Chef’s Special

The final project, titled “Chef’s Special,” invited students to develop an independent, research-based work that reflected their personal interests and the themes explored throughout the course. Much like a chef crafting a signature dish through skill, experimentation, and personal touch, students were encouraged to pursue a concept that felt meaningful or urgent to them, whether connected to food and memory, identity, ritual, material culture, storytelling, or social critique. The process began with identifying a research interest and completing a proposal worksheet outlining their intent, approach, and intended outcome. Students then conducted in-depth research using academic texts, interviews, case studies, fieldwork, or material exploration, while simultaneously planning the execution of their work. The final outcome took various forms—visual, performative, textual, spatial, or mixed-media—depending on what best suited each concept.

Students’ Projects

Abner Aamir