Behind the Scenes With Peter Callahan
Today is sort of a celebration of all things Peter Callahan. A "PC" party, if you will. Because we adore just about everything he does (hello! have you seen his masterpiece miniatures?) we felt it necessary to take a peek inside his New York studio and find out just what makes him tick. Poppies and Posies whipped up some stunning florals for the occasion and Belathee Photography was there to capture. There's lots more in the gallery, and you'll find a look back at Peter's very best moments over on SMP Living.
SMP: How did you get your start in the food industry?
Peter: I was on Wall Street in commodity trading floor + decided to switch careers and do something more fun, I always liked food, so I picked that. My own company was my introduction to the commercial food industry
SMP: You created a sensation with food miniatures. Tell us how that came about.
Peter: One time a client asked me to pass hamburgers and she wanted them little smaller than regular size. Later I asked myself, what if they were really small like the size of a quarter. I had to chase my chefs around a little to get them to shrink them this size. But did it, they looked + tasted so amazing that after that I pointed my shrinking machine at everything, from bread pans for grilled cheese on mini bread to lobster rolls, popsicle molds, cotton candy, and more.
Peter: I was on Wall Street in commodity trading floor + decided to switch careers and do something more fun, I always liked food, so I picked that. My own company was my introduction to the commercial food industry
SMP: You created a sensation with food miniatures. Tell us how that came about.
Peter: One time a client asked me to pass hamburgers and she wanted them little smaller than regular size. Later I asked myself, what if they were really small like the size of a quarter. I had to chase my chefs around a little to get them to shrink them this size. But did it, they looked + tasted so amazing that after that I pointed my shrinking machine at everything, from bread pans for grilled cheese on mini bread to lobster rolls, popsicle molds, cotton candy, and more.
SMP: The moment you realized you finally “made it” in the industry?
Peter: I finally realized I made it in the industry after we shrunk everything in site and made custom trays to hold each hors d'oeuvres in a way that really showed off each one, things standing vertically as if by magic is one of my big things...and one day I did a wedding for Martha Stewart with all these things which no one had ever seen, and they were like WOW, we see it all and we have never seen anything like this...that's when I knew...
Peter: I finally realized I made it in the industry after we shrunk everything in site and made custom trays to hold each hors d'oeuvres in a way that really showed off each one, things standing vertically as if by magic is one of my big things...and one day I did a wedding for Martha Stewart with all these things which no one had ever seen, and they were like WOW, we see it all and we have never seen anything like this...that's when I knew...
SMP: Greatest lesson you've learned along the way?
Peter: The less you treat what you do like a business and treat more as something you love and pour uninhibited passion into it you shall have the best success and life!
SMP: Favorite food trends of the moment?
Peter: We are loving color, natural ones and matching foods in a very vivid pairing of striking colors, such as corn cakes topped with coral red lobster set on green cucumber weave..make the food a pop of color.
Peter: The less you treat what you do like a business and treat more as something you love and pour uninhibited passion into it you shall have the best success and life!
SMP: Favorite food trends of the moment?
Peter: We are loving color, natural ones and matching foods in a very vivid pairing of striking colors, such as corn cakes topped with coral red lobster set on green cucumber weave..make the food a pop of color.
SMP: How do you stay inspired?
Peter: I stay inspired by constantly doing new things + evolving. I just renovated a 6,000 square foot Jive record recording studio into my kitchen office + tray fabrication prop shop + I had my talented wife Josephine make my private office there super stylish, really comfortable and where I want to hang out, so I can dream + bring the next chapters of my life to realities.
SMP: Some words to live by?
Peter: The more fun I have in my job the more successful I am...so I just need to keep that Willy Wonka spicket open....
Peter: I stay inspired by constantly doing new things + evolving. I just renovated a 6,000 square foot Jive record recording studio into my kitchen office + tray fabrication prop shop + I had my talented wife Josephine make my private office there super stylish, really comfortable and where I want to hang out, so I can dream + bring the next chapters of my life to realities.
SMP: Some words to live by?
Peter: The more fun I have in my job the more successful I am...so I just need to keep that Willy Wonka spicket open....
Photography: Belathee Photography | Floral Design: Poppies and Posies