Nicolas Drossos, aka Zori Design, a graphic designer from Greece, combined his love for cooking and illustration and design his favorite Greek recipes mixing raw materials with draw materials conveying fragrances of food to the design. The inspiration came from www.theydrawandcook.com website, created by Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell, who are a brother and sister design and illustration team. But let’s see what Nicolas has to say about his experience.
1. Please Nicolas, tell as few words about you
Well I am a 46 yrs old Greek graphic designer and illustrator. Started with the traditional way of design, and then, step by step I entered the word of computers and especially macintosh I’ve worked in the publication, and advertising sector for many years as a Creative Director. But along with that I’ve created my Design Studio “ZoriDesign”, to create unique jobs and develop more “personal style”.
2. How did the combination of cooking and illustration happened?
Well, that’s a funny story. I am designing and cooking. Almost from the age of 6 I remember myself drawing things at my mother’s kitchen. The smells and the feeling of food, was one of the things that I loved from my childhood. The transformation of raw materials into a meal, was to me a mystery, and something I adore. At first I was looking, then I started to cooking, and a little time ago I begun to illustrate my recipes, first for fun and then as a professional designer and foodie. The moment that this transformation happened, was at a very bad turning of my life. In that point I have to admit, that i was in an artistic black out, as an illustrator for over a decade. Series of unfortunate events triggered my creativity to combine my two loves.
3. How useful are your Illustrated recipes? Does it helps the chef?
It’s not all about the chef you know. It’s about the simple cook enthusiast or amateur. Recipes tend to be very monotonous and badly written. Whenever I take a recipe to cook I have to re-write it. To me all this work is about simplicity and the joy of life (and cooking of course). I want families to use them and cook together as a play, and a lesson for their life. Bad nutrition and ready made junks, tend to get more and more place in our tables.
4. If I am not mistaken, this is something new in graphic design field. Do you think it has a productive future?
It’s not really that new, in fact they are sites that promote this kind of artistic expression. As a professional designer and foodie, I am doing things concerning the mediterranean diet, which I think is a very important way of eating, living and thinking. So this kind of illustration could be used for educational, marketing, or selling purposes. Greek virgin Olive oil, feta Cheese, mastiha, just to mention a few are some our country’s treasures that I want to promote with my job.
5. Which artists inspires you?
A friend and colleague of mine Charis Tsevis. Not because he is a very great artist, but also, because he is a great person to always teach you something. And all that with a modest and down to earth manner. Also he explores himself and the techniques he uses.
6. What are your planning for the future?
In the near future I plan to be happy and in good health. Ok, seriously? I am promoting illustrated recipes for my customers from the elite of mediterranean food. I handpicked them and propose them recipes, for promotion of healthy food, through the world. That will be good for them but also for Greece which is in a very bad financial situation.
Thank you Nicolas for your time! We wish to see your illustrated recipes being published soon. Oh, that was a hint!
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