Abstract
Margarine sculptures have a long and illustrious culinary history, yet in changing times they are rarely seen in modern hotel and restaurant settings. This paper considers the historical and cultural significance of margarine sculptures, reports on a brief convenience sample of Auckland hotels and summarises an interview with one of the few specialists still regularly creating margarine sculptures for functions and events. The paper will include the visual display of the process for creating a sculpture of an iconic New Zealand symbol (Ryan, 1997). The process will be illustrated with photographs and reflections of the artist. The final work of art will be displayed in the ‘ideas factory’ element of CAUTHE 2013 and delegates are invited to discuss their responses to the sculpture with the artist.
