Today we’d like to introduce you to Lèzanne Fourie.
Hi Lèzanne, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Oof, where to start…
I am a bit of a renegade or a pirate if you must put a label on it.
I am an odd kid. I grew up in a kitchen to a family of generational cooks. And in a way, my life has always revolved around food. Not only was I around spectacular home cooks, but also on the commercial side. And then culinary school
Working in kitchens and restaurants, I put myself through Undergrad in the US and then pursued a career as a photographer, always drawn to food. And always traveling further to learn more and see how other people eat.
You see, I have this unbridled curiosity, and it really centers around Food, Travel, and Photography. My life is really a combination of these.
I travel far, I eat the food the locals eat, and in most cases, I will stay long enough to learn how to cook regional dishes and even learn how to grow ingredients.
And I photograph it all.
This curiosity of mine had led me to many places, Hawaii and the amazing ingredients that grow there (my photo story on the Cacao in Kauai was published in early 2022) and even Antarctica, where I worked as the Lead Baker at McMurdo Station for the Austral Winter of 2022 (parts of this story was also published).
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth roads don’t make good stories.
I am intrinsically motivated along this path I have chosen, and it is unchartered territory. There is no formal career path for what I am doing.
Fortunately, I have a few skills that help me when some other fail, and can remain nimble to change paths when I have clearly run aground or hit a pothole.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Creatively speaking, I would say that my work explores people, and how they commune around food.
It started as a side project that has been the foundation for my creativity and exploration.
My work explores the people and the systems behind the food, the side the cook, the butcher, and the farmer sees. A place where people commune with our food and ingredients. At times visceral and raw, and at others, there is joy. But there is always beauty.
I photograph slaughters in remote places, Cacao harvests on mountains, Wine racking in Napa, and even the food of Antarctica, is in my scope of exploration.
When I am not traveling, I am cooking and feeding people or teaching cooking classes.
As I have been on the road for the last 3 years, I am admittedly a little road-weary and have found a nice place here in San Diego.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I am still standing because of a handful of people who believe in me and see what I have to give.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lezannefourie.com
- Instagram: @lezannefourie
- Facebook: facebook.com/lezanne4e
- Youtube: @lezannefourie
Image Credits
Nathania ten Wolde
Lèzanne Fourie
