I’m Olivia; a 21-year-old with a passion for food and creative expression.
My recipes are bold, innovative, and hero real ingredients, used in creative ways. Food to me is a means of expression, and I get satisfaction from the spark of a new idea, to experimentation, and eventually success.
This appreciation extends to dining; I love the experience of reading the menu, imagining plates in my head, soaking in the bustling or mysterious atmosphere, people-watching, and tasting the flavours and textures (normally preceded by beeps and clicks of a shutter) – ultimately striving to understand a chef’s story, for which food is their medium.
Food is art; and just as food incites a feeling and expresses a story, so does photography. To me they’re the perfect pair; photography can create a mood and a backstory to the dish in frame. Whether it’s a true story or a narrative I’ve dreamt, through compostition, colours, textures and light this can be conveyed.
When shooting at restaurants and cafes, I strive to capture the unique personality of each place:
My recipes are a culmination of ideas – a spark inspired by something I’ve seen, tasted, or an amazing flavour combination I’ve accidentally discovered through cleaning out the fridge. They reflect what’s in season and available to me. My dad hunts and fishes on Lake Taupo; and Lake Taupo being Lake Taupo, we have a plethora of trout, which dad smokes and candies. I also use dad’s venison mince and venison sausages, which we naturally use more often than beef – you can substitute smoked trout for any smoked firm fish, and venison for beef; however accepting of course that the flavour profile will change.
My passion for food
Burning the porridge at the bottom of the pan, curdling the chocolate sauce and fighting with my twin sister over who could lick the bowl (and who would be stuck licking the spoon) is pretty much all I can remember from my early years.
I still remember creating my first recipe; sitting on my bedroom floor with recipe books scattered out in front of me. I really wanted to create a recipe for mini orange, apple and cinnamon puddings. And just that I did – merging bits and comparing ratios of liquid and dry, sugar and eggs.
My passion for food has sparked my desire to create and share.
Top That! Meal Toppers
At 15, I launched my first business: Top That! Meal Toppers. I competed in the national Young Enterprise Scheme, which landed me in Vietnam and Thailand, and placed 2nd nationally in both 2018 and 2019. Since then, I’ve been selling them in small retailers and markets around New Zealand, as well as online.
Planning on trying out my recipes? I’d love to see your photos and hear your feedback!
Flick me an email, leave a comment or tag me @thatgreenolive in your Instagram posts.
