Photo Shoot Recap: Reynard

Despite the crazy snow we had the shoot must go on! Reynard; a great restaurant in Brooklyn below the Wythe Hotel, and steps from The Brooklyn Brewery. I got to work with the new chef Christina Lecki who worked under April Bloomfield in the past. The kitchen has an amazing wood-fired hearth perfect for photo backdrops. Chef Lecki is really experimenting with simple, meaningful dishes packed with honest flavors. Keeping it simple I feel is always best and not going crazy with 100 ingredients for a dish. We were there capturing all her new dishes which are seasonal. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner so there was quite the array of food. My personal favorite was the Socca dish. Runner up was the bone broth soup poured table side. Delicious! Especially with the snow falling outside. The plates were made by Jono Pandolfi which had some weight and earthiness to them, tying in great with the food palate. If you haven’t been here in the past make sure to stop by soon!

Photo Shoot Recap: Angeline by Michael Symon

    I try not to geek out when it comes to celebrity chefs, especially now when everyone is on some type of food show BUT to meet and work with chef Michael Symon was awesome. I was hired for a magazine to capture the new Italian restaurant by Michael Symon called Angeline at the Borgata Casino. The Borgata is probably one of the most well known and visited casinos in Atlantic City with great stores and restaurants within. This new restaurant the locals have been waiting and raving about to open! Whenever Michael would come by the restaurant to talk with front and back of house staff, fans of his would line the windows looking in trying to grab a picture of him.
    When I visited they had already been open and had quite the momentum of customers. We stuck around that day for when they did open for dinner to grab photos and literally there was a line down the hall waiting to get in! I’ve never seen that before. I don’t blame them, the Italian fare I photographed and tried was top notch. The lasagna was perfect with its layers of meat and sauce, the artichoke heart appetizer was so tasty, the mozzarella was the freshest, the list can go on. Working with Michael was great, he was down to earth and a good honest cook. We captured some lifestyle shots of him slicing meat, and some environmental portraits of him in one of the dining rooms.
    The staff of Borgata that helped with the shoot were very welcoming and clearly took hospitality seriously. I highly recommend checking out the Borgata casino if you’ve never been. Even if you don’t gamble go for the stores and stay for the food.

Photo Shoot New Jersey Monthly: Cave A Paleo Eatery

Just wanted to share a quick recap from a recent shoot for New Jersey Monthly! They asked me to shoot this charming restaurant near Asbury Park, New Jersey called Cave, A Paleo Eatery. I’m always interested in different diet plans people choose to live by and Paleo is certainly one many people know! It was great chatting with Chef Doug Stehle; chef and owner of the restaurant who eats a Paleo diet and runs his restaurant as one. The staff was super friendly and excited to see me there taking photos. The restaurant itself used to be owned by a antique dealer and when it was sold to Doug the previous owner still had some items there for sale. It gave the restaurant a unique feel. Also Doug is a surfer and being near the ocean there was appropriately placed surf boards he owned decorating the restaurant! All the items on his menu were dairy and gluten free. I tasted a couple things from the menu and I have to say their desserts were nothing like I had before. Their brownie was so rich and packed with chocolate it was the best thing I’ve ever had. There was also bacon on top! It probably took me 2 or 3 sittings to actually finish it. Also the chocolate chip cookies were stuffed with chocolate chips and the cookie itself was soft just like a homemade cookie. If you make a trip this way I would certainly stop in for lunch or dinner.

Photo Shoot B.T.S. Texas Jack's BBQ

This was a great project we were able to pull together right after the Thanksgiving holiday. The client was working on a tight deadline with the restaurant having a soft opening and then opening for business start of the week! We were able to capture their authentic smoked meat dish offerings and showcase their amazing bar assortment. The restaurant had an amazing interior designed from the ground up with reclaimed wood and decor. The restaurant sat on a busy street just outside Washington D.C. It is housed with the historically preserved “EAT” sign having their own neon sign to match. Their smoke master and Food Network winner Matt Lang had some impressive dishes to share and we were excited to be apart of it.

