So what IS “food styling”? More often associated with fashion, hair, or home decorating, the definition of the word style is as follows:

Style, n. distinction, excellence, originality, and character in any form (mode) of artistic or literary expression...a stylist is someone who has the quality of style in their work.

Beyond the world of food presentation as it’s demonstrated by professional chefs, there is a magical (and sometimes make-believe) land of styled food. This food is presented to the eating public in the form of artfully arranged photographs for cookbooks and advertising, in enticing television commercials, on food packaging, and in hunger-inducing scenes fresh off the reels of feature films. Someone, a food stylist, is responsible for planning for, making, and effortlessly presenting this vast array of food.

What is the goal of styled food?

To create appetite appeal, to draw people into the kitchen or restaurant, to buy a product. Or to just seduce the senses with the most irresistible, primal desire--to feed ourselves in a deeply satisfying way.

So What Does A Food Stylist Do (And Need to Know)?

As the chief cook and bottle washer on a food shoot, a food stylist works closely with commercial photographers or film companies doing such diverse work as advertising for food companies, editorial work for book and magazine publishers, creating the behind-the-scenes magic for television cooking shows, and more. No two jobs are alike, so there’s challenge and change everyday. A stylist is a creative, well-trained cook, who has tremendous diplomatic skills and a deep reserve of patience, physical stamina, and a great sense of humor. A food stylist works as part of a team that can include a food photographer or director, art director, and usually a client (the one paying the bills). This cast can expand to include a prop and photo stylist (the ones who set the scene with beautiful dishes, backgrounds, etc.), account executives from agencies commissioning the work (and who hold the client’s hand), a crew of food styling, photo, and production assistants, and the list can go on.

The bottom line is that the food stylist is responsible for organizing the food--sourcing unusual ingredients, arranging for shopping, pre-production preparation of food, production of food on the shoot, and the final inviting presentation of the food under camera. Taste is of little concern, looks are everything. And in the words of Delores Custer, a well-known food stylist, “We must be able to handle foods that misbehave.” The goal is to create images that appear to be freshly made, coming straight out of the kitchen to your dining table. The ability to do this, despite having handled the food a great deal or having food that must stand for long periods of time on a set, is an art and a science.

A food stylist should have several years of good food handling training, from having a food or nutrition degree, going to culinary school, or working in a professional kitchen. I put emphasis on good training and experience, because it is very important that a food stylist understand how food works. Problem-solving is a key element of the business, and being able to control what food does is of primary importance. If something is not the right color or consistency, what can be done? Stylists develop an interesting arsenal of equipment to do their jobs--from standard cooking equipment and knives, to tweezers, paint brushes, scalpels, artists’ palette knives and cosmetic spritz bottles!

A food stylist should have a natural flair for design and presentation. Understanding graphics, color, symmetry and asymmetry, and other elements that are important to an art director and photographer when creating an arresting visual will make you a valuable member of the team. Having the ability to be creative with props (the plates, bowls, utensils, surfaces, and other items to round out the scene) and being prepared with an open mind towards presentation (and lots of ideas) makes an even better stylist.

Where Is Food Styling Taught?

Most food stylists have gotten into the business through exposure from other areas in the food world. There are a few exceptions, stylists with artistic backgrounds who loved to cook and segued into the business, either by apprenticing or just doing it on their own. But most slowly learn the business by assisting other experienced stylists. The opportunities to learn this craft are growing, but the best way to learn all the nuances of the business is by working diligently with someone who knows the ropes.

Mentoring plays a real role in learning a skill as detail-oriented as food styling. My best piece of advice for budding stylists is to do your homework. Call well-known commercial photographers or production companies in your area that primarily shoot food. Find out who the good stylists are, then see if you can observe some shoots. Offer your services for assisting, but be sure to emphasize that you are capable of good basic kitchen skills and take direction well. On most shoots, particularly in film, a good assistant can make or break how well a stylist can do their job. You never want to be responsible for slowing up a day or getting into a jam that you can’t get out of! Alot of money rides on even one day’s photo shoot, and the stylist and assistant are key players.

If it’s possible to form a good working relationship with a stylist who is willing to share, do everything possible to learn. Observe, take notes, practice on your own. Go to food styling seminars if they’re available, talk to stylists in other parts of the country. Immerse yourself in the visual world. Look at wonderful magazines, cookbooks, food packaging, TV ads. Know what’s happening in the food world, in restaurants (where presentation trends tend to start) and in food marketing. Know good food resources, where to get the best produce, or where to source exotic ingredients. Scout out ethnic markets for ingredients, equipment, and garnishing ideas. Be excited about food and stay willing to learn--go the extra mile.

Build relationships with photographers you admire. Take time to create an interesting portfolio of work, even if it means doing a portfolio shoot on a Saturday as a “trade-out” with a shooter (you both work for free to create original work). It can be difficult to get good copies of work you do for clients, so by doing some portfolio development on your own, you can really show your stuff. The best portfolios are short and eye-stopping! Remember that an image must stand the test of time--frozen for eternity to be picked apart by any critic.

Final Words of Encouragement

Like all new ventures, be willing to pay your dues. It might seem like a slow process to get started. But once you have the skills and savvy to do the job, you’ll find yourself in an extremely unique business that requires hard work but is also very creative and often fun! Food styling is a competitive business, but if you do good work you’ll always be in demand.