Katrina Tekavec: Food Stylist

http://www.ktfoodstylist.com/index.html

1. Were your original intentions to become a photographer? Was it a food photographer?

I was a photographer for a few years while also assisting a food stylist friend.   Not food, I was a music and fashion photographer.  I started doing prop styling and food styling became a natural progression.  When I started getting more styling work than shooting work, I simply followed the path that seemed more inviting (and lucrative). 

2. Is cooking something your family did or you just fell into cooking and styling food on your own?

My parents weren't terribly interested in food for the sake of food, it was always more about putting edible nourishment on the table and reconnecting at the end of the day.  I wasn't raised in an adventurous home with regard to food.  I forged my own way with food and became a self-taught pastry chef along the way, and I have done that professionally as well. I would say that styling drove my interest in food, and photography is what started it all.  My photographic sensibilities have been invaluable to me as a stylist and also as I'm moving into art direction.  

3. In your bio you explain how you almost double as a art director and a stylists. Do you think that makes you more valuable and gives you more opportunities to be hired for shoots? 

I think that it makes me more valuable on the set because I can take the reigns.  Often I am not even working with an art director, there is a client (or marketing director) and a photographer and together we figure it out.  I have a few new clients that want me to handle the project from conception through execution, including the art direction and the styling and I'm happy to oblige.  Ultimately I would prefer to art direct and hire other stylists.    

4. Is a lot of your work now through word of mouth or do you do a lot of marketing?

My website and word of mouth are the only way clients find me, I haven't ever spent much time in marketing or cold calling.  Referrals are especially nice because I know I've done a good job if someone is passing along my name. 

5. Where do you get your inspirations for styling shoots?

I find inspiration everywhere, even though that sounds like a cheap answer.  I have always liked Donna Hay's style, it is effortless and generally employs the use of a limited palette which is something that I've always done, from the beginning of my career, whenever possible. However I also really like some drama and more intricate lighting, if it's done well.  The open, natural, flat lighting for food photography is nearing its expiration date in my opinion.  It will always have its place but I hope the trend moves toward more variety of styles.  As I move more into art direction I will seek out photographers who's work isn't only about that Real Simple aesthetic.  I also see a lot of really bad, under-styled food photography out there, it makes me cringe.  Rachel Ray's magazine is the number one example, food photography should not look like a guy with a camera stumbled upon someone's kitchen at dinner time.  In my opinion we exist to elevate the whole idea of food and dining and entertaining, we should create aspirational images.  I don't want to see baked-on crud and un-ironed linens.    

6. Is the majority of your work for magazines or more commercial?

I don't do any magazine work.  I do a fair amount of cookbook work, but the bulk of my work consists of packaging and advertising, some video, some film.

7. Do you still teach food styling classes? Do you have prospective food stylists contact you for help?

I no longer teach, but I do hear from people who want to get into the business regularly.  I help out with advice if I have the time, if they aren't reaching out to me during my crazy-busy periods.  If I'm too in the weeds I refer them to another stylist.   

8. Where do you primarily work?

There is no real predictability, sometimes I'm busier in Philadelphia, sometimes New Jersey, it depends on who's got more marketing money to spend :-) 

9. Your recent work shows a variety of cupcakes. Which was your favorite to make?

I liked the Rum & Coke cupcakes because it is a meringue icing which is always a lot of fun to play with.  On that shoot I worked with a graphic designer who was very hands-off with the food and allowed me almost total creative freedom.  That's an ideal situation.

Hawk Krall | what your eating he probably drew

1.) What is your education background?
Graduated from Pratt Institute with a degree in Illustration / Communication Design. Also my parents (and grandparents) were artists and illustrators so the education started early.

2.) What came first the cooking for drawing?
Both really. I worked crappy food jobs and worked on freelance jobs at night, then somehow found myself working in a French kitchen, then combined the two things and it worked. The discipline and ethos of working in a real kitchen definitely influenced my artwork, and vice versa.

