The Japanese Art of Food Replication

Popular Mechanics went into the studio of Noriko Watanabe, a shokuhin sampuru artist and founder of Fake Food Cooking, to learn how she makes such delectable visual feasts using materials such as resin, silicon, and acrylics. It can also be done with plastic or wax.

Called shokuhin sampuru, or “food sample,” this little-known yet remarkably detailed process creates delicious-looking food molded from silicone, crafted from resin, and colored with acrylic.

Here are some more samples of Noriko’s work.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.

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