Food Stylist: Lisa Kuehl

Chicago Based Food Stylist

Lisa Kuehl

http://lisabenitezkuehl.com/portfolio/

How did you get into styling?
I got started when I came back from living in California with my ex husband, I was in the process of a divorce and trying to figure out what I was going to do since I was a teacher of the culinary arts in California and was not even going to attempt to go back to restaurant life. I have a cousin who is a photographer and was doing free lance work for magazines like time out Chicago, Chicago Magazine and I had not much to do yet in means of a job so she offered to use me as her assistant meaning just keep her company and my mind off my struggling life HA! So she took me to Time Out where I met the editor and she gave us a tour of the set up of the magazine and she explained they also do some food styling! I have known of food styling since I was in culinary school but had no real luck breaking threw to actually work in the industry. She basically said its real simple food styling. I was like well if its just presentation I would love to do it and she agreed to use me and my first shoot for only $150.00 was 2 page spread and making connections. I have been doing it ever since and its been 8 years.

What was your first real break-through job?
I really can't say what was my big break of a job? Maybe when a film studio like Big Deahl hired me at a real assistant position, then I was in and when a food stylist named Karen Robinson took me under her wing and brought me in under her and thats was when I really was now a real food stylist assistant.

Where are some places you have traveled to for work?
I have not been as international as some long time food stylist. I have been to Detroit, Phoenix, and Madison IL! I am sure that will change.

Who has been your inspiration for styling?
My inspiration I would have to say is Donna Hay, she is a Australian stylist and I have been a huge fan of her work since culinary school. Super clean and modern and not tremendously over styled.

What is the hardest thing you have styled?
Ice Cream!! It is a specialty and very hard to perfect.


Is a lot of your work word of mouth or is marketing yourself a big tool?
Yes! A lot of word of mouth and networking in the sense of keeping in the loop with photographers and chatting up the clients so they remember you. Its a lot of what kind of person you are as well as your work. People like to work with stylist who are not difficult or divas lol...not naming names.


Must have tool on set.
We all who are stylist have there own kit or tools and depending on the kind of job you might need more and then you can charge kit fees. For instance, if a client has no real kitchen or the photographer then you need to bring things that would be necessary to do the job other that the basic tool kit equipment.

Any tips you could share for food stylists starting out?
My advice for those looking to get into food styling, it’s really hard but just try to connect and offer free services to be able to just get in and luck. Stylist usually have there favorites and they know how the stylist like things and they have already made a bond and the stylist trust them with shopping and detail to work and product.

Photo Shoot: Soup Cookbook

The start of 2014 has not been a slow one. The beginning of February I had the chance to photograph a great soup cookbook! The author was a well-known NY based cook/writer and developed a soup book in her many series of food cookbooks. I cannot release the names and such since it's still being designed and won't be released till this Fall. Normal publications can have a 2-3 year turnaround so this is actually going to be quick.

I got to work with my favorite food and prop stylists who worked very hard the 5 days we were shooting.
Below are a couple quick takeouts from the many shots we took for recipes, fillers, and cover options.

OH! we had some downtime too so here's some army men climbing on soup ladles

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.

Food Stylist: Jen Beauchesne

Jen Beauchesne
http://jenbeauchesne.com/

Photo By: Michael Indresano

1.While you were studying photography at RIT did you have a specialty you wanted to pursue?

I actually went into RIT as a freshman thinking I wanted to shoot fashion, but quickly learned I was much happier shooting still life in the studio rather than models. Once we got to start taking electives the first one I choose was Food Photography and I just knew that's exactly what I wanted to do.

2.When did you decide to change over from photography to food styling?

I decided to switch over about a year ago when I realized I was much happier on the other side of the lens and in the kitchen.

3.Who have you worked with/admired to help hone your skills as a stylist?

I work with Sunny Ricks a lot she is an amazing stylist who has taught me so much about this industry and has been the best helping me transition from Boston to NYC.

4.Do you like to cook yourself?

Yes, I love cooking for myself, although I don't always have time, I try to find time on the weekends to try new recipes!

5.Do you prefer to style one type of food over another?

No real preference on what kind of foods, I love them all :)

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

I would love to style for Donna Hay Magazine, I absolutely adore their aesthetic and quality of work.

Photo By: Will Styer

7.What has been the most difficult thing for you to style?

The most difficult thing for me to style was actually a bowl of mayo, the photographer wanted it one way and the client, who was weighing in remotely, wanted it another way, so there was a lot of back and forth and the mayo kept congealing, not fun, but we got thru it!

8.What is your must have tool on set?

I would say my must have tool would be my tweezers, I have about five different pairs, all for different uses.

Relaunch- New Website Same Great Taste!

www.perrettiphotography.com


After months of mulling over the idea of changing my website host I finally made the plunge and transferred my portfolios to a new and exciting service. You will see at the top the same basic portfolios with some reorganizing. My most current contact info and that same quirky photo of me eating. I'm now able to integrate my Blogger into my website instead of having a separate link. Also I no longer have that flashy opening for my site just taking you right to my work.

Hope you like it!

