UPCOMING EVENTS
NEW ONLINE CLASS...Everyday Food Styling Techniques. The next class begins in September 2010. This interactive class includes video tutorials of techniques that stylists use everyday on the job. A student gallery and teleconferencing (like Food Styling 101) are also part of this new 4-week course. Interested? Check it out at YouTube...then zip over to Photo Styling Workshops to register.
Food Styling 101 (Introduction to Food Styling), an online course sponsored by Photo Styling Workshops. New 4-week classes begin in August 2010. Self-Promotion and Marketing for Food Stylists, a bonus 2-week fast-track class with personal coaching is also available. These courses are a great way to learn the basics of the craft of food styling. Visit Photo Styling Workshops for start dates and registration details.
|
|
|
|
Paige Fletcher |
|
|
Sunday, 18 June 2006 |
|
Food Stylist and Recipe Developer
Located in Dallas, Texas but works nationally  A trip to Italy in my teens for an Umbrian cooking school peaked an already brewing interest in food. My first job was as a dishwasher at a deli in El Paso, Texas. I thought I had "made it" when I was promoted to sandwich-maker. After graduating from college at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, I took a job apprenticing in a fine dining restaurant. I worked all hot and cold stations on and off the line, including pastry and baking stations. I then received a degree from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
I worked in the test kitchens of Southern Progress Corporation, testing and developing recipes for Cooking Light and Health magazines. One day I was asked if I wanted to go on a photo shoot for Cooking Light to do some styling. I absolutely fell in love with styling food. I had the best of both worlds…some days I tirelessly worked to make the food taste fantastic and the other days I worked tirelessly to make sure the food looked great.
 I moved to take a position as a food editor for a Chicago-based publishing company. There I continued to hone my skills as a food stylist and recipe developer, as well as write about food. I had the opportunity to work on a lot of custom-publishing projects which afforded me the opportunity to work with companies such as Campbell's Soup Company, J.M. Smucker Company, Nestlé USA, Sargento Foods Inc, Uncle Ben's Inc, Lawry's Foods, etc. Working with these and many other clients gave me an appreciation and insight into the style and precision of advertising food photography.
I then took a position as a food stylist for Meredith Corporation. I had the opportunity to work for magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens, Diabetic Living, Midwest Living, Traditional Home, and Country Home. In addition, I was selected to work on the Better Homes and Gardens "Red Plaid" Cookbook, the Today Show Cookbook, and some Food Network projects. As a trained chef, the highlight of my career was to style food for some of our country's most well-known chefs such as Alice Waters, Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Todd English.
When I first started styling I took a lot of risks…moving about the country to have the opportunity to work for different publishing companies. On-staff food styling positions allow you to shoot many, many shots a day, five days a week, giving you a wealth of opportunity to learn and grow as a stylist. My recipe for success: in my free time I "styled" everything. Each time I scooped ice cream for dessert, I practiced. Each night when I plated my own dinner, I moved things around the plate and looked at it from a camera-angle. I tirelessly combined my culinary background with my artistic eye. This is what I have told my assistant, Marisa Jiwa--that every time she touches food it is a chance to learn, tweak and understand the beauty of food and understand the way it will photograph best.
In September 2005 I decided to go out on my own as a freelancer in an attempt to move back to my home state of Texas. I now split my time between advertising and editorial food photography. Texas has blessed me with editorial clients such as Texas Monthly Magazine, Dallas Magazine and various cookbook projects; as well as advertising clients such as TGIFriday's, 7-Eleven, Miller Lite, Sara Lee, Pappa's Restaurant Group, Costco, Apple IPOD, Brinker International, etc.
My favorite part of food styling is that each and everyday is a new and exciting challenge. Editorial styling has always been my first love - the simple beauty of plating up natural, free-flowing food and pairing it with a beautiful set and propping gets my creative juices flowing. On the flip side I love the challenge of using creative techniques to make the impossible culinary challenge possible for advertising shots. I'm a flexible, "people pleaser" by nature, so affirmation and excitement by the client is my number one priority each day. I commonly hear from clients: "This is what we want, we know you'll figure it out"…and that's the most fun part…figuring out a culinary challenge and bringing it to fruition.
My passion for food and culinary knowledge help keep things fresh when shooting 5 days a week. I read every food magazine, cookbook and newspaper food section I can get a hold of each week. Eating at restaurants, traveling, attending food conferences and being involved in local and national culinary groups all help to keep my eyes and ears open to new ideas, an interesting color palate, or a creative new garnish.
As per cooking in my spare time: Friday night I always go out to eat. I usually need a little break from cooking (and doing dishes!) all week. But by Saturday, I'm firing up the bbq in my backyard. Food is my greatest passion and I couldn't be luckier to have found such a fantastic job.
|
|
|
|
