Alex Lau
Staff Photographer Emeritus
Alex Lau is the former staff photographer at Bon Appétit. Born and raised in New York City, Lau moved to San Francisco at the age of 12 until returning to the East Coast to attend Emmerson College in Boston, earning his Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. Lau is currently represented by 2D Creative Artists. His clients include Boylston Trading Company, Nylon Guys, Esquire, and more. He has shot both food and travel photography for countless cookbooks—and he takes photographs of other things sometimes as well.
Ginger Cashew Chicken Curry
Instead of chicken, this curry recipe is really good with boneless pork chops. Cut into ½" pieces and proceed as written. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Spicy Pasta with Shrimp and Tomatoes
For a hearty vegetarian version of this pasta recipe, use squash, mushrooms, or eggplants in place of shrimp.
Chicken Pot Pie with Acorn Squash
Sauerkraut is our new secret flavoring weapon. It adds a little bit of acid and funk, and this chicken pot pie recipe proves there are so many other uses for it than a hot dog topping. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Halibut Foil Packs with Chile Butter
Turn this halibut recipe into a dinner bowl by serving the fish and veggies over any warm grains, like rice or barley. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Butternut Squash Cacio e Pepe
Think of this butternut cacio e pepe recipe as pasta cacio e pepe...with sausage. It’s comfort food-y, so it could use some fresh greens and/or veggies to help balance it out. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Minestrone Soup with Acorn Squash
If you don’t happen to have or particularly enjoy pastrami, bacon or pancetta would be a delicious substitute for this minestrone recipe. Check out step-by-step photos here.
Miso Caramel Apple
The caramel in this recipe is chewy, so it will stick to the apple but won’t turn into a hard shell when cooled.
Cranberry Chutney With Orange, Figs, and Mustard
If using frozen cranberries, which are just as good for this recipe, don’t bother thawing them first.
Buckwheat Banana Cake With Yogurt-Espresso Frosting
Earthy, nutrient-rich whole grain flours give this classic banana loaf cake recipe some added personality.
Kabocha Squash and Scallion Tempura
Kabocha squash is a tempura classic, but acorn squash works well too. The honey and crushed red pepper flakes, albeit untraditional, add a spicy-sweet dimension to the dish.
Lemony Brussels Sprouts With Bacon and Breadcrumbs
Cooking the brussels in two stages for this recipe ensures that the cores will be tender and the outer leaves will still have bite.
Weeknight Mapo Tofu with Ground Pork
Spicy, mouth-tingling, porky: Those are the words you’ll be using to describe this tofu recipe.
Easy Roast Turkey With No-Roux Gravy
It’s important to follow the measurements for the salt and to use a low-sodium stock (or, better yet, a homemade one) for this recipe—otherwise, the gravy could wind up being too salty.
Alt-Grain Porridge with Garlicky Greens
Garlic and collard greens make a healthy addition to this porridge recipe, but you can use any leftover greens you have on hand.
Figs With Bacon and Chile
This figs recipe is sweet, salty, sticky, and acidic—everything you want in a one-bite appetizer.
Quick Braised Kabocha Squash
This braised kabocha squash recipe leads to a super satisfying, healthy, one-pan lunch or side dish.
Chopped Liver
Cooking the livers to medium/medium-rare in this recipe is key to a moist and rich tasting spread. Overcooking them will make the finished dish dry and crumbly.
Adult "SpaghettiOs"
These are extra saucy and a little sweet like the original SpaghettiOs, but with grown-up flavors all around.
The Swing State Cocktail
This is one of the strongest, yet tastiest, cocktails we’ve ever created using ingredients inspired by swing states—just in time to help get you through the election.
Apple Dumplings
If the apples aren’t cold when you wrap them, the dough won’t adhere, so make sure to put them in the fridge before you start on the dough for this apple dumplings recipe. For added texture and more fall flavors, stuff 1 Tbsp. cranberries, raisins, or pecans into the space where the apple cores used to be.