@leesamantha

A household name in Malaysia, Samantha Lee has been creating pretty, palatable dishes for more than eight years. It all began as an experiment to get her eldest daughter interested in eating mealtimes, and has more than worked! Her entire family names vegetables as their favourite food.

Based in: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Time spent per artwork: An hour covers conceptualisation, cooking and plating. "I like to keep the food fresh for the girls to enjoy," said Sam.

Very first design attempted:

Is the art edible? Always. On top of that, it's nourishing!

Materials used:

• Scissors
• Toothpicks
• Small knives
• Simple ingredients found in one's pantry

@hazelzakariya

Like the act of creating a Tibetan mandala, Hazel Zakariya’s intricate smoothie bowl projects are a means for her to practice mindfulness. “This project reminds me that a lot of things in life are temporary,” she mused. “Every moment and all beauty should be savoured.”

Based in: Auckland, New Zealand

Time spent per artwork: 1-6 hours

Very first design attempted: A tree

Is the art edible? Yes

Materials used:

• Blender
• Fruits
• Natural plant-based powders (butterfly pea flower, spirulina and pitaya)

@sourdough_nouveau

A self-taught sourdough specialist, Lisa Clayton bakes two to three loaves a week to feed her loved ones, including her cyclist husband who burns off more calories than he can count. If attending one of your dinner parties, you can almost be certain that Lisa won't turn up empty-handed; the host or hostess always receives one of her beautiful loaves of bread.

Based in: Los Angeles, California, USA

Time spent per artwork: Activating the starter or natural yeast (8-12 hours); mixing and proofing dough (4 hours at room temperature plus 12 hours in the fridge); baking time (40 minutes). So all in all, about 24 hours.

Very first design attempted: A cat's face

Is the art edible? Definitely

Materials used:

• Dough
• Some flour
• A double-edged razor blade aka ‘lames’ (the same kind used in traditional men’s shaving razors)
• Self-cut stencils

@saltyseattle

"Penne for your thoughts?" we asked Linda Miller Nicholson, in the hopes of discovering how she makes the most beautiful pasta in the world (our claim). Not unlike Samantha Lee, the hot mama started experimenting in the kitchen when her son Bentley Danger went through a picky phase. "Now I have my soul job and live the best life, so it all worked out!" said Linda, who no longer eats pasta when dining out, not only because she has it all the time, but also owing to her high standards.

Based in: Seattle, Washington, USA

Time spent per artwork: From a few minutes (for simple pasta like farfalle) to a few hours (for the complicated designs)

Very first design attempted: Stripes! As they look great on almost every pasta shape. Even though they were the first design I tried, they're my go-to all the time.

Is the art edible? Yes.

Materials used:

• Eggs
• Flour
• Vegetables
• Herbs
• Superfoods