my name is lexi strickland, and i'm the person behind the elevated dish!
i grew up in waco, texas, went to college at smu in dallas where i lived for 10 years, and moved to denver, colorado in 2022. denver has been such a great place to land, as the city has a creative side that comes through in the ever-evolving food and drink scene.
my journey into food began in my twenties as a quest to overcome being a picky eater, an unfortunate trait i'd had since childhood. as a kid, i was the kind of picky eater who thrived on anything cheese-based: grilled cheese, bean and cheese burritos, pasta with butter & cheese, cheese quesadillas... i did not eat anything spicy and i barely touched vegetables.
in one of my college courses, i learned about the "mere exposure effect," the idea that the more familiarity we have with something, the more likely we are to enjoy or accept it. that principle became my foundation: try any and every food, over and over again, until i liked it. i had much success with this approach, and now i eat pretty much everything (except certain forms of egg, which i still struggle with, but so does guy fieri, so that makes it okay i think).
as i gained more exposure to different foods, i started seeing food as a lens into understanding the person behind a dish, as well as what makes other cultures special. i also recognized the beauty of food as its own art form, and i started photographing every single thing i eat.
i love the way a chef communicates personality in each dish through color, texture, and aroma. i love the way a restaurant communicates personality through its ambiance, menu style, and social media. my goal is to help capture those personalities through photos of food and by getting to know the people behind it. i want to work with businesses to promote them on social platforms while getting to know them personally: who they are, their story behind their restaurant, and the dishes they are most proud of.