Today’s post, it’s going to be a slightly different. It’s a collaboration with one of my favorite Australian blogs, the Food Dept., a blog comprised of four professional creatives. The idea: I write the recipe for the banana split whoopie pie and they style and shoot it as part of their American Diner Series. Along with that, I did a mini interview with them to see what they are like outside of work and to see what their creative process is.

Photo by the Food Dept
If you’ve been to their site, than you know they are all working professionals with some a heavy hitting portfolios and that their site was also a 2013 Saveur Nominee for Best Photography. And sure I could wax-on about how Petrina Tinslay is one of my favorite photographers and her work can be found on my mood board (an inspirational go-to before I shoot sometimes), and how David Morgan’s photo styling will drive you to action with his visual storytelling, or Sally who creates and crafts the deliciousness you see in their pictures; and of course Anne Marie Cummins, the creative director who, like all good directors, pulls the vision into one harmonious production that’s effortless and beautiful. .. . I told you I was a fan of their blog and all their individual work.
My point is, go to the Food Dept. and poke around their site! There’s a lot to see, so be prepared to click on one page after another. Click here for the direct link for the banana split whoopie pie recipe you see above. Lastly, may I please ask that if you are going to pin the picture from above, please do so from the Food Dept. rather than here, since the recipe resides over there.
Now let’s get to know them.

Back row: Petrina Tinslay, Anne Marie Cummins; Front row: David Morgan, Sally Courtney
Go-to drink?
A dry Riesling but i cant go past a glass of champagne – SC
Spilt between a muddled GNT and French champagne – AMC
The closest place… oh sorry, I get it! Vodka Lime Soda…. Good Vodka is a must.
– DM
Champagne – PT
Last iTunes download?
Passenger – SC
Daft Punk – AMC
Its all about spotify for me now, and Passenger is my new favourite. – DM
Daft Punk – PT
Current obsession?
My thermomix and home made goats curd…. – SC
Textured organic shaped pottery in shades of blue and white – AMC
Crushed fermented grapes 😉 – DM
Too many. All food 😉 – PT
Guilty pleasure?
Dark chocolate – SC
Poker – AMC
Chocolate but i’m only guilty for about a second. Life is just too short. – DM
Flour + Stone bakery, Sydney – PT
First job?
Selling shoes, maybe thats what started my obsession – SC
Working in a hairdressers, (didn’t last long) – AMC
In a kitchen in a local pub near my family home. You have never seen anyone
more excited to peel potatoes. – DM
In the family business – Antiquarian bookstore – PT
Hidden talent?
Shopping, but it’s hard to hide… – SC
I am too vocal for talents to be hidden (there’s a clue there) – AMC
I can peel a potato in 5 seconds! – DM
Procrastination – PT
Off the clock . . .
Can I get off???? – SC
My new thing is early morning bikram, and I am always up for taking my 2 kids to the beach, or bush it’s good for the soul – AMC
TV that makes me switch off, usually really bad TV! – DM
Signature outfit
I don’t think I have one, I love to change things around or it’s the last thing I bought – SC
Black in winter, bejewelled kaftans in summer.– AMC
Jeans and T with a tailored jacket, good shoes. – DM
Black – PT
Listening to on repeat
Bingo Players – Get Up. It keeps me running – SC
Anything Bruno Mars and Safe and sound by Capital cities – AMC
Soundtrack to Smash the TV show, told you it was bad TV – DM
Cultural fix
International food markets – SC
China town, Sydney Aust, which is really Asian town ’cause it encompasses Vietnamese and Korean supermarkets – AMC
Traveling when I can. I love traveling, I always come back inspired and have so many ideas. – DM
Travel – PT
Creative process begins with
I am mad about colour and then I go into a time and place in my imagination, I like a good astro travel. – AMC
Always looking around where you are, ALWAYS! It could be a colour combination from plastic box against a wall or pavement to a window display or a piece of fabric. Opening your eyes is the start. – DM
Movies, art, imagery – PT
Preferred social media platform:
Instagram – sallycourtney – SC
AMC – I am into all platforms (lucky me) but Facebook is still king https://www.facebook.com/pages/uber-creative/169224789857324
and https://www.facebook.com/pages/the-food-dept/246025892138805?ref=hl
Instagram: thefooddept AND morganfood – DM
Instagram: thefooddept AND petrinatinslay – PT
I really love the food dept photography. I am from Australia and they one of inspirations. these look wonderful and you captured their theme perfectly
My frie3nd Brandi would love this, and it’s her bday today! Too bad I don;t live near her or else I’d make it.
Those Banana split whoopie pies look so good. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Such a cool collaboration, off to see the rest of the photos!
I love the food dept. photography, and yours. I can see how it’s such a good fit. Your whoopies pies are To. Die. For.
What a brilliant idea, great collaboration and lovely post! Huge fan of the food dept!
Such an interesting post!! What a fun collaborative. Headed over to see what they did with your recipe! 🙂
Wow, so cool! I am so excited to check out their new to me site!
I can’t think of a better collaboration, you all do such beautiful work!
How fun! I’ll head over there to check out the recipe 🙂
Great collaboration, Naomi! The photos turned out beautifully!
what a fun and neat collaboration, Naomi! I want some of that whoopie pie now! haha 🙂
Cool!! I’m going to check it out right now!
Such a fun collaboration between beautiful content creators 🙂
looks yummie!
Fun! Going to check it out!
Have to check this out! thanks for sharing it!
I love me a whoopie pie and banana split. This looks like a killer combo! x
Such a fun interview and fabulous idea for a collaboration!
Hi Naomi, It’s so wonderful for our first collaborative story to have been with someone as creative as you are from the other side of the globe. Thank you for the delicious recipe and being such a joy to work with. Let’s hope we can all meet up in person some day.
best wishes
Anne Marie
I swear I almost made banana split whoopie pies the other day!! I went with sweet potato instead but these look wonderful. Great minds and all that! 🙂