The Chef's Connection

Alan “Battman” Batt
Founder, The Chefs Connection

What began as taking in the beauty of New York through a camera lens has become a flourishing career for New York photographer Alan “Battman” Batt. Battman began publishing his photos on greeting cards in 1980 and has since sold millions to New Yorkers and tourists alike. For 17 years, Battman’s photography was displayed in a permanent exhibition at the Empire State Building. The leading photographer of The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for 10 years, Battman has worked with many prominent names in the industry and photographed for such highly regarded clients as The New York Times, Crain’s New York, NYC & Company, and the US Virgin Islands Tourism Board.

Having photographed everything from skylines to celebrities, Battman started seeking a brand new opportunity with photography. As he puts it, “I was never really in the food world . . . and then I became a foodie.” Battman gained endorsements from world-renowned chefs like Emeril, and then he created “ph’ood,” in which he turns food into art by means of photography. Battman has teamed up with some of the most talented chefs in New York City (Alain Ducasse, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, and David Chang) to photograph their delectable creations and has now published eight coffee table cookbooks, with two more on the way. Leveraging his photos as the main attraction in these books, Battman focuses on just one type of food per book, all shot on the same exact dish and background; thus far he has published “Sandwiches of the World,” “The Great Bagel & Lox Book,” “Soup,” “Small Things Sweet” and “Small Things Savory,” and he is in the process of wrapping up “Pasta” and “Pudding.” Next up, “Salads,” “Pies,” and “Cocktails!”

Battman is passionate about giving back and has used his photography talents to benefit several wonderful causes. Instead of a launch party for the books, Battman has created an entire charity event around the books’ release. Now in its 6th year, “The Great Gathering of Chefs” brings together over 150 chefs who autograph the books with proceeds directly benefiting “Action Against Hunger.” For the past 15 years, Battman has photographed and published the NYC Firefighters Calendar, of which a portion of proceeds is donated to various burn centers around the New York City.

Most recently, Battman has embarked on this new project, The Chef’s Connection, the first social networking site dedicated entirely to chefs. The Web site will feature both a public aspect, home to the most extensive food and wine industry events calendar, as well as a private sector restricted to chef only access that will provide a forum for industry interaction.