3.) What medium do you usually work in when creating your pieces?
I do loose sketches with soft wood less pencils and then tighten them up with colored pencils before doing a tighter version on tracing paper. The final pieces are gouache and ink on printmaking paper. For illustration jobs that need to be done faster I do ink (brush not pens) on bristol board and color it in Photoshop.

4.) How long does a typical image take to complete?
The full color food paintings take a few days from sketches to finished painting, although I can do them in a day if I have to - although they aren't as tight as I'd like them to be, or I have to keep it really simple. Although I often have to do small illo jobs in a few hours, and 2 days is the most I usually get for an alt weekly cover.

5.) Who have you worked with? Who would you like to work with?
Tons of Alt-Weeklies, especially back when I was doing mostly editorial illustration: Philadelphia Weekly, Baltimore Citypaper, Las Vegas Weekly, Village Voice. Cincinnati Magazine has given me some good work. On the food side of things, there's the menu at Hot Diggity in Philly, I also recently did a series of paintings for The Burger Map, a really cool burger joint in Brazil. I'm currently working on a menu for a Tex-Mex burger and taco food court stall in Malaysia (if you're wondering how these people find me, it's all from Serious Eats) and a giant mural for Pizza Brain, a pizzeria slash pizza museum opening in Fishtown this summer.

I'd love to paint a food truck top to bottom, I've been close to doing it a few times but it hasn't happened yet. I'd also love to do more projects that combine writing and art, like the hot dog article I worked on with Serious Eats for Rachael Ray magazine and also illustrated. Like if Sauveur or Vice sent me to document hot dogs in Uzbekistan or seafood restaurants with live music by bad cover bands in Pensacola, yeah I'd be into it.

Then there's my pipe dream of doing television. I used to do a lot more narrative comics about working in a kitchen, and always thought that a serious TV show about line cooks would be amazing, not a cute foodie show but more along the lines of the Wire. The crazy characters and dedication people have to that life is insane. Bourdain & co definitely got it with Treme and those scenes are probably my favorite in the show.

6.) Is your work in other cities than Philadelphia?
Yeah I've done illustration for publications all over (see last question) and I have my hot dog prints on display / for sale in a handful of restaurants and shops across the country.

7.) Have you collaborated with other illustrators?
Before I was writing for Serious Eats there was Drawing For Food, a food blog Kris Chau (also an amazing illustrator) and I started a few years back - we did a bunch of illustrated posts and even worked on some collaborative illustrations. These days we're both too busy for it which is sort of a bummer. I also recently worked with Thom Lessner on this crazy backdrop for a Comcast kids' show about magic tricks. I love working with Thom and think our styles look great together, maybe somebody will hire us to paint that food truck i was talking about earlier.

8.) What should we look for when your website is fully up and running?
Ha! Yeah I need to get that together. I'd like to sift through the last 10 years of work I've done and really edit it down to the best stuff, and get a bunch of my older editorial older work up there so people realize I draw something other than hot dogs.

I've also got a few shows coming up this year, Space 1026 in July, which will probably be all non-hot dog related, and a bigger show at Hot Diggity the same month (July being National Hot Dog Month) as well as a possibility of something at American Sardine Bar maybe in the fall.

Food Stylist Cindy Epstein

Photo By: Carl Kravats

Cindy Epstein

Food Styling & Culinary Consulting

http://www.cindyepstein.com/

1. Did you grow up in Philadelphia? How did you end up on the west coast?

Actually, I grew up in a small town in NE Ohio. I transferred to Philly in 1980 with the company I was working with at the time, and spent 20 years there. It's a great city and with a wonderful history and fabulous architecture! I lived in Chester County and I miss all the old buildings and homes; I also miss fall colors and walking in the woods.

In 2003 my husband and I moved to San Diego. It was time to leave the snow and ice and we both owned companies that could easily relocate, so we sold our house, packed up, and moved to San Diego.

2. Did you ever have a dream or another direction you wanted to go for as a occupation?

I've had several careers. I usually do something for about 10 years and then have an itch to do something new. I'm an entrepreneur at heart. Prior to food styling, I owned a very successful catering company and gourmet market in suburban Philly. I'm actually thinking about starting an artisanal ice cream company.

