If you’ve ever read any of the career tips articles we share on Creative Boom, you’ve likely come across the benefits of side projects. They provide a great opportunity to exercise your creative skills, learn new things, and discover unexpected connections and opportunities.
Side projects can be started at any point in your career, and if you’re looking for inspiration, take a look at a unique cookbook recently released by Olly Wood, creative director at McCann London.
Named Blasphemy, this 104-page linen hardback is not your average recipe collection. It aims to challenge cultural boundaries and established cooking methods using food as a medium.
Olly describes the recipes in Blasphemy as „acts of culinary sin, meant to provoke both the kitchen and the conscience.“ For example, Unholy Beef features beef short ribs marinated in Chaat Masala, a spice blend from Gujarat, a region where beef consumption is forbidden for the Hindu majority. This dish aims to push readers to reflect on boundaries they may be hesitant to cross.
Another example is the Shawarma Bagel, which combines traditional Palestinian shawarma chicken with a Jewish bagel. This pairing symbolizes endurance and resistance while questioning why these two cultural elements cannot coexist harmoniously.
Blasphemy also delves into culinary science with dishes like Wrong Chow Mein and Charred Arancini, which experiment with traditional recipes in unconventional ways.
The design of the book mimics a Biblical layout in a subversive manner, challenging traditional norms through layout manipulation and irreverent interpretations. The visual and narrative elements reflect a punk spirit, with intentional chaos, pixelated errors, and rebellious aesthetics.
Each „sinful“ act in the book is accompanied by a playful story inspired by Biblical tales, adding a unique twist to traditional recipes.
In essence, Blasphemy is set to be a standout cooking book this Christmas, offering a one-of-a-kind experience unlike any other.