Meet the Magicplateman!

Creating magic on the plate!

We see a plate and think … food. He sees a plate and thinks … canvas! I caught up with Ashwin Iyer aka “Magicplateman”, who spoke to me about his passion for cooking delicious food and making it look good.

Ashwin Iyer is an IT consultant and an abstract artist. Like most of us, his tryst with cooking began when had to move abroad for his work. He soon realized that cooking was more than just tasty food for him. It was about incorporating colours, textures and an expression of the artist in him. He started experimenting with food and credits Masterchef Australia for fuelling his interest further.  His friends complimented his food and how good it looked. He started posting pictures on his Facebook page, Bangalore Foodies Club and Foodies in Bangalore pages. His pictures gained many compliments, and before he knew he needed a space of his own for his art. The Magicplateman (a name given to him by one of his fans) Facebook page hit 1000 likes in 3 days, and has doubled in the short time since its creation. This is the story of how Magicplateman came to be.

We spoke about the plate. Now it’s time to talk about the food on the plate.  Ashwin told me about how he has come a long way in his cooking skills. What started as asking his mother for recipes over phone, has now reached a stage where he tries to develop his own recipes. His attempts are aimed at giving our regular food an interesting twist. While colours and textures play an important role in his recipe development process, he works on making sure that in the end the flavours come together just like the presentation.

You will find an interesting take on our very humble Dal and Rice or something offbeat like a “Japanese Lunch inspired Indian Meal”, or a blend of “avvakkai pickle and cheese in tarts”!! No really! As much as he loves to experiment with world food, he says his attempts are often to highlight how unique our very own “Idlis” or “Dosas” or “Upmas” are, and that they can never be taken for granted. True that! His attempts are also aimed at using what is seasonal and working on recipes that are inspired by a theme. An example of this work is his “Rock Garden Soup” which was inspired by his garden. So, who gets to taste all the trials? “First me!” Ashwin says,” but then it’s my family”.

What is the Magicplateman’s description of a “good looking”plate? “Its’not just colors”, Ashwin points out. He laughs as he talks about the white bowl becoming his signature plate. However, while plating  Ashwin believes in minimalism and also having some negative space. He constantly looks out for new trends in plating which he could incorporate into his work. As an example he tells me about “Dam food”- building a dam using food to contain some of the components. You will also see his take on “Splats” on the Magicplateman Facebook page. No matter how many times I drop my food, it never looks that good. “At the end of it all”, Ashwin says,” it is about the flavors and incorporating elements on the plate that are all edible and all in symbiosis”.

Ashwin shared his views on how people are now more aware of food related trends.” A lot of travel and shows like Masterchef have made experimental flavor combinations more acceptable. However when it comes to traditional food, there still seems to be some reluctance is seeing them in a new form.”  One example that Ashwin gave me was when he plated “Bisibele bath” to look like a dessert. Interesting, don’t you think? Many people liked the plating, but he did receive some queries on how “Bisibele bath” could look like that.

A creative outlet turned into a passionate hobby, which is now evolving into a career in restaurant consultation, food photography and styling.   Ashwin is looking forward to all that and a lot more. His Instagram pictures are liked and followed by many chefs and stylists internationally, including Masterchef contestants and Team Heston Blumenthal to name a few. He feels encouraged to work more with such a good response.  Ashwin is also working on getting his blog up and running which will mainly feature his plating techniques.

Ashwin’s advice to anyone who is working creatively with food is to “cook, click and share. The idea is to put your work out there and meet many people with similar interests.” “This”, he adds, “is the best time to do so”.

The Yellow Turmeric wishes the Magicplateman a magical journey ahead.

Don’t forget to stop by the Facebook page to witness some of the magic in person. You can also find his food styling images on his Instagram profile.

Images Courtesy of Ashwin Iyer