Nothing tells the STORY OF AUSTIN LIKE IT'S kitchenS
Austin Kitchens is a photography project and forthcoming book by Romina Olson that explores the people, recipes, and personal spaces that shape the cultural fabric of Austin.
Each session takes place in a real kitchen. We cook, talk, photograph, and share a meal.
The result is part portrait, part recipe, part conversation a record of memory, place, and community.
OPEN CALL
YOUR KITCHEN IN THE BOOK?
Get in touch to be part of the book
the project
01 — the experience
I Meet them in their Kitchen
I photograph participants at home while they cook a dish that means something to them, whether it’s a family recipe, a comfort meal, or a tradition connected to Austin. As they cook, we discuss their story, their relationship with the city, and the meaning behind the dish, capturing the conversation in audio. Then, we share the meal together, with photographs made along the way on 35mm film and on medium format 120 film.
Time per session: 2 to 3 hours Approx.
02 — THE BOOK
Linking Recipes & Neighborhoods
Every session takes place in a different Austin neighborhood. Portrait, recipe, and conversation, printed as a case-bound hardcover book. Each recipe includes a QR code that provides access to audio recordings from the cooking session and an interview conducted throughout the process.
Made to be used, reused, and passed on.
03 — THE INVITATION
WHO IS FEATURED?
Participants come from different backgrounds and may have called this city home for many years or only a few. Their genuine love for Austin brings them together.
Some are widely known in the community, while others are people whose stories (and recipes!) deserve to be told.
BE PART OF THE BOOK