3. How do you handle syrup on a pancake shot?

Dark Karo syrup, chilled, in a squeeze bottle, with the top pancake sprayed with Scotch Guard.

4. Does the majority of your work put you in a studio setting? Elsewhere?

Yes, most of my work is in a studio, but TV commercials are often on location. Studios are often usually easier to work in because I have a kitchen, but I've had to set up kitchens in garages, on patios, and outdoors. I did one huge job for a client on the second floor of an office building with no elevator or sink and I had to cook in the copy room. The stairs would have been fine, but we had huge coolers, over 150 pounds of food, and it was just my assistant and I.

5. Do you feel you’ve learned the most with experience on-set or by reading books about styling?

Books are wonderful learning tools, but a good stylist is always learning and practicing new techniques. Practice, practice, practice: the best advise I got from two of my mentors. On the set it's about being an excellent problem solver, and often new techniques are created in a pinch.

6. Where do you go for your inspirations? Are you able to incorporate them into your styling?

I subscribe to a number of food magazines, and although I don't always have time to read all the articles,  I do study all the photos. I also look at food photographers' websites for lighting ideas, but inspiration comes from everywhere: looking at fabrics and textures, antique stores and garage sales, gardens, grocery stores, and a lot of day dreaming. Photography is all about light, so learning how to carefully observe and play with light is a lot fun, and of course, lighting sets a mood allowing me to adapt the food to the mood. I love to do still lifes with food to create painterly images.

7. Other than photographers, do you find food styling a needed service elsewhere?

Sure, there's a lot of work in TV and film, especially for TV commercials and movies. I also do a lot of TV segments for cookbook tours and satellite media tours.

8. Any dream client you hope to style for one day?

I already did: Martha Stewart and The Food Network.

9. Your favorite food?

By far and away, ice cream!

---

Felicia Perretti is a commercial food and beverage photographer and director based in New York City. She works nationally with food and beverage clients in advertising, packaging, editorial, and video. She has worked with food and drink in all shapes and knows how to craft the right team to get the job done! Her passion for food and beverage shine through on set as well as outside of work in her everyday life. Whether it’s trying new restaurants, traveling, or cooking with her husband Joe. Send her an email or give a call to discuss your next project, she would be more than happy to chat!

VAPIANO

When I was in NY the other week for business I wanted something quick to eat but not fast food : /
While walking around I came up to this place on the corner, which looked fairly new and had a very architecturally pleasing inside. It was this modern food court with fresh food and great service. The concept was flawless and you paid when you left.

 

I ordered a chicken and brie panini with a tomato and leek soup YUM! 

 

 

http://www.vapianointernational.com/vapiano/

Food Styling by Dawn Brown

1. What made you decide to be a food stylist?

Mathematics:  A passion for food and wine  +  a background in marketing and advertising + a desire to create  =  food styling!

2. Where are you originally from? 

Toronto, Canada

3. Where did you find it the easiest to get work? To start out?

Magazines, newspaper inserts, small businesses

4. What is your connection to Food on Film?

It's mine.

5. Who are some notable photographers you have worked with?

Top Greek food photographers and, both, Greek and international directors.

6. Where/who have you looked for your inspirations?

Inside myself.

7. What type of marketing do you do for yourself? Is it all word of mouth?

Good work is the best advertising!

8. Do you produce more work in print of television?

50/50 - Many of my clients have me style for both their print and television advertising.

9. What is your favorite food/drink to style?

Salads.  They need speed and precision (a bit like the 100-mtr dash!).  And, cocktails.  Their names alone inspire fantasy!

10. What is your must-have tool on every shoot?

Mechanical knife

11. What can you say is the most important for a food stylist to do when starting out?

 Keep trying. Again, and again, and again. Always work towards the final image, not your pocket.

