Gung Ho Confections
I’m excited to share a very personal project I’ve been working on over the summer, inspired by my maternal grandad and his family bakery – Gung Ho Bakery.
Infamous in its time, and a household name in Manila’s Chinatown, it was known for for its eclectic mix of Filipino-Chinese and colonial style baked goods – from pineapple upside down cake to hopia, egg pie and fruit cake during Christmas.
Although neither my grandad nor the bakery exists today, I wanted to imagine them back into the world – create a place where his story could live again. Gung Ho Confections is my interpretation of that bakery – informed by historical references, family anecdotes and a whole lot of imagination.
Origin story
While I never met him, my grandpa Benjamin was a hard working, gentle and loving soul. He spent his days working in the family bakery, a beloved establishment in Manila’s Chinatown.
Recreating the brand
Working with designer Rach Cart, we re-imagined what Gung Ho’s brand would look like. Taking historical references and injecting a fresh, contemporary feel. We designed the menus, newspaper, and hand-painted signage, to name a few.
Planning the shoot
Working with food stylist Tim Schilling, we created a menu that was traditional to Gung Ho’s Filipino Chinese roots to contrast with the retro Americana vibe of the interiors.
Set designer Susan Castillo and I designed the set with a delicious pastel colour palette that would highlight the food front and centre. The strategic use of red as accents in the interior, props and wardrobe selections as subtle references to Chinese heritage.
Shoot day
A brilliant shoot day in Glasgow with the entire team including our lovely models Demi and Yuyang from Colours Agency, and HMU Rhona Stewart.
Final images
Credits
A massive thank you to everyone who helped bring this very personal project to life.
Photography & Art Direction by Alexis Ko
Food styling by Tim Schilling
Set design and props by Susan Castillo
Hair & Makeup by Rhona Stewart
Talents Yuyang and Demi from Colours
Graphic Design by Rachel Cart
Sign painting by Leah Pendleton
You may see more of my commercial food portfolio here. If you have a project you’d like to discuss you may contact me here.