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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.

techniques

How to Make Ice Cream in Less Than a Minute

Here's a frosty tool we love that makes ice cream super fast—in less than 60 seconds.
Recipes

The Witty Comeback

This is an example of a house cocktail with three key elements: accessible main ingredients (rye and lemon), something homemade (ginger syrup), and something a little obscure (Averna amaro).
Recipes

Ramp Kimchi

Soak ramps in cold water before using to loosen dirt and the outer skin of the bulbs.
Recipes

Fried Soft-Shell Crab Sandwich

Cleaning soft-shell crabs is a breeze, but you can always have your fishmonger do it for you. Just be sure to eat them the day they are cleaned, preferably in this sandwich.
Recipes

The Silkiest Carbonara

In Rome, chef Barbara Lynch ate the perfect carbonara: The sauce was bright yellow from fresh eggs, and each rigatoni hid cubes of fatty guanciale. This is her recipe.
Recipes

New York-Style Crumb Cake

An oldie but a goodie.
Recipes

Spaghetti and Meatballs All'Amatriciana

This is a classic spaghetti and meatballs recipe—with a big kick of spice!