Why follow a recipe? Learn how to write your own.
We talk a lot about how floristry training needs to be reimagined… but what do we mean by that?
At risk of showing our age (and being totally UK centric), traditional floristry training is the equivalent of being taught how to cook by Delia Smith.
For all of you not alive in the UK in the 80s and 90s, Delia Smith is a renowned British food writer that taught a generation of people how to cook. Her approach was/is incredibly detailed, with specific instructions around ‘exactly’ how many grams of something to use or how many minutes it has to be cooked for. Follow her recipes to a ‘T’ and you produce a great dish.
The Delia approach is still how most floristry is taught today. Predicated on a globalised supply chain, this approach trains you to create arrangements to a ‘recipe’ that can be created with flowers ordered in from anywhere in the world at any time of year.
But the ‘Delia approach’ doesn’t teach you the why, what you are looking for to determine if something is ‘done’ or not; just don’t deviate from the recipe or ingredients list…
When Jamie Oliver burst onto the scene in the 90s, his approach was revolutionary. Relaxed, slightly irreverent but with the utmost respect of his ingredients and his craft. It was less follow the rules and more ‘add a glug of this, or a pinch of that’ depending on what you had to hand and your taste, and explaining what you’re looking for (‘a crust will form’ or ‘it will release itself from the pan’). He also introduced the concept of food provenance into homes across the country, from school kids to millenials to ‘Jane next door’.
His approach demanded a bit more of the cook in terms of needing to understand the ingredients and the method, but he also instilled a confidence (or a willingness to give it a try) in his audience, and encouraged an ability to adapt the recipes based on what was available. Can’t get hold of one ingredient? No problem, substitute it with something else… or add a bit more or a bit less of something to your own liking.
Jamie Oliver redefined our nation’s relationship with food and cooking, and also, to a degree, to farming. Since then, the industry has evolved further, driven by the likes of the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen and a new generation of chefs like Ixta Belfrage, Anna Jones and Elly Pear; chefs that embody a sense of innovation and experimentation in terms of the kinds of ingredients used and how flavours marry together, as well as a desire to do things differently and more sustainably.
Floristry is undergoing this same revolution right now. Driven by a growing demographic of climate aware, values driven and design and digitally savvy customers, the importance of provenance, seasonality and sustainability, is on the rise. And among the leading florists, we are seeing a redefinition of the kinds of flowers (the ingredients) that can be used in floristry and a pushing of the boundaries in floral design and sustainability.
Season-led floristry is at the forefront of this, demanding:
responsive design.
a knowledge of the flowers as they are presented to you in the different seasons
an understanding of your ingredients and the principles of design so you know what to use, in what proportions and what you are looking for to know if an arrangement is ‘done’
a willingness and ability to push the boundaries of floral ‘ingredients’, design and sustainability
strong relationships with your growers (so you know what flowers are (and aren’t) available to you and when).
good communication skills (so your clients understand and trust you to design and deliver in line with seasons).
Learning how to follow a recipe isn’t enough. Season led floristry requires you to know how to write your own.
And that is what we teach.
Re-imagining floristry training
Join the flor-art-istry rebellion.
(And in the interests of full transparency, we still turn to Delia for our Christmas cake recipe…. )