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Alex Lau head shot - Bon Appétit

Alex Lau

Staff Photographer Emeritus

Alex Lau is a freelance photographer based in New York City. Originally from Queens, New York, Alex moved to San Francisco when he was 12 before returning to the East Coast to attend a journalism program at Emerson College. A true muti-hyphenate, Alex has at times studied jazz, trained in competitive swimming and weight lifting, and worked as a celebrity dog-sitter. It was by chance, after a Hail Mary application for a summer internship to work with Bon Appétit’s visuals team, that Alex solidified food photography as his primary source of interest.

He followed that internship with one at Boston Magazine, working as a digital writer and photographer. Upon returning to New York, he was offered staff roles at both Food & Wine and BA, and we eventually welcomed him back as our new staff photographer. Alex left BA in 2020 to pursue a broader scope of projects; check out his most recent work at 2dcreative.com.

Tajín-Seasoned Vegetable Spears

This recipe for raw vegetables is the only conscionable thing you can serve right before sitting down to a heavier meal.

Green Curry with Brown Rice Noodles and Swiss Chard

Don’t skip on the fresh herb garnishes for this recipe; they will serve as a good contrast to the curry.

Skillet Phyllo Pie With Butternut Squash, Kale, and Goat Cheese

When overlapping the phyllo over the filling in this recipe, work carefully but quickly so the phyllo doesn’t dry out before baking.

Relish Tray with D.I.Y. Eggs

Smoked almonds and black olives are our suggestions for this appetizer, but use any nut or olive that you like.

Alt-Grain Porridge with Garlicky Greens

Garlic and collard greens make a healthy addition to this porridge recipe, but you can use any leftover greens you have on hand.

Weeknight Mapo Tofu with Ground Pork

Spicy, mouth-tingling, porky: Those are the words you’ll be using to describe this tofu recipe.

Kabocha Squash and Pork Stir-Fry

To cut up the kabocha squash for this recipe, slice ¼" off the stem end and base. Stand it on a cut end and halve from top to bottom. Scoop out seeds, peel, and you're home free.

Fennel-Celery Salad with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Fennel and celery share more than just the dubious honor of being incredibly underrated vegetables. Their snappy crunch is awesome raw, as proven by this densely textured salad recipe.

Glazed Vegetables

Take a breather from roasting. Our stovetop method for this glazed vegetables recipe yields glossy, tender results and works on basically any firm veg.

Smoked Salmon 7-Layer Dip

This recipe is a showstopping and grown-up version of everyone’s favorite party snack—the 7-layer dip.

Figs With Bacon and Chile

This figs recipe is sweet, salty, sticky, and acidic—everything you want in a one-bite appetizer.

Lemony Brussels Sprouts With Bacon and Breadcrumbs

Cooking the brussels in two stages for this recipe ensures that the cores will be tender and the outer leaves will still have bite.

Alt-Grain Porridge with Sausages and Grapes

For this porridge recipe, pulsing long-cooking spelt, wheat berries, or barley in a blender yields a tasty base for a hearty, savory supper.

Margaret’s Maple Sugar Pie

There’s no maple syrup in this pie recipe (not a mistake), but the finished product will remind you of maple-sugar candies thanks to the caramel notes in the brown sugar.

Kabocha Squash and Scallion Tempura

Kabocha squash is a tempura classic, but acorn squash works well too. The honey and crushed red pepper flakes, albeit untraditional, add a spicy-sweet dimension to the dish.

Skillet Cornbread With Chives

A true Southerner wouldn’t dare add sugar to this cornbread recipe, but a Yankee might miss it. Do what you will; we don’t judge.

Kabocha Squash Pilaf with Coconut

When you peel the kabocha squash for this recipe, use a vegetable peeler—not a knife. (Better to dull a $4 tool than your best kitchen blade.)

Cheesy Sausage and Sage Stuffing

This holiday-worthy recipe was inspired by bread pudding and ended up somewhere between a strata, a gratin, and a traditional Thanksgiving stuffing.

Skirt Steak Tostadas with Cashew Salsa and Red Cabbage Slaw

It’s Tostada Night! Just hearing those words makes us hungry. With a sheet-pan salsa and quick-cooking tostadas, this recipe will be ready before you know it.

Roast Chicken with Sorghum and Squash

Sorghum is a gluten-free grain, with a texture similar to wheat berries, barley, and millet—so feel free to substitute those for this chicken recipe instead.