A Photo Essay of Indispensable Ingredients

Photographer Ryan Hulvat captures images of chefs in their natural habitat — a busy professional kitchen. Observing these culinary artists at work provides him with a privileged insight into the relationship between chefs and their ingredients, especially spices that infuse dishes with distinctive flavors. The seasonings and singular ingredients illustrated here tell tales that connect time and culture with cooks and cuisine. Each story is both highly personal and widely inclusive, a reminder that food has long been a powerful means of communication.