Sam Youkilis on rituals

Collection: PLAIN / Variant: PLAIN Painted Veneer in Deep Green / Countertop: Stainless steel

WHO: Sam Youkilis, photographer and filmmaker
LOCATION: Umbria, Italy
COLLECTION: PLAIN

Photographer Sam Youkilis works almost every day of his life. He’s fascinated by what he notices around him, and at its core, his work is about finding meaning in the ordinary, daily rituals and the shared qualities that exist across cultures and borders. When he isn’t traveling—from Mexico City to Naples to a small Greek island—he lives in the Italian countryside. There, he slows down. He cooks every day, reads, and gathers people he loves.

As told to Ditlev Fejerskov

Sam Youkilis's photography is instinctive, he’s drawn to people and moments that feel meaningful and unique. Many of his favorite moments are unplanned, capturing fleeting interactions that can’t be repeated. “Those fleeting moments, the ones that can’t be staged or duplicated, are often the ones that stay with me the most,” he says. Whether it's a couple, a mother and daughter, a grandfather and his grandson, Youkilis thinks he’s developed a way to translate these moments into something visual. “These are interactions that feel human and universal. I respond to them instinctively and intuitively, and I assume that's something others feel too when they engage with my work.” For Sam, it’s about recognizing recurring motifs and visuals, and expressing the shared qualities that connect people. Much of this lies in everyday life—everyday rituals, acts of love, and public displays of affection. “You see fatherhood, motherhood, caregiving, expressed differently wherever you go. Or take food, the language of food is universal. Last summer, I photographed cheese pies being made on Milos, Greece, and I was amazed by how many people from around the world messaged me saying, “We have the same thing.””

Much of this can be traced to migration and the way food culture spreads, but for Sam, it’s also about the pride and identity people find in how they cook, show love, and live. These rituals are shared everywhere, and yet deeply personal. Youkilis feels responsible for documenting traditions that might soon disappear, particularly food processes and crafts. In Italy, he sees many people his age leaving family businesses for city jobs, possibly making this the last generation to make orecchiette by hand in Bari, dry tomatoes in the Sicilian sun, or age cheese in mountain caves in Emilia-Romagna. “If these things aren’t archived, we risk losing them completely,” he says. He feels fortunate to have an audience where he can share stories, places where people can see, listen, and keep these traditions alive.

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“Before I could speak any other language, food was a way I could still show appreciation for what someone was making. For me, being able to show curiosity, interest, and care in what someone is doing has always been a way to connect with people.”

— Sam Youkilis, photographer and filmmaker

Sam lives in rural Umbria, Italy, a quiet contrast to his frequent travels. Often home for only a day or two between jobs, he cherishes the countryside as an antidote to his hectic schedule. Having grown up in New York City, he’s used to moving quickly, so cooking meals for himself helps him slow down and appreciate the moment. “I’m not someone who naturally slows down,” he says, “so I have to force myself into these rituals.” Each morning, he makes breakfast, reads, or plays chess, a grounding ritual before the day begins. These routines have also changed how he photographs at home, as he’s drawn to capturing the same views and corners, noticing how light and mood transform them. “That’s something I love about photography: the quiet act of photographing the same subject again and again, and noticing how light, mood, or time of day change everything.” When home for longer, he invites friends to cook and share meals, using local and homegrown produce.

Most of Sam’s life at home revolves around the kitchen—a space for cooking, working, gathering, and conversation. When choosing a kitchen, he wanted something that would complement the home’s white, cream, and natural wood tones while also adding a moment of color. PLAIN in deep green offered a moment of color, while stainless steel countertops reflect and distribute the beautiful western light from an adjacent window. For Sam, the kitchen is more than just a room, it’s where meaningful connections happen, and where the rituals of everyday life are celebrated.

People often ask him, “You say you live in Umbria, but are you ever actually there?” And he gets it. He’s constantly on the move. But still, Umbria is where all his things live. It’s where his clothes are, where he comes back to, and where he invites people into his life. “It’s the only place that truly feels like home." Over time, he’ve collected things that are extremely personal to him—relics, antiques and small objects he’s picked up around the world and slowly committed them to this home. “I’m obsessed with objects and their stories, and I love surrounding myself with them."