Finding Metcalf
As a child I would walk into the kitchen to find something to eat. I opened the fridge and cabinets and saw little to nothing. My mother's instinct would kick in and every night she would make it her priority that my sister and I would not go to bed hungry. Never once did we. As a chef, this was one of her many talents, to turn nothing into something. This experience led me to my interest in the food service industry.
In 2019 I got a job at The Metcalf Refectory, one of Rhode Island School of Design’s dining facilities. It was not long until I noticed a lack of appreciation and gratitude towards the people who put food in most students' stomachs. Photography has allowed me to shed light onto an industry that has been abused by its consumers. I am using 4x5 large format camera to slow down a fast pace environment, and making the unseen seen. By taking photos of the dining area, the kitchen and other environment that we work in, the equipment we use, and formal and candid portraits. Food is a necessity but it is a privilege to be served.