5 Minutes with Pickled Plates
May 19, 2026
Some people fall into food by accident; others seem destined for it from the start. For Polly of Pickled Plates, it was a bit of both. Growing up in a food‑loving household with two brilliant cooks for parents, she was surrounded by flavour, creativity and the joy of sharing meals. But it wasn’t until university that she realised food wasn’t just something she loved, it was something she wanted to build a life around.
While studying illustration at uni, Polly found herself spending more time in the kitchen than at the drawing desk. Cooking became her creative outlet, and before long, her art assignments were filled with sketches of vegetables. “My passion for food took over my passion for drawing,” she says. It was a shift that would ultimately shape her entire career.
A Foot in the Kitchen Door
Straight out of uni, Polly landed her first job in a professional kitchen. From bustling pubs to private dining in a bank, she immersed herself in every corner of the culinary world. Those early years on the line taught her speed, precision and resilience: skills that would later become invaluable.
Eventually, she launched a catering business with a friend, blending her artistic eye with her kitchen experience. That combination opened the door to her next chapter: food styling. With her background in illustration and hands‑on cooking knowledge, she found it to offer the perfect balance between creativity and craft.
Cooking with Curiosity
Polly’s favourite way to cook is refreshingly simple: open the fridge, see what’s there, and build something delicious! Vegetables are her canvas, brought to life with good oils, vinegars, tinned olives, anchovies and capers, plus plenty of fresh herbs. It’s the kind of cooking that feels both effortless and exciting, shaped in part by frequent trips to Vietnam to visit her brother, where the food is nothing short of incredible.
And when it comes to comfort food? She doesn’t hesitate. “A battered sausage and chips with mushy peas and curry sauce,” she says. It’s a reminder that even the most creative cooks have nostalgic favourites.
Though savoury is top of the list, Polly loves weaving sweet notes into her dishes, a drizzle of honey, a splash of sherry vinegar, or the pop of dried fruit.
The Mellow Yellow Project: A Dream Brief
One of Polly’s recent highlights has been developing a series of mayo-inspired dishes using Mellow Yellow cold pressed rapeseed oil, a project she describes as “an absolute dream.” The star of the series is a big batch of homemade mayonnaise, made with top‑quality ingredients and transformed into four completely different recipes.
There’s a next level prawn cocktail, a comforting chicken bourride, a wild‑card triple choc chip brownie (yes, mayo in brownies, and yes, it does work!), and her signature creation: chicken fat mayonnaise. “I have to make it every time I roast a chicken,” she says. “And most of my friends do now too.”
Life as a Food Content Creator
After years of being on her feet in kitchens, Polly loves the balance her current work brings. Recipe development, filming, writing, editing — it’s a blend of hands‑on creativity and thoughtful crafting. And of course, the free food doesn’t hurt.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Still relatively new to freelancing, Polly is embracing the variety it brings. She’s already styled for big names like Fortnum & Mason, created content, written recipes, and collaborated on test shoots with new photographers. As summer approaches, she’ll soon be deep in Christmas shoots — “knee‑deep in turkey recipes,” as she puts it.
With her blend of artistry, instinctive cooking and infectious enthusiasm, it’s clear Polly’s journey is only just beginning. And if her story so far is anything to go by, the next chapter will be delicious.
