EDIBLE INK

edible ink

Renoites reveal their tasty tats.

PHOTOS AND INTRO BY RILEY MACLEAN

It’s no surprise to any self-proclaimed foodie that the area’s food culture is on the move. During the past five years, the Reno-Tahoe region has seen tremendous growth in the number of eateries. There’s a palpable change in the way residents are eating and enjoying meals as well. For one, more people want to know where their food comes from. And they are buying more local, natural, humanely raised, and healthy produce and meat. Much of this local shift is part of a national movement toward becoming a responsible and sustainable food community.

I also have noticed among many of my friends and acquaintances (as well as in myself) a blossoming passion for cooking and exploring different ethnic cuisines. I think this represents a revival in food appreciation as a whole.

The local food culture is celebrated in much the same way Reno-Tahoe residents celebrate everything. With tattoos. Tattoo artistry is big business here. With the concomitant rise of foodie culture and tattoo fetishism, people are memorializing their love of food by getting inked.

Chefs have long been known to tattoo ingredients or cutlery onto their bodies. But, these days, food tattoos are becoming popular with everyone, no matter what their occupation. With help from a handful of people, I set out to create portraits of a few foodies and their tasty tats.

“I’ve strayed away from cooking, in order to make money that I didn’t need at the time, for three years in Reno. I’m now struggling to get to know myself via cooking again. I work like a slave and, when possible, eat like a king.” – Zach Rawlins, 27, cook at Old Granite Street Eatery and former manager of Calvin’s Sausages truck in Reno

“The veggies on my arm sum up a lot of things for me personally. I’m pretty fond of them, as a vegan, and I have a profound respect for gardening and land stewardship. I also have a lot of history, socially, with food, having made many meals for touring bands, and trying recipes with my mother. That’s what the root system is for –– the foundation of all the food, and my experiences, I suppose. For clarification, the purple veggies are bell peppers not plums.” – Van Pham, 25, arts and events director

“My ink is kind of born from a joke in the kitchen. I always forget stuff. So getting the most basic of the basic on my arms was a reminder that, even at the high end, someone is always looking at notes. And, plus, maybe girls will think I’m cool now.” – Jack Cholin, 21, formerly line cook at Sezmu and Charlie Palmer Steak in Reno

“Pigs are delicious!” – Kerry Tate, 47, chef at Wild River Grille in Reno