The Artistry and Social Impact of Pies: Q&A with Lauren Ko

There’s pie and then there are Lauren Ko’s incredibly intricate artistic pies. Her stunning baking art has gained her an enormous online following, and she used her baking skills for social good, like her recent My American Pie project, telling stories of cultural heritage through pie.

Ko gives a whole new meaning to pie (if you’re not already following her, get ready for a major dose of inspiration) and we caught up with her to learn more about her work and what she is currently up to.

Can you tell us a little bit about who you are?

I'm Lauren, and though I'm originally from sunny San Diego, I currently live in Seattle, WA with my husband and our bear dog, Santi. I have a background in social worker and nonprofit administration, but I now work as a full-time pie artist (wild). When I'm not baking (which is most of the time), I enjoy reading, hiking, and lobbying pizza for dinner.

When did you start baking pies and when did you start to shift to your more complex, artistic pies?

I made my first pie when I moved to Seattle 3 years ago and had some extra time on my hands while job hunting. I had seen some really beautiful pictures of pie on Pinterest, but the rustic, floral aesthetic wasn't quite my style. I naturally gravitate to geometric patterns and modern designs. My first ever pie was a plaid lattice, and immediately after that success, I jumped into dabbling in geometrically-inspired crusts!

I come from a family of phenomenal eaters, so was always privileged to be surrounded by food and wonderful home cooks. I grew up cooking and baking casually, but somehow never made a pie. While that first pie didn't immediately change my life, it was definitely an unassuming start to something significant!

Where do you get inspiration from? A lot of your pies have a very geometric feel to them. What draws you to these types of patterns?

I'm inspired by geometric patterns, math puzzles, textiles, architecture, and bright colors. I have pies and tarts in my feed inspired by bathroom floors, patio furniture, bamboo purses, and even shirt patterns of random passerby on the street!

I love the clean precision of geometric designs, and often find those sorts of shapes the easiest to replicate with something that can be as finicky as pie dough.

Last year and this year you auctioned off your pies to support Hopelink. Are there any other causes that you have supported with your baking? Why is this type of work important for you?

I started my career as a social worker at an emergency domestic violence shelter, and have always felt strongly about choosing work that is productive and meaningful. This unexpected pie journey has been a surprise and a blast, and I've been very grateful for the opportunities, but making pie art on social media can feel a bit frivolous at times. I'm always on the lookout for opportunities to use what I do now (and the large platform that comes with it) and partner it with opportunities to give back or support those doing the hard work to make a difference in the community.

This month, I'm hosting a series of fundraisers, where the proceeds go to the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, World Central Kitchen, and Amara, all organizations that do very different but equally significant work. It's such a privilege to have access to this platform AND have the opportunity to involve others as well. Having experienced working on the front-line, direct services side, it's pretty cool to now be involved from this angle too.

Along those lines... in this day and age, there is so much going on politically, environmentally, etc. How does baking or food get you through all of that?

As mentioned above, making pie art has opened up an entire new world of ways to be actively involved--whether that's having discussing with a wide range of people or selling my pies to raise money or participating in collaborations like the #myamericanpie series I have going with the ad agency BBDO. And of course, baking is therapeutic for me, so it's also provided a great way to de-stress in a healthy and productive way.
For someone looking to up their pie game, what are some tips you would give someone?

I know, it's cliche, but practice makes perfect! And the golden rule of pie-making is to "keep everything cold."

Any favorite pie dough recipe?

I prefer all-butter pie dough for its flavor, texture, and malleability.

Who in the food world are you currently inspired by?

Zoe Francois makes these wonderfully informative and soothing instructional videos on Instagram. Her creations are just beautiful and I've learned so makny baking tips from her. Alana Jones Mann makes INCREDIBLE cakes that boggle my brain every time she shares a new creation. And of course, Samin Nosrat is a queen.

Check out this video with Lauren, which includes her pie crust recipe, and even colored pie dough.

Papercut illustrations by Anna Brones, inspired by Lauren Ko pie designs.