Melbourne designer Gemma Leslie’s Food for Everyone specialises in beautiful posters for home-cooking enthusiasts. Pairing recipes from well-loved chefs with local artists (including Leslie herself), the online shop sells culinary-inspired prints – alongside kitchen essentials and merch – and donates the equivalent of 10 meals for every item sold through charity partner Secondbite.
Today there’s a new poster on offer, featuring buzzy (and occasionally controversial) US chef and food columnist Alison Roman’s recipe for raspberry ricotta cake, the dish that reignited her love affair for desserts. Timed to celebrate the food writer’s new book, Sweet Enough – and her first Australian tour – the poster channels Leslie’s long-time admiration for Roman through her signature painterly style.
“We are totally obsessed with Alison Roman,” Leslie tells Broadsheet. “So many of my friends, and myself, have tattered copies of Nothing Fancy or Dining In that they’ve turned to for every dinner party. I can’t even count how many times I’ve made her anchovy-butter roast chicken.”
Given these joyous associations, Leslie made sure to capture as much happiness as possible in her poster art. “Alison’s whole philosophy is centred on creating joy and so is ours. I wanted this work to bring joy to any home by capturing her effervescent personality through the bright colours and bold linework,” she explains. “And as an ode to her new book, the red stripe of the tablecloth references the opening pages of Sweet Enough.”
The poster is available online from Thursday April 27. It comes in A2 and A3 formats, printed on paper made from 100 per cent recycled coffee cups, and each one sold provides 10 meals to people in need via Secondbite.
To celebrate the new launch, all Food for Everyone orders placed from now until May 4 that include an Alison Roman poster will go in the running to win the Ultimate Alison Roman Starter Pack. This includes vermeil-plated gold hoops from Melbourne designer Kieroy, a copy of Sweet Enough, Roman’s iconic red-coral Essie nail polish, Revlon red lipstick, a classic blue-and-white striped shirt, and Roman’s pantry essentials (sugar, lemon, anchovies).
Four runners-up will win the Alison Roman Starter Pack Lite, featuring a copy of Sweet Enough, Essie nail polish and a tin of anchovies.
As for the raspberry ricotta recipe – featured on the poster art – Leslie can recommend it. Even if your home version is incomplete. “For this poster, I did actually make the raspberry ricotta cake, but I totally forgot to add the baking soda so it was a little flatter than expected. But the flavour was definitely there!”
