Harley Langberg doesn’t just play with his food. He turns it into art.
The New York-based food artist, who can be found on Instagram @harleysfood_art, spends hours turning everyday ingredients into detailed portraits, animals and pop culture scenes that look more museum-ready than meal-ready.
“I’m a food artist,” Langberg said to Today. “I’ve done hundreds of pieces over the years.”
And yes, some of them start with cookie dough.
Langberg told me he first fell into the unusual art form about 12 years ago after stumbling across a food art photography exhibit in New York City.
“I always loved cooking and art so it was the perfect blend,” he said to Goodable.
That mix has since become a serious side passion for the 34-year-old dad and investment company partner, whose creations have attracted nearly 40,000 social media followers.
His inspiration started long before Instagram.
“Having grown up in New York City with some of the best museums, galleries, street art and then taking art history classes, I’ve had such an appreciation for art,” Langberg said to Today.
He also grew up in the kitchen.
“I grew up cooking at age 5 and going to museums growing up in NYC and realized food is so universal that the food art could connect with people all over the world,” he said, speaking to Goodable.
That idea drives nearly every piece he makes.
Once he chooses an image, Langberg heads to the grocery store searching for ingredients that match colors and textures in the original photo.
“Once I decide on an image, I will take that image on my iPhone, go straight to Whole Foods, trying to match up the colors and textures and get the ingredients,” he said to Today.
Then comes the assembly process.
“It takes anywhere from 1-3 hours to make a piece,” he told Goodable.
One of his most detailed works recreated sushi on top of an Oreo cookie using dyed cream filling.
Over the years, he has used everything from pasta and peppers to mashed potatoes dyed with soy sauce. Dried anchovies became his solution for silver and gray tones.
“One of the most unusual ingredients I’ve used is dried anchovies,” he said to Today. “Silver and gray is a tricky color and those have a beautiful natural silver color to them.”
His subjects range from celebrity portraits to wildlife. One favorite featured tennis legend Serena Williams made from dyed cookie dough, pasta and a carved lemon tennis ball.
Another recreated a tiger using mashed potatoes, rice noodles and yellow peppers.
“It’s almost ready to jump out at you,” he said.
Despite the precision, Langberg says the appeal comes from familiarity.
“I think the fact that the food is so universal and so global is really what is so interesting,” he said. “It’s like, I had that for dinner last night. Now it’s like, you know, a portrait.”
And after the photos are taken, very little goes to waste. Langberg either eats the creations or uses the ingredients later in the week.
For him, the work is about more than likes and shares.
“Not everything you do in life is fulfilling,” he said. “I find that fulfilling, being able to inspire others.”
