Kochkunst · Culinary Art

Distance team-building in the form of a book for “Zürcher Kantonalbank Österreich” that combines art and cooking, strengthening community despite the isolation caused by COVID

  • Client: Zürcher Kantonalbank Österreich AG
  • Art Direction, Naming, Design, Photography: Florian Frandl
  • Editorial team: Carolin Becker, Reingard Meiche, Andrea Schwaighofer
  • Year: 2020

DESCRIPTION

The year 2020 will undoubtedly be remembered by all, including the employees of Zürcher Kantonalbank Österreich AG in Salzburg and Vienna. They worked in isolation from home, personal visits to clients were prohibited, and events were out of the question. All these factors called for a recipe to navigate the various lockdowns while strengthening the sense of community and maintaining connections with clients.

Because enjoyment is something precious—and becomes even more valuable when shared—this credo quickly led to a “distance team-building” book project. A book as a client gift, it compiles the employees’ favorite recipes and also provides a platform for young Salzburg artists during the pandemic. Just as a chef creates with ingredients, an artist uses color, words, or music to craft unique works. It’s all about taste, aesthetics, the right balance, and a lot of emotion. The result is an experience that brings people together and stirs emotions—whether slow & clean or quick & dirty.

OBJECTIVE

The goal was to create an aesthetically appealing book despite physical distance, with minimal material and time investment, that gives a lighthearted and charming twist to the theme of COVID. The project aimed to strengthen team spirit, support the Salzburg art community, and serve as an appropriate gift for the discerning private banking target audience. The challenging circumstances did not allow for food photography of perfectly styled dishes or a time-consuming production process. A generous dose of design quality (seasoned with creativity) was meant to compensate for this and became the number one COVID measure during the work.

IMPLEMENTATION

Employees of Zürcher Kantonalbank Österreich AG shared their favorite recipes, a selfie, and optionally, additional photos. The design concept, title, graphic design, and photography were all developed cohesively. While the design adhered to the principles of the bank’s factual corporate identity, it also embraced an artistic, playful DIY character that felt approachable and personal, radiating joy during the isolating times of the pandemic. The various mobile photos submitted by employees were framed in a uniform Polaroid style, emphasizing the handmade aspect and accommodating lower DPI quality. The stories behind the dishes added flavor to the project, allowing them to be staged like the images found in contemporary cookbooks.

The vibrant photos accompanying these personal narratives, presented on empty plates, whetted the appetite for each dish and were created—spontaneously and with enthusiasm—over the course of just one morning in a store specializing in dishware and cutlery. As art and cooking intertwine through passion and creativity, the project engaged Salzburg artists who enriched the recipe collection with their thoughts and works. The book, titled »Kochkunst«, has since become not only a cherished personal gift for clients but also symbolizes a remarkable momentum within the bank. If “Kochkunst”/“Culinary Art” did not made all participants during the COVID era stronger, it certainly made them a bit heavier.