Food Styling by Victoria Granof

Via Nowness.com & Art Department:

http://www.art-dept.net/2011/08/food-styling-by-victoria-granof-nowness-com/

Food Friday #11

John F. Carafoli

http://www.carafoli.com/

 

http://www.bu.edu/foodandwine/photography/

1. Being in the food styling business for numerous years now have you noticed any change in the way you do your job?

Over the years the business has become more restrictive do to several factors: A. There are many more layers of corporate people involved and people are always trying to please the person above them. The best result comes when the client themselves are actually at the photo shoot. Things move faster with direct input. B. The economy is tight now and budgets are watched very carefully. Everyone is cutting costs and budgets..

2. What kind of art did you major in while attending art school? Were your intentions to pursue that as a career?

 

I graduated from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and majored in Fine Art and Design. I moved to Chicago and my first job was with the University of Chicago Press as Art director. I worked in Chicago for several years as a designer/art director working for magazines, advertising agencies and publishers. My last job was in publishing as creative director managing ten designers. I left that job and Chicago, moved back to the East Coast and pursued a career in food. 

3. Was it hard to get your work published? How long did that take?

 

I started writing for the Boston Globe, working with photographers who shot my articles. They got to know me and started hiring me as a food stylist.

 

4. Who was your first breakthrough client?

Boston got to small so I moved to NYC. There I continued my writing for magazines and wrote my book Food Photography and Styling the first book on the subject. There was nothing out there so it was fairly easy to get it published. It took about a year of writing and pulling it together.

 

5. One of your titles is a food consultant, can you explain what you actually do? Does it tie into working on set and styling food?

Under the umbrella of food stylist/writer, I am also a consultant working with restaurants and companies developing menus and recipes. I am a “conceptual” person.

 

6. Teaching food styling and cooking classes did you find that there were more aspiring food stylists or chefs?

 

I also have taught food styling course, recipe writing and development and theme cooking classes.

 

7. Looking at where you are in your career do you think you have more editorial work or advertising work? About equal?

 

My styling work consists of advertising, editorial, and packaging. I enjoy styling my own recipes for clients because if I don’t like something in a recipe like color I can change it. Lately I have been doing lots of “liquids” drinks.

 

8. Who was the most notable photographer you have worked with?

 

I have worked with so many great photographers it is difficult to name one good one. It usually has to do with simpatico (on the same wave length) more than anything else. It is a difficult business and we are problem solvers so there has to be this connection. 

9. Where do you look for your inspirations?

My inspiration comes from being open to new ideas, working with creative individuals, bouncing concepts and ideas off of them and of course traveling. Creative people cannot work in a vacuum.

 

 10. For your shoots do the art directors/photographers look to you for recipes or is it a joint collaboration?

I do bring my art directing background into the photo shoot if it is appropriate for me to do it with out threaten anyone.

 

Food Friday #10

Debbie Wahl

http://www.debbiewahl.com

1. Reading your biography it looks like you had a passion and vision for a food career at a early age, was food a big part of your family growing up?

My mom was an excellent cook!  What amazed me was that although she worked full-time, we always sat down together for a full home cooked dinner that included vegetables, salad and a main course. I was her little “sous chef” and always had my assigned chores to help get dinner started.  When I was about 12, I read a book about someone working in the test kitchens at General Mills and I realized then that was something I would love. I attended Ohio University and got a B.S. degree in Commercial Food with an emphasis in food for business. I also received  a minor in Communications which required coursework in art, advertising and marketing—I draw upon what I learned from those courses in almost every job. 

2. Where are you originally from? Where do you currently reside?

I’m originally from Ohio but reside in Maryland. I was recruited by Marriott Corporation to come to the DC area and never left. I mainly work in Pennsylvania, D.C., and Florida. But I love to travel for work—I think I am headed to Texas for a job next week!

3. How did your other services you provide come into play when being a food stylist?

Having a Bachelor of Science in Foods required me to take chemistry and a lot of food science courses.  This proved to be tremendously helpful in knowing how foods are going to react.  Working in restaurants and test kitchens at both Marriott and Stouffers gave me valuable experience in the food service area—knowing how to scale up or down recipes, knowing restaurant equipment, etc.   I mainly do food styling now, but occasionally I am asked to provide recipe development and media support for chefs—it is always fun to do that—I appreciate their skill and they appreciate the fact that I can make their food look good for the camera.

