My brother Nate and I have been studio partners for over 10 years under the umbrella of "Studio SSS".  We have spent many family vacations brainstorming new ways to keep our design business fun and relevant.  During one particular vacation, Nate was busy in the kitchen (we like to stay places where we can do the cooking and not eat out all the time) recreating a yummy fig pasta dish he recently had while in Berlin.  Quite typically, I was at the counter chattering away while doodling the crate of fresh figs he had bought.  It was a big "AHA" moment.  Figs are so lyrical and sexy to draw.  I became mesmerized and thought "why have I not been illustrating food all the time?"  This eventually led us to gathering some talented artist friends to illustrate a recipe of their choosing.  Originally we intended to make a book on our Mac to give to clients and friends.  It seemed a win-win.  People would not only see our artwork but they would receive a yummy recipe too!  While impatiently waiting for the last illustration to roll in Nate said, "Let's make this a blog instead and call it ‘They Draw & Cook.’"  He had it up and running in 15 minutes! We started with eight recipes and the word spread and it keeps spreading to all parts of the world!  We currently have over 1,000 awesome recipes. It's like one big party on the site!  People from everywhere stop by with more yummy food and drink recipes and then tell their friends all about it!  Food is a huge connector.  There is something about these recipes that lets food be fun again. The food industry is saturated with food competitions and challenges, which, for me, make it all seem too stressful! Personally, as much as I appreciate a great photo in a cookbook I must say that I'm always a little disheartened when my version doesn't turn out looking like the photo!

 

The recipes on "They Draw & Cook" celebrate food in a fun, new way.  They portray so many emotions...some are hysterically funny, or nostalgic, or clever or adorably sweet, while others are stunning in their artistic renderings.  How great is it to see a chef with ten arms, figs dancing, kitties baking, or decorative patterns inside cabbages?! EVERY recipe is relevant and tells a story of some kind.  Every artist shares a bit of themselves through their recipes and that's really what makes food so memorable...sharing it with friends and family. "They Draw & Cook" is a lovely collision of two creative worlds.  So many people ask which we do more of - cooking or drawing!  Nate cooks everyday, making simple dishes from local, organic ingredients. I sometimes forget that dinner is a daily event!  But when I do cook it's always super tasty, always vegetarian and usually a toss up of flavors.  Fortunately my husband is a good cook!

 

Every single time a new recipe shows up in our inbox we smile.  Sometimes we jump up and down and act completely silly.  Our first book is being published by Weldon-Owen and distributed by Simon and Schuster.  It will be available in the fall of 2011.  We hope everyone stops by "They Draw & Cook" to admire and celebrate the artists and cooks all over the globe.  And it's super easy to submit an illustrated recipe of your own - hint-hint!  Stay tuned to the site; we are always having contests and adding new things!

 

Other blogs by SSS:

 

(Illustration: The Fig Recipe that started it all by Salli Swindell.)