Food Stylist: Claudia Ficca

Claudia Ficca

Food Styling + Photography

http://www.claudiaficca.com
 

Davide Luciano from my Iphone

1. Any one in your family come from a food background?
We're Italian! We talk about what we will make for  dinner while we are eating lunch!  No one comes from a food background but my brothers and I are all work with food. They own an Italian bakery in Montreal called La Cornetteria.

2. How long have you been styling? Shooting?
5 years

3. What are your inspirations for projects, any notable stylists you admire?
It really depends on the project I'm working on, if I am working on something seasonal, I am really inspired by the actual ingredients. I get so inspired at the Farmers Market. I also find a lot of inspiration online and in food magazines. I am very much inspired by Mariana Velasquez, she is an incredibly talented food stylist and he work is always fresh and delicious looking. I also admire Victoria Granof's work, I love how playful and conceptual it is. 

4. When did you start your blog?
I don't really have a blog. I have one that's attached to my website, It's just a place I use to showcase some recent projects in depth and this reminds me that it needs to be updated!!

5. Where is the farthest you have traveled for a styling job?
I've styled in NYC, Boston and Montreal.

7. Do you have a preference over what type of work you style/photograph? (restaurants, editorial...)
I love change, so having different projects all the time is what I love most. Each project brings new challenges from which I learn and that keeps things interesting for me.

8. Favorite thing to cook.  
Lately, I've been really into making soups at home. It's the perfect time of year for it and I am loving all the gorgeous produce at the farmer's market.

9. Favorite thing to photograph?
Anything with gorgeous color and texture like fresh fruits & veggies. I also enjoy photographing food stories that evoke emotion.

Food Stylist: Vivian Lui

Vivian Lui
http://www.vivianlui.com/

Photo By: John Kernick

1. Any one in your family come from a food background? 
No but my mom is a really wonderful cook.

2. How did you start your career in food styling? 
It's career number two for me and a complete departure from the first (which involved too many excel spread sheets).  I moved to New York to go to culinary school.  Afterwards, I met some very talented food stylists who cooked beautiful food and was very fortunate to have worked with them.

3. What are your inspirations for projects? Travel, farmers markets, movies, art, restaurant  
Any notable stylists you admire?  The stylists I assisted

4. Have you ever done film or commercial styling? Is that of interest to you?
Commercial yes but not film. Always interesting to mix it up so definitely would be interested.

5. Was there something you styled that was harder than you imagined?
I can't think of one specific thing but it's always a little challenging when recipes aren't tested or don't work.  You definitely need good knowledge of cooking to be able to foresee any issues beforehand or to fix the problem.

6. Is a lot of your work word of mouth or do you constantly market yourself?
In NY it was mainly word of mouth.  Now that I'm in LA, it's a bit different.  Still trying to work it out.

7. Have you traveled for jobs?
If so where is the farthest you’ve been?
Yes, a little bit around the US.  Exploring the food culture of a new city is always a good way to get a feel for it. Years ago, my fiance worked in Asia for a short period and I took some time to explore food styling over there.  The industry was still emerging and it was an interesting experience.  The markets were fantastic and developing recipes with new ingredients was a fun challenge.

Photo By: Christina Holmes

8. Must have tool on set.  
An apron and a kitchen towel to keep me from wiping my hands on my jeans.  A small paint brush.  Patience.

Q & A With Food Stylist: Randy Mon

Randy Mon

 415.518.5460  

http://www.randymon.com

NOW BLOGGING AT:

www.lookingatfood.com

1. Any one in your family come from a food background?

Both my mother and German grandmother were good cooks and entertainers, and would on occasion help a family-friend who was a caterer.  I was definitely influenced by them.  I learned, already in high school, that my composed fruit platter, when brought to a potluck, would receive more positive attention than even the best-tasting casserole.

2. How did you start your career in food styling? Did you have friends in a similar field or photography friends?

I didn’t have any friends doing anything like what I would eventually do. After only two years of college, I worked in a multitude of restaurants in San Francisco, Aspen, Colorado and NYC, usually as a waiter, and I did my own catering on the side, out of whatever home I was living in (even though I always had 4 and 5 roommates, they put up with me because I would feed them.).  I liked food presentation, but I was clear I didn’t want to “grow up” to be a caterer nor a waiter, and for a long time, I had terrible career-crisis-blues, not realizing I was preparing perfectly for my dream job all along. 

When I started out, food styling was not a commonly known obvious profession.  My epiphany came when a friend suggested, “there must be someone making that McDonald’s hamburger for the advertisements who is getting paid well to do it”.  At the time we didn’t even know the term, “food stylist”.  I continued to work in restaurants, familiarizing myself with a variety of different ethnic cuisines and their ingredients, and eventually I began noticing credits for food stylists under images in the Sunday newspaper.  Since the internet still didn’t exist, I had to look those people up in the phone book to call them, and eventually I began assisting.