4. Has being a member of different organizations helped your career in making new friends or job opportunities or both?

With over 25 years in the business, I have made a lot of contacts—many of whom have become good friends. Being exposed to actual production—through visits to various production plants has given me great background knowledge. In food styling, it’s knowing where to find that absolute best items for the shots –great produce suppliers, farms,  bakeries,  butchers and fish suppliers,etc.

I’ve used NRA (National Restaurant Association , Linkedin, and IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) for contacts. Early on, a group called Home Economists in Business (HEIB)was terrific in linking food stylists and other women in the Food Business. I met fellow food stylist, Lisa Golden Schroeder, at the HEIB Minneapolis Food on Film seminars. She and other contacts I made there have been most valuable.  In fact Lisa and I now co-teach an online food styling class through http://www.photostylingworkshops.com  It’s fun to compare notes with peers and see what they are going through. I’ve gotten job opportunities through Google. Now 85% of work is word of mouth and with my established relationships. Clients such as McCormick, Campbell's, Perdue, and Friendly’s are some that I have had for many years.

5. Did you start out on t.v. and film styling or was it photography?

I first went to T.V. commercials for Stouffers as their company representative—it was there I saw wonderful well-known food stylists in action. My very first food styling job on my own came when I was actually still working for Stouffers—had to style a hot fudge brownie sundae with real ice cream.  I still cringe when I think about it!  Along with print and film styling, I styled for a couple of feature films ---I loved the grand scale of all the movie production, including the massive amount of food needed.

6. Who was your first break through client?

Marriott (which owned Roy Rogers, and Big Boys) was my first big client when I start free lancing.  At the time, Roy Rogers owned about 250 restaurants so I did a ton of print work for them in New York and traveled for them to L.A. for tv shoots.

7. What type of food do you enjoy styling?

I like styling everything. I like the variety. Styling produce is great because the natural beauty and organic shapes. I like to keep things loose and playful as far as my styling. The trend now is a little loose. A casual real approach is what most clients want now—nothing overly styled.

8. I know putting food under hot lights is hard to keep fresh but styling on a grille with a open fire, is that harder? Do you use real fire?

I’ve styled with real flames. I had to keep replacing the food because it would burn up. Now many photographers shoot images of grills with flames and then shoot the food on the grill separately and merge the two shots together.

9. Where do you look for your inspirations?

I look online--Donna Hay, Martha Stewart,  Real Simple, and all the magazines. I look at other stylists work. Donna Hay’s work was groundbreaking in the 90’s. She was the pioneer in the selective focus, “blown out”  look.

10. Do you think social media such as Linkedin helped your career? Is a lot of your work now word of mouth?

Social media is important. It’s helps get your name out there and gives you a chance to show your experience.  A website is essential—but the website just sits there unnoticed unless you have a way to draw people to your site.

Food Friday #9

Karen Quatsoe

www.karenquatsoe.com

1. How did you get into styling?

I got into prop styling in a round about way. In colleges(SVA in NY) I did an internship and worked in a photo studio. The photographer had me running around gathering props for him for still life projects...he shot for AVON quite a bit. I was an advertising/graphic design major but realized by my last year that  I couldn't really see myself doing that as I didn't enjoy drawing story boards or choosing the point size and style of type. After graduation I started a costume jewelry business w/ a childhood friend selling to stores around the country including Blooming, Bendel's, Nordstrom's. After about 8 years our cottage industry needed to move to another level and my friend and I both decided we wanted to pursue other things so I thought about styling. Someone I knew from my neighborhood in Brooklyn was a stylist and I started assisting her.

2. Did you start out styling rooms or food?

The woman I worked for did both  prop styling for food shoots and room shoots. After a few years when I was off on my own I ended up  working for  both HOUSE BEAUTIFUL SPECIAL INTEREST PUBLICATIONS and WOMAN"S DAY SPECIALS styling  for titles such as Home improvement, Kitchen and Bath , Decorating and Remodeling , Home Building. So for several years I traveled around the country as a field editor/stylist working exclusively in homes styling rooms.

