Faces of Food

Those who grow, cook, and serve the food we eat in Palm Beach County make up a special community—not only because they are talented beyond measure, but also because of the size of their hearts. Our local restaurateurs, chefs, farmers, bartenders, and makers have a history of coming together to support those less fortunate, including the food insecure and hurricane victims.

These dedicated men and women deserve an ode. Last summer, food and portrait photographer Libby Volgyes decided to give them one. “I wanted to give Palm Beach County a snapshot of who makes our food at this moment in time,” she says. “It started as a love letter to all the people in the industry—to all they give and all the sacrifices they make.”

Volgyes invited the local “faces of food” to sit for portraits at Grandview Public Market. Over five days, she photographed 85 individuals with such curious props as live doves and roosters, fishing poles, and a bushel of peaches. It was a beautiful endeavor, but it needed something more. That’s where Palm Beach Illustrated came in.

PBI embraced the project by creating an enduring tribute to these professionals, as well as a fundraiser in support of No Kid Hungry, the organization that aims to end childhood hunger across the nation. Since many chefs and Volgyes herself volunteer for the cause through fundraising dinners and the tasting event Taste of the Nation, held this year on April 4 at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, it made sense to join forces and elevate an impassioned idea to something with lasting impact. In the pages that follow, PBI presents a subjective edit of Volgyes’ “Faces of Food.” By no means complete, the roster is a cross section of those who make our community a better—and tastier—place.