Texas Jack's BBQ

Amazing Food Stylist: Harry McMann

NJ Monthly Photo Shoot: The Farm & Fisherman Tavern + Market

If anyone is familiar with great food and BYOB’s in Center City Philadelphia Farm and Fisherman would be on that list. Now they’ve expanded into a bigger and better location right in New Jersey. My most recent shoot for NJ Monthly took me to Cherry Hill to see The Farm and Fisherman Tavern and Market. It was a beautiful interior for dining and drinking. To the one side was a casual grab and go lunch spot where you could also purchase local sourced goods like cheese and chocolate! I was able to try some of their most popular dishes and I certainly had a couple personal favorites. One of the first things I shot was their Breads and Spreads appetizer. It came out on a wood lazy susan filled with locally sourced vegetables and house made spreads to dip with. Also with this dish was an amazing pita bread warm, fresh, and fluffy right from the oven! My other favorite had to be the panini sandwich dressed with cauliflower. Yum! The list can go on but I’d go check it out yourself.

Photo Shoot New Jersey Monthly: Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten

I recently was hired by NJ Monthly to photograph the new Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The drive was ok, but well worth it when I pulled up to the front of this stoic, beautifully crafted building right on the water. It looked like the exterior was the shell of a old factory and walking in it certainly had the reclaimed look. The interior had floor to ceiling windows, exposed brick and artifacts filling the room. There were rows of communal tables with the backdrop of hand painted murals representing the good old days! This location seated so many people it was not a surprise to walk up a few flights of steps to this huge bar roof deck that had tiered seating. The walls were covered in this beautiful floral and greenery arrangement for aesthetics and energy.

If the building itself wasn’t impressive enough Chef James Avery had such a passion and experience for German fare it was a match made in heaven. I quite possibly tried and photographed everything on their menu. There were some specifics for me to cover like the bavarian pretzels, beers, potato pancakes, but also their oysters “Braten”. These oysters were served hot on a bed of salt baked with pretzel crumbs and herbs. The flavors were unreal! Another favorite of mine from the menu was the Blumenkohl; fried cauliflower.

BTS Photo of Felicia working!

Photographer's gotta eat too!

Portfolio Reviews 2015

Finally the week is coming up! I'm soo pumped to be meeting with Art Directors and Photo Editors from top agencies at NYC Fotoworks. I've been busy shooting and building new work for my book. ALSO will be premiering my new logo designed by the uber talented Nick Prestillo from AIGA. Book edit was done by my friend and photo consultant Neil Binkley

Italian Market Street Festival 100th Anniversary

This past weekend marked the 100th anniversary of the Italian Market Festival in Philadelphia. Originally from Philadelphia and being Italian(oh! and to continue my after-birthday shenanigans) it made complete sense to come out for the weekend to walk the crowded 9th street to drink and eat my way through! The Italian Market has evolved tremendously including more of a Mexican inspired neighborhood while still keeping to its roots and classic Italian food. Some staples you can find along the street are Sarcones, Ralph’s, Monsu, Di Bruno Brothers, Claudio’s, and Fante’s (the original William and Sonoma.)

The festival kicks off on Saturday May 16th at 11AM and closes Sunday May 17th. The streets are packed with people hustling through trying pulled pork sandwiches, grilled mango and corn on a stick, indulging in elaborate pineapple Pina Colada drinks. This is just naming a small portion of what you will find. Among the food vendors on the streets the produce stands are also open as well as the brick and mortar retail shops. Artists are also invited for the weekend selling their hand made goodies whether a scarf or a flask made out of clay! At certain intersections were stages with live bands playing covers of the latest hits or a DJ playing tunes. You could be drinking a beer and standing around having a good time. This year was certainly a fair not to be missed.

