Behind the Lens of Earth to Table
For years, Earth to Table has been a project quietly sitting at the back of my mind as one of those ideas that you keep tucked away for “someday.” In truth, it was my partner, Caleb, who first suggested it years ago. At the time, I didn’t feel confident enough in my creative ability to do it justice.
But over the past few years, as I’ve had the privilege of working with some incredible restaurant and hotel clients, I’ve grown - not just technically, but creatively. I began to see how powerful storytelling through photography could be. And this year, it finally felt like the right time to bring the project to life.
Why Earth to Table Exists
At its heart, Earth to Table is a celebration of the chefs, producers and suppliers who are pioneering the concept of sustainable dining. It’s a 'thank you' to the people who are reimagining the future of food through everyday choices rooted in respect for the planet. I hope that readers like you will be inspired to support these fantastic people and perhaps even consider making changes to your everyday choices to better support the world we live in.
This project also comes from a very personal place. I’ve always been conscious of the state of the world we live in especially when it comes to nature, animals, and the systems that sustain (and too often, exploit) them. There are three big reasons why I felt compelled to start telling these stories...
Nature and wildlife are suffering.
I’m a huge lover of the outdoors and animals, and it deeply pains me to see how much habitat destruction, pollution, and conflict have become normalised. We’re losing species and ecosystems at a terrifying rate, and I want my work to, in some way, advocate for the natural world.
Our agricultural systems are broken.
Industrial farming and mass food production often come at the expense of animal welfare and environmental health. So much land is used to grow crops to feed livestock rather than people. It’s an inefficient and unsustainable loop that I can’t wrap my head around.
Consumerism and convenience are out of control.
We live in an age where strawberries are available in winter and avocados are shipped halfway across the world. Many people have lost touch with what grows locally, what’s seasonal, and what’s sustainable. Our desire for convenience has created disconnection and it’s taking a toll on the planet.
These are the undercurrents that pushed me to tell a positive story about food; one that focuses on those who are doing things differently. And that’s how Earth to Table began.
Culture Restaurant
The Homestead
Telling the Stories of Sustainable Gastronomy
Through Earth to Table, we’re championing the people who are quietly leading change in the food industry. From chefs and foragers to farmers and producers, they’re proving that sustainability doesn’t mean compromise - it means creativity, care, and connection.
The series is being produced through LC Creatives, the visual storytelling studio I run together with my partner Caleb Conde. I’m creating the photo essays that document each story in depth, and Caleb is producing the short cinematic films that will live on YouTube as part of Earth to Table.
We kicked off this first season with five extraordinary restaurant businesses across the UK, each one redefining what “sustainable dining” looks like in its own way:
- Culture Restaurant in Falmouth, Cornwall: led by Hylton and Petronella Espey, whose connection to place and produce is deeply rooted in coastal living.
- Pine in Northumberland: where chefs Cal Byerley and Ian Waller create menus that are literally shaped by the land around them.
- The Homestead in Goathland, Yorkshire: run by Pete and Cecily, who are building a hyper-local, regenerative food experience in the heart of the moors.
- Restaurant St Barts in Central London: led by three childhood friends, Johnnie, Toby, and Luke, who have built a Michelin Green Star restaurant focused on British produce and minimal waste.
- The Gladwin Brothers: with Nutbourne Farm and multiple restaurants across London, they’re showing how sustainability can scale beyond a single location.
Four of these restaurants hold Michelin Green Stars, two also have Michelin Stars, and all share a common purpose: to cook consciously and inspire change.
What I’ve Learned So Far
One of the most fascinating parts of this journey has been seeing how people who share the same values can express them so differently. Every chef and producer we’ve worked with believes in sustainability, but their approaches couldn’t be more distinct.
Over the 2–3 days we spend with each restaurant, we immerse ourselves in their world:
- Walking through their gardens and farms to see where ingredients begin.
- Watching chefs plan menus based on what’s available that day.
- Learning how they preserve, ferment, and reimagine ingredients to bridge the “hungry gap” between winter and spring.
- Photographing those quiet, intentional moments in the kitchen when passion meets patience.
- And of course, capturing the dishes and guest experiences that bring it all together.
Each story feels deeply personal and completely unique. From the Cornish coast to urban London, these restaurants share a belief that sustainability is not a buzzword, it’s a way of life and they’re bringing guests along for that journey.
Top three images are at St Barts in central London, bottom three images are at Pine in Northumberland.
Photographing the Process
As a photographer, Earth to Table has been both creatively and emotionally fulfilling. It’s documentary-style food photography at its most honest with very little styling or full studio lighting, just real people doing meaningful work.
I’ve had to adapt my approach: working with available light, capturing fleeting moments, and letting go of control to follow the story as it unfolds. It’s challenged me in the best possible way: to slow down, to observe, to truly see the story in front of me rather than curate it.
And perhaps most importantly, it’s reminded me that photography has the power to connect people. To bridge understanding. To make someone stop and think (even if just for a moment) about where their food comes from and the people behind it.
Looking Ahead
We’re still in the middle of editing the first five episodes, but it already feels like something special. We’re planning to release each episode alongside the photo essays throughout the year in the order we filmed with the teams.
Beyond that, we have plans to take Earth to Table further, from showcasing a longer combined film at festivals next year, to creating a book and fine art prints from the stills.
It’s a huge undertaking and I'm a littler nervous about that - but it's one that feels important which makes it easier to push through the fear. These stories deserve to be seen, celebrated, and shared. And if they can inspire even one person to think differently about food, sustainability, or creativity, then it’ll have been worth every long shoot day, late edit, and muddy field.
Join the Journey
We can’t wait to share the stories from Earth to Table as they unfold. Your support through viewing, sharing or simply following along, means the world!
If you’d like to see the series come to life bookmark my blog to see each episode as it's released. Alternatively, follow me on Instagram or sign up for my newsletter for more detailed behind-the-scenes insights and stories of the shoots from each restaurant.
Here’s to celebrating the people shaping the future of food - from the earth to the table!
