Venice between Kitchen and Atelier
by Zaira Zarotti (The Freaky Table)
I first met Zaira while I was Art Director of D la Repubblica. One of my colleagues had discovered her work on Instagram, and I was immediately struck by the beauty of her photography. I invited her to contribute to the magazine's food section, where her distinctive visual language quickly stood out.
After leaving D in September 2020 and returning to Venice full-time, I asked her whether she had ever considered creating a cookbook. She enthusiastically shared an idea she had been developing: a reflection of her Venetian lifestyle within an artistic household, exploring the relationship between the kitchen and the artist's studio, alongside her research into authentic—and often forgotten—recipes passed down through generations. The project was perfectly suited to her evocative chiaroscuro photography, which recalls the atmosphere of Dutch paintings while maintaining a distinctly contemporary sensibility.
I presented the project to Elzeviro, where I co-produced and designed the book, as well as translated and edited the English edition. The book was printed in Italy in September 2024.
352 pages, hard cover, bookmark ribbon
Text and photographs by Zaira Zarotti
Published in Italian “Venezia tra cucina e atelier”
and in English “Venice between Kitchen and Atelier”
To purchase the book online: www.elzeviroeditions.com or you can buy it directly from me with a 20% discount + the cost of shipping. Send me an email: studiopb@me.com and I will make sure you get a copy in a couple days.
To learn more about the author and photographer: www.zairazarotti.com