EATER COOKBOOK
FOOD MAP ILLUSTRATIONS
EDITORIAL FOOD ILLUSTRATIONS
Client : Eater / Abrams Books
Art director : Nat Belkov
Skill: Comprehensive Editorial Illustration, Map Illustration, Spot Illustrations, Project Management
Brief :
I had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with Nat Belkov and the team at Eater as a lead illustrator for their second cookbook, Eaterland (published by Abrams). This extensive project involved creating the visual framework for the entire book, including:
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2 Double-page end paper illustrations (expansive food maps of the US)
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8 Full-page chapter opener food map illustrations
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38 Detailed spot illustrations of iconic regional dishes
This was a rewarding 4-month journey—from initial style testing to the final delivery of over 45 individual illustrations. Successfully managing this volume of work required a high level of organization and dedicated focus to ensure a consistent, polished quality across every piece within the project's turnaround.
This cookbook releases April 28.
You can order a copy from @Abramsbooks.
Final Images
End Sheet : United States Food Map Illustration
Chapter Opener :
California & PNW Food Map Illustration
Chapter Opener :
Texas State Food Map Illustration
A key highlight of chapter openers was the challenge of the Alaska, Hawai'i, and Puerto Rico map.
My goal was to unify these geographically disparate locations onto a single canvas while balancing their distinct "weather vibes"—from arctic cool to tropical warmth.
Chapter Opener :
Alaska, Hawai'i, and Puerto Rico Food Map Illustration
The project featured 38 'spots,' many of which were complex images with 2 to 4 individual particular food items within a single illustration—all meticulously illustrated as separate layers. Beyond individual items, some spots are rich still lifes or specific scenes: from a 1950s retro lunch counter to a Texas smoker filled with briskets. I love that these scenes were included; they added so much depth, as this cookbook highlights the local food culture and the stories of the chefs behind them, not just the food 'as-is.
Want to see how these regional food maps were created? Here is my Process.
