Fruits of my labour! Artist's amazingly intricate carvings on fruit and veg

This Japanese chef has spent years teaching himself how to make incredible carvings out of fruit and vegetables.

Takehiro Kishimoto, 38, has been perfecting his intricate designs for the last five years, using just food items and a single knife.

Pictures show detailed tessellating patterns where different shapes interlock with each other.

These cutting edge patterns have been carved into a stem of broccoli and the flesh of avocados.

One image shows the skin of a pomelo – a large yellow citrus fruit – transformed into hundreds of tiny leaves.

The art of carving fruit and vegetables is an ancient tradition in Japan, known as Mukimono.

Father-of-two Takehiro was inspired to learn the art form after seeing it on TV, and started practising in his spare time.

He said: “The ideas for many of my designs come from traditional Japanese patterns.

“I enjoy doing it because, as a chef, I find it extremely pleasing to create beautiful objects from food.

“People also find it entertaining, which I think is important.”

Takehiro, from Kobe, said the carvings took him anything from 30 minutes to three hours, depending on the size of the object.

As well as his geometric designs, some of his sculptures take on floral forms.

Photographs, which he posts on his Instagram account, show radishes, carrots, and kiwis all turned into delicate rose-like shapes.

Takehiro said: “I always eat the food after I finish each sculpture.

“I value the things I make for their visual beauty, but also appreciate them as food.

“I don’t want them to go to waste either.”

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit carvings

Here Takehiro Kishimoto has transformed a dragonfruit into an intricate petal design. (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit carvings

This avocado has been transformed into a honeycomb inspired design. (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit carvings

Taking a humble apple to the next level this design showcases painstaking detail. (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit and vegetable carvings

Kishimoto said: “I enjoy doing it because, as a chef, I find it extremely pleasing to create beautiful objects from food.
“People also find it entertaining, which I think is important.” (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit and vegetable carvings

This isn’t your average avocado. Using a scalpel the breakfast staple has been transformed to resemble a textile texture. (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit and vegetable carvings

Kishimoto has taken a pomelo and covered in in hundreds of tiny leaves as part of the Japanese kitchen tradition, Mukimono. (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit and vegetable carvings

Perhaps the most challenging of Kishimoto’s carvings. The carrot resembles patterns seen in modernist art. (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit and vegetable carvings

Even the humble radish isn’t too small to escape the delicate treatment. (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit and vegetable carvings

Behold – the broccoli! Kishimoto said: “I always eat the food after I finish each sculpture.
“I value the things I make for their visual beauty, but also appreciate them as food.
“I don’t want them to go to waste either.” (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit and vegetable carvings

Kishimoto, from Kobe, said the carvings took him anything from 30 minutes to three hours, depending on the size of the object. (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit and vegetable carvings

The art of carving fruit and vegetables is an ancient tradition in Japan, known as Mukimono. Kishimoto saw the tradition on TV and began practicing in his spare time. (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit and vegetable carvings

Kishimoto said of Mukimono: “People also find it entertaining, which I think is important.” (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit and vegetable carvings

Ribbons using different patterns encircle this apple. (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit and vegetable carvings

Some designs take up to three hours and despite their intricicies the chef says all of them are eaten – after being photographed of course! – to avoid waste. (SWNS)

Japanese chef Takehiro Kishimoto’s amazing Mukimono fruit and vegetable carvings

The intricate designs can take up to three hours – pictured here is an insane avocado creation. (SWNS)