Photo Shoot: Celebrity Chef Jose Garces

When I began my career as a food and beverage photographer the restaurant scene was a huge part of it. I lived for the Food Network and the chefs with their competitions and daily cooking segments. Honestly I kinda still do... These are the people, along with the Food Network and other national food brands that have shaped the food scene we know today. One of the first chefs that I admired and built his roots in Philadelphia was Chef Jose Garces. I followed him in his early stages before he became well known.

The first time I met him was while I was still an assistant and the photographer I was working with had to shoot him. We photographed him at his amazing restaurant Amada in Old City. I was overly joyed and could not wait! Chef Garces was so nice and down to earth and I shamelessly got his autograph on one of his menus which I still have today in my kitchen. This was right before he aired on Iron Chef America which he won and the rest is history for him..

It was very exciting to see me come back to him and he's still the same nice guy, but this time I got to photograph him and his restaurant Distrito in Moorestown, New Jersey. One of his newer adventures in his many restaurants he's opened. The images were photographed for an article that will be running in the March 2015 New Jersey Monthly magazine.

Year In Review...

2014 was the most exciting year so far in my career as a growing commercial photographer. The food and beverage industry in photography is very competitive and I feel very honored to have had the opportunities I've had so young in the field.

I can only grow from where I'm now and continue to set goals for myself and be influenced by others around me. I'm ready for 2015 and what it has to bring!

Published: Vegan Casseroles Cookbook

This year has been so amazing, and this is the perfect way to end it with my 2nd cookbook that just came out! I was able to photograph Vegan Casseroles by Julie Hasson. The cookbook consisted of recipes involving Pasta Bakes, Gratins, and Pot Pies. I was amazed at how flavorful and beautiful these dishes came out. Vegan food is something not everyone is comfortable with. I love food and it would be very hard for me to live a vegan lifestyle but these dishes were really amazing. If you've never tried a vegan dish this is the cookbook you would want to find a recipe.

Link to cookbook

                                        Here's a lasagne dish from the vegan cookbook

Photo Shoot: Culture Cheese Magazine

I had the opportunity to photograph Culture Cheese Magazine's upcoming Winter issue on Crème Fraîche. This cream can be applied to many dishes sweet or savory. The article I photographed and styled by Lisa Russell contained sweet and savory dishes such as twice baked sweet potatoes and Sticky Gingerbread Cake with Whipped Crème Fraîche. Below is just a couple shots that will be featured in the upcoming issue. Enjoy!

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Felicia is now on Behance

Networking and getting your work out there to the creative public is an ongoing process. I'm excited to announce I have a live portfolio on the Behance network. You can find my recent work and projects in the works.

SITE: https://www.behance.net/perrettiphoto

Garrett Oliver Brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery + HOPS Magazine

I was approached by international magazine HOPS for their New York issue where they were covering the culture of the bustling city and the beer scene. They chose to interview, dine, and drink with brew master Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery.

It was an amazing opportunity for such a unique personal sit down dinner with Garrett at the prestigious NoMad restaurant. (While we were there Robin Roberts and Barbara Walters walked in). He brought several brews of his that are still in early testing stages so it was really interesting to order the food and try different pairings with his new beers. The variety and flavors were unmatched by other beers. There was strong flavors paired well with the stronger, meatier dishes. We started out with lighter dishes that paired nicely with the crispy beers. It was a dining experience I will never forget and I have the photos to remember it by.

Behind the Scenes Photoshoot: Guy Fieri's Mt. Pocono Kitchen

The other week I had a fun shoot up at the Poconos at the new Guy Fieri's Mt. Pocono Kitchen that opened in the Mount Airy Casino Resort. We had the local hospitality group there, along with the Art Director from SK+G on the west coast and Guy Fieri’s personal food stylist from New York City.

