Qi Ai is a Chicago-based food photographer, recipe developer, and private chef.

Her work includes photography for Serious Eats, Allrecipes, and The Spruce Eats, as well as recipe testing and development for Serious Eats and The Kitchn.

Before working in photography, Qi spent more than a decade in professional kitchens, including Michelin-starred restaurants and five-star hotels, and worked as a chef de cuisine. She also currently works as a private chef on Chicago’s North Shore.

Originally from Beijing, Qi studied Chinese Language and Literature at Peking University before moving to Chicago to study Culinary Arts at Kendall College.

Instagram: @theplumtable

Email: qi@theplumtable.com