The World on Her Plate

Gilat Orkin’s artistic, and engaging sandwich sculptures weave together the best of creativity, history, and flavours. Nilofer Khan explores.

- Nilofer Khan

When you were a child, do you recall instances where you would simply refuse to eat? You would throw a tantrum, try to run away from the dining table, or press your lips together with such force that your entire face would turn red. It would often happen because you disliked the flavour or texture of certain dishes and ingredients. But sometimes, it was also the appearance or the aroma that affected your appetite.

Something similar happened with Gilat Orkin. Her daughter Eylon, then in elementary school, would return home with unfinished lunch boxes. It went on for a week, which deeply troubled Gilat. So, she became extremely imaginative with the way she would prepare Eylon’s meals. “I realised that when an object looks interesting to children, they will be curious about it,” she says. “I had the idea to combine the desire to eat with the desire to learn something about the world at large.”

Humble Beginnings