Imogen Kwok Shares The Recipe For Her Enchanting Rosé Poached Peaches

London-based Imogen Kwok’s compelling practice sits at the intersection of art, design and cuisine, utilising food as a visceral language to encourage understanding through consumption. A glance at her mesmerising Instagram feed reveals, among other delights, glistening gem-like candied fruits elegantly plated for a LOEWE dinner; keep scrolling to discover rows of beautifully pleated dumplings ready to be steamed, and, more recently, a meticulously prepared beef tartare encircled by egg yolks still cradled in half their fragile shells. Kwok oscillates between creating unique in-person experiences, working closely with prominent fashion brands, art galleries and design studios, alongside producing visual content through designing culinary events, creative consulting and food styling. As well as discussing her manifold practice and what she is currently working on, Kwok shares with Something Curated the recipe for her delicious Rosé Poached Peaches.

Something Curated: Can you give us some insight into your background and what first interested you in working with food?

Imogen Kwok: While the focus on food didn’t happen until after university, my practice has developed very organically. I studied Art History (initially believing I would go down the gallery route) but upon graduating, I felt quite restless — I was craving work that was creative in a hands-on, tactile way. Cooking and spending time in the kitchen was always a natural part of my family life and growing up, so I decided to attend culinary school and be classically trained before working in restaurants and assisting food stylists for photoshoots in New York City. Now I’m London-based and have shifted more towards designing interactive culinary experiences that fall somewhere between art and cuisine. I’ve never felt more inspired than I have in the past year — my style and eye have both evolved and become very defined even as I continue to push myself and develop new techniques.

SC: What are you working on at present and what can we look forward to from you next?

There are many exciting projects coming up in addition to setting up my new studio space. At the moment the main focus is on Paris Fashion Week 2022 and my event with Alighieri, a jewellery brand deeply rooted in literature and antiquity. Work has been increasingly more fashion-oriented and this will be my first (hopefully of many!) fashion weeks. I also have a number of on-going collaborations that I really value, such as with Jonathan Anderson and LOEWE (I most recently advised on the food styling for their Lunar New Year film) and Emalin, a contemporary art gallery in Shoreditch. Actually, my first exhibition opening dinner was for their Kembra Pfahler show, Rebel Without a Cock in 2019. We’ve continued to work closely together since — for artists such as Alvaro Barrington and Daiga Grantina — we have a few ideas floating around for their upcoming programme.

SC: Could you tell us about the dish you have selected to share with our readers — why is it special to you?

I love this dessert because it honours the natural shape and colour of the fruit and is simple to make but beautiful when finished and presented. The poaching liquid becomes quite luminous and incandescent — I ended up playing around with the garnish by pressing thyme and gold leaf onto the surface of the peach to add more glint and finer detail.

Rosé Poached Peaches — Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 yellow peaches (not overly ripe — a little on the firm side is better so they don’t fall apart)
500ml rosé wine
250ml water (or enough to cover the peaches properly with liquid)
Juice of 1 lemon
150g granulated sugar
2 wide strips orange zest
3-4 sprigs fresh young thyme
2 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of salt

To serve: runny honey and mascarpone

Method:

1. Set a large pot of water over medium high heat. Meanwhile, lightly score the top and bottom of each peach without cutting too deep into the flesh. Once the water has come to a boil, drop the peaches in and blanch quickly to help loosen the skin. Remove the peaches and transfer to an ice bath to shock them. Use a Y peeler to remove the skin, keeping the shape as round as possible.

2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, whisking until the sugar has dissolved. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add the prepped peaches and more water if necessary to cover them completely by an inch. Place a cartouche over the entire surface of the liquid to ensure the peaches remain completely submerged.

3. Gently poach the peaches for 30-45 minutes or until the peaches are tender but still retain their shape and are not falling apart. Use a cake tester to make sure they are cooked through enough.

4. Serve with the poaching liquid and a dollop of thick mascarpone, if desired.



Feature images: Courtesy Imogen Kwok