YOKO TAKES TOKYO
Archival moments from years gone by. Neon-lit laneways, crowded izakayas, cold beers, shared plates, and the unmistakable energy of Tokyo after dark.
That spirit has always been at the heart of Yoko. Fast-paced, lively, and made for long nights in good company.
@nik_to
Book shoots are really fun, I don’t shoot them often but when I do I really enjoy the change in pace to my usual routine, the company, the chats, the endless tasting of dishes...⠀
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Today, my dear friend @elizabethhewson launches her third book, Home Food. As the photographer on the book, I saw first hand, the grit and heart she put in over many months and it is truly, a beautiful body of work. ⠀⠀
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Simply put, this book is imperfectly perfect. To anyone juggling life, work and kids(or not), whether you need a quick midweek dinner or feel like a slow weekend potter in the kitchen - this book’s got your back. It’s bursting with simplicity, flavour and joy.⠀⠀
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Huge thank you to all the wonderful people who brought this book to life.⠀⠀
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@murdochbooks@janewilson@jbwolfy@janemorrow ⠀
Styling: @kirstenljenkins - you are a wizard!!!!
Design: @meganjpigott ⠀⠀
Design & Illustration @clairhrochford ⠀⠀
Shoot chef @foodbyclare ⠀⠀
Cover styling: @vanessaaustinstylist
My very first shoot for @quayrestaurant with @chefpetergilmore was miles away from the restaurant itself, at @RedShed_StudioJam in Newcastle, where Pete was painstakingly creating custom oyster shell ceramics for Quay’s re-opening and his dish of oysters with oyster cream. I also captured him and the heirloom vegetables he was growing and experimenting with in his home garden on that shoot – his favourite, most peaceful place. I didn’t quite realise at the time but these shoots shaped how I came to understand and interpret Pete’s food and Quay itself. Detail, depth and exceptionalism. From the art on the walls, the kindness and professionalism of the whole team to the menu, Quay, led by Pete, set its own bar.
Shooting Pete’s dishes has always been a fun and exacting process. Sometimes we got the shot in 15 minutes, sometimes it took an hour - but the final shot is always perfect, (subjectively, of course), and we’d just work to get it right until it was. I often think about the extraordinary journey of a dish before it reaches my camera - the research, testing and dedication to process and produce sourcing behind it. Pete’s curiosity for exceptional ingredients has taken me from Byron Bay to South Korea (with @table181 , @deliciousaus and @moremccomas ). His depth and wide-reaching inspiration is reflected by his goal of always striving to reflect the ‘modern multicultural society’ we live in. Something I believe is more important than ever, no matter how you choose to show it.
Documenting the the past eight years of Quay alongside the many talented photographers and videographers in our team @buffet.digital has been a real privilege. While it’s sad to see its doors close, how lucky are we that it was open for so long, that it was so thoughtfully inspired, and brought joy to so many.
2025 gave us so much. New faces, places, plates and more, always full and always served hot. Clients, creatives, chefs, bartenders, strategists, producers, stylists, baristas, knitting grannies, copywriters, designers, art directors, videographers, photographers and animators. To everyone who ate from the Buffet this year, we love you. Thank you.
New episode out tomorrow! This week's guest is @nik_to - food photographer and co-founder of creative content studio, @buffet.digital
I met Nikki over a decade ago, right at the time she was beginning to make a real name for herself in Sydney’s food scene. Even then, her eye, talent and ability to capture a story through an image set her apart. Since then, she has become one of the most influential photographers in Australia’s food and drink industry. And through Buffet - the creative studio she co-founded with writer @moremccomas - she’s helped shape the brands and narratives of some of the country’s most celebrated restaurants and bars.
Nikki and I launched our businesses within months of each other, and over the years we’ve shared many of the same highs, hurdles and curveballs that come with building something from the ground up. Growing a business is one thing but sustaining a creative partnership requires trust, alignment and deep intention. I loved digging into how Nikki has built that with Soph, and what she’s learned along the way.
We also became mothers around the same time, and in this conversation we talk about what that season unlocked - the shift in identity, the way ambition reshapes and the clarity it can bring. Nikki speaks with such care and intention about building a business that reflects her values and choosing growth on her own terms.
