When Glass Meets The Man In The Dirty Shirt
They say travel leaves a mark on you, but for Lee Inman, it’s a story told through the steam of a street-side wok and the ink of a weather-worn postcard.
Our latest collaboration is born from a box of secrets. Lee’s new project, “Street Food: The Man In The Dirty Shirt,” isn't just a cookbook. It is a haunting, beautiful archive of an unknown traveler who traced the globe from the damp streets of London to the vibrant chaos of world markets, leaving behind nothing but a wooden box filled with poems, photographs, and recipes.
The Heart of the Collaboration
Lee and I have been friends and collaborators for years. We speak a similar language—one of heat, precision, and raw materials. When he approached me to create a bespoke set of plates for this book, I knew they couldn't be "perfect." They had to look like they had been pulled from the same travel-stained box as the recipes.
The food in this book arrives like postcards from the edge of the world. My task was to create the "canvas" for those postcards.
From the Studio to the Street
In my studio, glass is usually about light and transparency. But for Lee’s "Man in the Dirty Shirt," I wanted the plates to feel like artifacts. We played with textures that mimic the grit of the road and the elegance of a handwritten letter.
A Friendship Forged in Craft
Collaborating with Lee is always a journey in itself. We share a belief that the things you hold in your hand—whether it’s a forkful of street food or a handmade glass plate—should have a soul.
As Lee re-traces the steps of this mysterious traveler through poems and street art, I am honored to provide the foundation upon which these global flavors rest.
What’s Next?
“Street Food: The Man In The Dirty Shirt” is more than a trip around the world; it’s a tribute to the anonymous wanderer in all of us. I cannot wait for you to see how the light of my glass meets the heat of Lee’s kitchen in the pages of this extraordinary book.
Stay tuned for a first look at the collection in the studio soon.