Dessert Option: Cheesecake rolled in potato chips and pretzels, drizzled with chocolate syrup

Guy Fieri’s style was not overlooked at the location; the menu items were done big and tasty. The interior details of his style you could see throughout. Definitely a hot spot for friends to hang and still serve a family crowd.

We had planned to photograph the restaurants menu items as well as some ambiance shots of people dining. The official opening of the restaurant is not until September where Guy Fieri himself will be visiting.

Food Stylist: Brian Preston-Campbell

 www.preston-campbell.com

NYC

1. How did you get involved in styling?

Around 2000 I was a chef suffering from a natural case of career burn-out. I had cooked in and run the kitchens of several kinds of food service operations, from country clubs to fine dining restaurants to catering companies over the course of 12 year. I reached the point where I no longer wanted to work nights, weekends and holidays and couldn't bear one more special request from an obnoxious customer. It was in food styling that I found my ideal job -- one that changes almost every day, with a very livable schedule, and the best people to work with. It's refreshing to be respected by my clients and to be paid a fair rate for my hard work, something that seems to rarely happen in the restaurant world.

2. Are you originally from New York? Do you travel for work?

I grew up in a small town in central Pennsylvania. I started my cooking career there but left at the age of 18 to go to the Culinary Institute of America. I moved to New York City the first time in 1993 but took a break to spend some time in Miami in the late 90s. My wife and I moved back to Brooklyn just before 9/11 so it was a rough return initially. Now I have trouble imagining where I would rather live.

Currently I'm trying to position myself in the styling world to do more location work. In the past I've worked in the Bahamas, all over Florida, St. Louis, Boston, Philadelphia and Atlanta. I have contacts in L.A. and San Francisco and am currently translating my website into Spanish with the hopes to work in Latin America.

3. Do you have a personal favorite thing to style? Food vs. drinks?

I really enjoy styling cocktails, but lately I've been pushing to do more ice cream. It represents a big challenge for most stylists and I really like working in the medium. It requires speed, organization, technique, and patience to pull off a difficult ice cream shot. Some of those I have, others I'm currently practicing.

4. Hardest thing you have styled.

The most difficult job I've had in styling was a 100 shot cookbook that needed to be photographed in one week. I had two assistants and an intern, we worked 12+ hour days and were really happy with the results when it was all said and done.

As far as the one single thing that I find difficult to style, I would have to say it is pizza. It's hard to keep looking fresh and is prone to developing orange pools of grease that congeal quickly. The relationship between the crust, sauce, cheese and toppings can be a difficult balance when the pressure is on.

5. Any dream clients you would like to work with?

I'd love to work for SodaStream -- I use mine every day! Also, In 2009 I published a book with 50 recipes of flavored water called Cool Waters, and I would love to collaborate with a company that shares my vision that everyone should drink more water.
 

6. What was it like to work on the Good Spirits book that you won a award from?

Working on Good Spirits was a lot of fun. Melissa Punch, the photographer, and I spent a week in her studio making drinks and playing around with props and garnishes. On a commercial cocktail shoot, by comparison, it is usually a very controlled and orchestrated production. The book shoot was the complete opposite, with a lot of creative freedom on our part, which I believe had everything to do with the results we achieved.

7. What is your must have tool on set?

I always have paint brushes on set. Some are kept clean and dry for removing dust or crumbs and others are used for brushing oil, water, glycerin, browning agents, Windex, or anything else I happen to need at the moment. It would be impossible to keep things from drying out and dying without the use of a good set of brushes.

8. Where do you get your inspiration for styling.

I'm really only one part of the creative team that makes the images I work on, so a lot of the time it's someone else's vision that I am responsible for creating. But to that end, I am inspired by challenging jobs that require me to figure out how I can make the food on set look the best. Occasionally I'm called to do a conceptual piece or something outside the usual realm of putting food on a plate and making it look edible. These are the kinds of jobs that excite me -- one of my former assistants used to call me the McGyver of food styling, which I take to be a compliment.