3. What do you enjoy styling more? Why?

I currently do more food shoots locally...mostly NYC... A variety of projects including magazines, cookbooks, advertising, and packaging. I started doing more food shoots in the mid 1990's. I would say I enjoy both equally but shooting homes involved traveling and I was really sick of living "out of a suitcase" from May thru Oct.

4. Where do you find your ingredients for your food shoots?

I find props in stores, flea markets and prop houses. The prop houses are the most valuable tool for a prop stylist as the house so many props in one place that may be difficult to find at retail in a timely manner. When you are working on magazines or catalogues you are shooting out of season. Say a Christmas shoot in July so the prop houses are vital.

5. Do you see yourself getting hired directly by photographers or art directors?

I would say both.

6. Who is one of your biggest clients?

A partial client list is on my site. In addition to those listed I have worked for Goya and for Rodale on the BIGGEST LOSER:FLAVORS OF THE WORLD COOKBOOK.

7. Where do you primarily work? Any travel involved?

 I primarily work in NYC. I live in Bucks County. Pa. and would love to work closer to home.

8. Do you see social media as a helpful tool for your business or is a lot of your work word of mouth?

Mostly word of mouth but sending e-mailers with a link to my website. Art directors, photographers and  food companies has definitely been worthwhile.

9. Do you have a favorite food you enjoy styling? Pretty food? Easy food?
 
My favorite projects whether they be still life. rooms or food usually involve combining old and new props, strong color and texture. I worked on a personal project on a farm in NY state with a team that included 2 food stylist and a photographer.

Counter Culture Coffee...

Copyright 2011 IPhone

I took this a few weeks ago while up in New York and wanted to share it. 

This was at Bluebird Coffee Shop in the east village. 

It's small, flavorful, and friendly. 

-Felicia 

 

Food Friday #7

Lisa Russell

http://www.stylingbylisa.com/

1.) How long have you been in the food styling business?

I have been prop styling for seven years. I started food styling about five years ago mostly out of necessity because several of the shoots I was styling were about entertaining and therefore involved food.  I’ve always been an avid cook, I’ve taken a lot of cooking classes, knife sills classes, etc. and also built my prop styling career by working in the restaurant business at night.


2.) What is your education background?

I have an undergraduate degree is in journalism and I worked in publishing both in Philadelphia and New York for several years before going back to school for photography.



3.) Who was your first break through client?

I’m not sure that I’ve ever had one break through client but there have been three employers on my career path who have given me significant guidance and opportunities.  The first is Barry Halkin, a Philadelphia architectural photographer who I worked for after graduating from art school.  He introduced me to the world of architecture and interior design.   Zave Smith, another Philadelphia photographer who I assisted for, introduced me to the idea of prop styling as a career and gave me a lot of opportunities to develop my styling skills on his shoots.   Anne Bigler, the Art Director for Philadelphia Home magazine gave me my first editorial styling job.  

4.) What do you enjoy styling the most?

I love styling food because it’s so precise.  I think fresh produce is the most beautiful thing in the world.


5.) Your site shows your wide variety of expertise, do you enjoy styling food or rooms more? 

I enjoy them both.  As I mentioned food styling is very precise and it allows me a professional outlet for my OCD.  Styling interiors gives me a chance to play with different styles of design because every location is so different.

6.) 
Do you travel a lot for work? 

No, I don’t really travel for work.  I’m based in Philadelphia and most of my clients are located in Philadelphia, New York or D.C.



7.) Where do you find your prop? Stores, Trash cans? Best resource?

I’m definitely a collector.  I love thrift stores and yard sales.  My grandmother was an antique dealer and my mom displays a lot of her old glass, plate and cookware in her home.  I borrow from my mom regularly, and refer to her home as "my second prop closet". I’m also lucky enough to have a large group of friends who are collectors of all sorts of things from old cameras and tools to vintage fabrics and jewelry.  I’m shameless about hitting up everyone I know for props.



8.) Is a lot of your work word of mouth now? How hard was it to break into styling?  

