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A large, round waffle on a yellow plate is decorated with cream to spell “SNMS”. A dollop of whipped cream and a strawberry sit beside it on the plate. The waffle is surrounded by a breakfast spread, including a jug of syrup, a small pitcher of milk, and a stack of waffles.
A large, round waffle on a yellow plate is decorated with cream to spell “SNMS”. A dollop of whipped cream and a strawberry sit beside it on the plate. The waffle is surrounded by a breakfast spread, including a jug of syrup, a small pitcher of milk, and a stack of waffles.

Feast your eyes on DeadHungry’s delicious photography work

Alex Paganelli is the chef, photographer and filmmaker behind some of your favourite food editorials.

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Date
3 May 2023

It’s no secret that we love an artist who can celebrate the wonderful world of food in new and exciting ways. French chef, photographer and filmmaker Alex Paganelli AKA DeadHungry does exactly that. Every edible item in Alex’s work looks as mouth-watering as it does artistic – framed in ways which elevate the food as a centrepiece to the image. “All my work involves food somehow, that’s really what I’m best at,” Alex tells It’s Nice That. Using his test kitchen in London, Alex will cook and develop dishes or a concept with his team, tapping into his history as a chef to come up with creative food ideas. “Some projects are a lot more visual, like a campaign or an editorial where I shoot photos and video,” Alex says. “It’s always visually and creatively focused on food and the concept of dining itself.”

As someone who's “naturally comfortable with food”, Alex gets involved on set as much as he can, figuring out “how we can handle it and what we can do with it”, he says. “Some projects are a mix of both, like developing a recipe to be published, or creating a food product for a store, where both taste and visuals come into play,” he adds. “That’s really where I can extend the creative process and test its limits.” What’s ultimately so captivating about Alex’s work is how he brings food photography into an arena of fashion photography, tapping into the same visual cues used in magazine editorials for his work with food.

A round cake topped with a dense layer of sliced strawberries, arranged in concentric circles. The cake sits on an ornate, clear glass platter with an etched floral border.
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DeadHungry: Chillies + Roses (Copyright © DeadHungry, 2023)

A top-down view of red chillies and garlic cloves submerged in a clear liquid. The ingredients are packed tightly together, with light reflecting off the glossy surfaces.
Above

DeadHungry: Chillies + Roses (Copyright © DeadHungry, 2023)

The words “DEADHUNGRY” are carved into the red flesh of a halved watermelon. The fruit sits on a metallic table surrounded by scattered sweets, lime wedges and glasses of colourful drinks.
Above

DeadHungry: DeadHungry Kitchen (Copyright © DeadHungry, 2019)

Three irregular, pink, translucent slabs are stacked vertically against a plain white background. The material has a grainy, speckled texture throughout.
Above

DeadHungry: Lacto Rhubarb (Copyright © DeadHungry, 2023)

A top-down view of a dessert in a white bowl against a black background. A pale, circular cake is topped with a translucent, ruffled red garnish that resembles a piece of folded glass.
Above

DeadHungry: Rose Popcorn Cheesecake (Copyright © DeadHungry, 2017)

A person’s hand lifts a mass of pale, stretchy dough against a black background. The dough clings to the palm and fingers, pulling away in thick, textured strands.
Above

DeadHungry: Bistrotheque (Copyright © DeadHungry, 2019)

A bright green croc-effect handbag sits atop a large pumpkin. A wedge of carved pumpkin is balanced on top of the bag.
Above

DeadHungry: Zara Accessories (Copyright © DeadHungry, 2022)

A close-up of several lemons covered in thick, grey-green mould. One lemon is split open, revealing the glistening, yellow pulp inside.
Above

DeadHungry: Lemons (Copyright © DeadHungry, 2021)

Two snails perch on top of a large, ribbed tomato covered in water droplets. The scene is set against a stark black background.
Above

DeadHungry: Snails (Copyright © DeadHungry, 2021)

Hero Header

DeadHungry: Skims Waffles (Copyright © DeadHungry, 2021)

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Further Info

About the Author

Joey Levenson

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Joey is a freelance design, arts and culture writer based in London. They were part of the It’s Nice That team as editorial assistant in 2021, after graduating from King’s College, London. Previously, Joey worked as a writer for numerous fashion and art publications, such as HERO Magazine, Dazed, and Candy Transversal.

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