End, is the starting point of our departure

Published by matte. and shot by Eric WK Ng, End, is the starting point of our departure is an accompanying photo book for a documentary that captures the weeks leading up to the closure of two-Michelin starred Restaurant André.

The book’s title is derived from a literal Google translation of the closing line of the documentary—「終點, 是我們出發的起點」. This was both a crucial conceptual springboard and the studio’s mischievous take on our reliance of Google translate when conversing in Mandarin. Working closely with Eric, we reversed the original sequence of images, starting the narrative with the restaurant’s closure before flashing back to various episodes of Chef André’s life. The book’s design also recalls the structure of a film, beginning with a monologue and title credits, and interspersing parts of Chef André’s interview with the relevant images.