Up until a year ago, all of my work came from word of mouth. Now I list myself on several online film and photo production directories and I find them to be very effective.  Breaking into styling was not very difficult for me but I’ve had a lot of very generous people passing my name along and many clients who have been very loyal even in challenging economy.

9.) Do you find yourself working with art directors or photographers more? Or is it a middle collaboration? 

I find that I collaborate with photographers and art directors equally.  Usually the art director presents an overall vision for a project and then the photographer and I will typically work together to bring it to life.  



10.)  Hardest thing you had to style.

I think the hardest thing I ever had to style was a grilled cheese sandwich.  I have some favorite cheeses that I like to work with but for this particular shoot I had to use the client’s products, which were not very cooperative.  Also, the art director was not at the shoot so the photographer had to quickly shoot each sandwich and email it to the art director.   Every time the art director wanted to make a change, the sandwich was already too old to shoot again.  I must have made 40-50 grilled cheese sandwiches that day in order to have a perfect option ready at all times. I do however, still enjoy a good grilled cheese!

Food Friday #6

Chef Chris Koch

http://www.foodstylist.us/

www.chef-chris.com

"I love to tie history and food together."

1.) With your Broadcasting degree did you think you were going to end up as a food stylists?
No. I didn’t even know what a food stylist was back then.

2.) What made you decide on going to school for a culinary degree?
I had been working for CBS at channel 10 here in Philadelphia and at the same time was the sales manager.  When CBS sold channel 10 to NBC in 1995 or 96 I stuck around with NBC for a year. The way they did business wasn’t the way I wanted to, so I left the station. I just decided, being a very successful sales guy with money in the bank I have always wanted to work in the restaurant industry and wanted to go back and learn what the chefs were doing.  Learn the “secrets.” I have cooked and bartend in the past and I knew there were things out there I didn’t know.

3.) You have a substantial list of chefs you’ve worked with, do you think that’s where the majority of your work still comes from or was that a door that opened into more possibilities?
Neither. I came to be able to work with all those chefs in one or two locations. When I was in culinary school there was a job posting on one of the bulletin for food stylist for QVC . I didn’t know what that was so I just went to see what that was all about. I went to work for QVC. I started meeting clients out there that needed a food stylist.  Worked with industry clients T.V. styling that way.  I started with the Christina Pirello show. Started to work for Banyan Productions. At the time they were a production company that handled Christina’s program for PBS.  That’s how I got into T.V. styling production. Then started producing another show for Discovery Channel Epicurious. Which there is still a version of that on internet.  I was the kitchen director for that show. Had a team of food stylists working for me. The T.V. production business is a small inbred group that move to together to production companies. If you don’t know anyone you won’t get anywhere. Wants your in, your in. If you do a good job also. You gotta believe you can make a clients vision happen.

4.) Did you start out doing T.V. food styling or was it still photography?
Started out doing live T.V. styling with QVC. What’s great about still photo now is its digital.

5.) Do the chefs you’ve worked with have their own restaurants or was it primarily individual chefs that had recipes and cookbooks?
They were all very well known chefs with their own restaurants, cookbooks, and recipes. Paul Prudhomme, Emeril...

6.) What do you enjoy styling the most?

I like styling more than anything. Very tough to style drinks. You can recreate anything in photoshop. Digital has made it easier from a food stylist and photographer’s standpoint. Also clients get images immediately.

7.) What kind of garden do you have at home?
Vegetable, fruits, herbs. An Organic garden. I started with my seeds in the basement. Things I tend to grow are things that are usually more expensive. Eggplants, peas, tomatoes, green yellow beans. I grow my own culinary herbs. Fresh is the best!

8.) Who was your breakthrough client?
Christina Pirello. She played a pivotal role in my food styling career.

9.) Have you ever worked or been hired directly by a photographer?
 I’ve been hired by a photographer through a client. Never directly by a photographer. Usually a creative director between photographer and myself. Or a production manager with a company or magazine. I’ve been directly hired by photographer Dan Engongoro. His studio is Studio E Imaging in Lambertville, NJ. 

