunding experience. However, I got a little carried away and ended up over-spending past the crowdfund total!
We started designing the book at 240 pages and ended up with 344. I changed the paper stock to a better one and went with a beautiful real cloth and presentation slipcase for the limited special edition books. It’s very hard to make effective business decisions when it has been such a personal passion project.
I have worked on many books in the past with chefs, restaurants, and hotels. I love books and always love receiving the final copies when I know how much work has gone into it. But to have my own book with my name on the cover is extra special.
Finally, what advice would you give to young photographers hoping to carve out a path in such a niche but meaningful space?
The photographic world is becoming an ever more crowded space. To find your niche as an individual photographer is hard, but I truly believe talent and persistence will eventually shine through. Photograph what you are passionate about, develop your own way of doing things and shoot images that sit together as a wider piece of work. Talk to people, portraits are a collaboration between the photographer and the subject.
Set yourselves little ‘rules’ that the images adhere to, to create a consistent set. For this project, I made sure every image was black and white (to represent the colour being drained from the restaurants), chefs were the only people in shot (to symbolise isolation), no eye contact (I wanted reflection), wearing their whites (to identify them as chefs), and making them stand still (to emphasise the stillness of the industry). I broke some of these rules a couple of times, but in general I stuck to them and it helped me form a cohesive body of work.
I found this project quite liberating as a photographer who, in general, is producing work for others. If the client says it’s colour, then it’s colour. If they want the subject smiling, then they will be smiling. I would always recommend young photographers to produce personal work alongside their commercial work.
John Carey’s ability to capture not just spaces, but the people and emotions behind them, is what continues to set his work apart. His lens tells stories that last, moments that might otherwise be missed, immortalised with quiet precision. It was a pleasure to sit down with someone whose eye for detail continues to shape the way we see hospitality.
The Luxe Resident 