 

10.) What is your favorite home meal to make?
I don’t cook like I used to. I changed my eating habits in the past 2 years. Chicken Marango is my favorite dish. There is such a great story behind that dish. Sauteed chicken breast which is served over a piece of toast. On top of chicken is crawfish which have been sauteed in vermouth toped with a fried egg. Great backstory: 1804-1806 Napoleon found himself on battlefield near Marango in Italy. Moved around a lot for battle and left his supplies behind once. He was hungry and had to eat something so he finds a chicken and had cognac and vermouth. Finds crawfish at local stream and goes back and cooks a meal. Apparently first use of chicken and seafood on same dish. “Culinary legend”

Food Friday #4

Nir Adar

http://www.niradar.com/

 

 

1. Your site is very impressive because of your wide range of food you’ve styled. What is your favorite to style on a photo shoot? 
Thanks, happy you like it. I love challenges, I love collaborating with good photographers and my favorite kind of assignments are art projects involving food.

2. What did you get into first, styling in still photography or T.V.? 
I started with working on still photography, the transition to TV is a long one. TV require a totally different set of skills beyond just being a good food stylist. These days I work on both and love the mix.

3. You have a culinary background; where did you graduate from? Any degrees in styling? 
I studied in Switzerland and Israel, I worked as a chef in both places and had the opportunity to open several successful restaurants. I don’t believe you could graduate with a food styling degree, and if you could it wouldn’t be more than a good place to start.

4. How did you incorporate your fine art sculptures into your food sculptures? What came first?  
When I got to NY in 1990 I knew I wanted to be a food stylist, I had no clue where to start so I called a photographer friend of mine and asked him to photograph some art pieces I made of food. I fall in love with creating art work using food out of the plate. When I had three pieces I called Food Arts Magazine and arrange a meeting with the editor, I walked into the office and met the late Michael Batterbery the founder of food Arts Magazine. He fell in love with my work and commissioned me to work on several front covers and double spreads. Michael also introduce me to local photographer Peter Pioppo that gave me the opportunity to work of paid jobs. In my day to day work I try to bring the artistic vision and sense to every image, I believe that there are three important element to a great image. Composition, uniqueness and in our case appetite appeal. Each client pays us to work with his ingredients and ask us to creat a unique one of a kind piece of art (even when its only a burger). This is how approach my work on a daily base.

5. Ice cream is one of the harder foods to style because of it’s short life span under lights, what did you do to come up with such a unique recipe to help it last longer? 
Ice cream was the first food I worked on, Peter (photographer) specialized in shooting ice cream and I had the opportunity to observe. I came up with new techniques that allow me to hold ice cream for a longer period of time. One of the biggest secrets of a successful food stylist is having the ability to improvise, invent and be open to new ideas. Every day we are challenged with new problems, client concerns, time restriction or equipment malfunctions. The ability to solve problems is crucial.

6. Do you see yourself getting more work through photographers or art directors? 
There are several stages in a food stylist career, in each stage calls might come from different sources. Initially most calls come from the photographer who likes working with you, as you establish yourself calls will start coming from the agency as they start looking for you to maintain the look or create a new for their campaigns not necessary using the same photographer you started working with. As you establish and prove yourself to the client as the person who best understand their food you will be getting calls directly from clients as they would try to ensure they have you on set for their next project even before the agency knows of shooting days. I love having the mix of the three.  

7. Any current personal projects you are working on? 
Couple, I’m starting to put together a concept for a new book, I’m working very hard on bringing my Crispycones product to market. www.crispycones.com

8. Do you primarily work in New York or do you travel a lot for shoots? 
Most of my work these days is out of NY, I travel half my time for TV shoots in LA, Dallas as well as other places and I do work a lot in Philadelphia your home town. I love to travel.

9. Would you ever consider opening a restaurant?  
Good question. I still LOVE cooking and I dream of opening a small place with 12-20 seats that I could cook my food and have guest stay over night as a part of the experience of hosting and making guest feel at home.


10. Favorite flavor of ice cream?
Haagen Dazs Vanilla ice cream and Ciao Bella Blackberry Cabernet sorbet