3. What are your inspirations for projects, any notable stylists you admire?

Eating out at innovative places is helpful. 
Donna Hay, the famous Australian food stylist, is amazing.  Food stylists aren’t generally chefs, and chefs rarely are food stylists; she is both.  She is so good, I hate her ;-)


4. Do you have a preference over editorial or advertising work?

Each are gratifying in their own ways.  Editorial work allows me to cook naturally and more freely, which I sincerely enjoy.  While advertising can be quite controlled, it does appeal to my meticulous nature.  There are great opportunities for problem solving and I do love realizing an art director’s tight layout.  
With both, collaboration is essential, and can often be quite exhilarating!

Left and lower right photos: Iain Bagwell for Sunset Magazine Upper right photo: Rory Earnshaw

5. Was there something you styled that was harder than you imagined?

There is a beer pour that I did for a T.V. commercial once that comes to mind.
My job was to prepare the beer glass with fake frost and condensation and pour the beer in an exact 2 seconds while simultaneously producing the perfect head.  Once the crew was done lighting the glass of beer, they had made it literally, physically impossible to get near the glass.  The huge motion picture camera was butted right up to the set, and they had built a plexiglass corral, about 3 feet high, which surrounded the set.  I had to screw a plastic pitcher to a wooden broom handle to pour the beer from.  I was given a camera stand to use as a bridge to steady my broom handle.  In the end it worked out really well.  To see it, please check out the advertising section of my website.

6. Any dream clients you want to work with? Already worked with?

Over the summer, I had an incredible job in NYC, arranging vegetables around bottles of V-8 juice.  Being there for a week was really fun, and still-life arrangement is a specialty of mine.  Last spring I worked with an amazing crew on a really cool T.V. cookie commercial that can be seen on my blog,
http://lookingatfood.com/ (it is a handful or so of posts back)
The production company from St. Louis was great to work with and hang out with, and they made my styling look so good. Recently, I had an inquiry from a local producer to work for a resort in the Yucatan.  Sadly, it went away as quickly as it came, and I’m hoping it comes back.  Traveling for work is wonderful.

 7. How hard was it to get the vegetables to stay on the mannequin in the advertising image on your site?

That dress form was lying flat on the ground and shot from directly above, so I didn’t have to fight gravity too much.  The salad ingredients were literally pinned to the padded form.

8. Must have tool on set.

Chopsticks; I can’t imagine styling food without them.

New Holiday Packaging Work...

Here's some of my most recent packaging work for my client Alouette. These were just released for the holiday season coming up.

I've tried both recommended recipes on package and they are to die for!

Oktoberfest - Munich, Germany

This was a small part of our Europe trip, but most memorable for me to have experienced. Oktoberfest was an amazing time as you can see from the photos and video (which there is still more to come.)

The passion for this tradition the Bavarians do once a year is nothing comparable to any other drinking fest I've experienced. Germany is the beer capital of the world and they certainly live up to it. After experiencing their beer and food I still have to say Philadelphia has the best soft pretzel.

**Also wearing lederhosen is normal for this event, not an obnoxious American thing.

1 of 9 beer tents each holding approx. 2,500 people

Hofbrauhaus

Joe and I with our liter of beer!

BTS: Sunoco Photo Shoot...

As many East Coast goers know, Sunoco is a staple gas station that is only expanding and getting better. It's always a great time working with the marketing team and creatives to improve on their outreach and imagery.

Currently I'm working on a project with them for a new store location outside of Philadelphia. First of 3 weeks of shooting has come and gone and the excitment for the launch is just growing.

Here's a behind the scene's look on set at Sunoco Headquarters

Styling By: Lisa Russell

B.T.S.

Behind The Scene- Meatball Photo Shoot

I got a call just a week ago from a local marketing company that had a client that needed a meatball packaging shot done this week. I could not turn down the opportunity and just in that one day of shooting I met the entire family! There was a true passion for their product and you could taste the home made quality in it as well.

Screen capture from the day shoot

Tearsheet: Triathlete Magazine...

 

It was so fun to with with Kevin Couch the executive chef of Cuba Libre at the Old City location. He put together his Fuel dish which consisted of whole wheat quinoa pancakes and blueberries. 

Recipe To Live By: Roasted Garlic

I love garlic and cook with it every chance I get. The smell of it in my home, the taste of it on bread is perfect in every way. Here's a recipe I use for roasted garlic that so simple and a great way to use garlic alternatively. 

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact.
Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.

3 Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

4 Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.

Eat as is (I love straight roasted garlic) or mash with a fork and use for cooking. Can be spread over warm French bread, mixed with sour cream for a topping for baked potatoes, or mixed in with Parmesan and pasta.

#Playingwithfood

This past month my personal project series #Playingwithfood was released. Other than promoting it via social media a select group of photo editors and art directors in the Philadelphia and New York area received my direct mailer. I got a strong response and expect to continue working on this project.

Below are a couple images from the series. You can see more at my website.
 www.perrettiphotography.com

Interview with Beatrice Peltre

www.latartinegourmande.com

http://www.beatricepeltre.com/

Photo/Recipe by: Beatrice Peltre

How did you get into food styling?
I didn't intend to do food styling. But I realized how passionate I was about it when I started my food blog. That said, I was always into visual arts, design, and I loved to make beautiful plates of food at home, for every day and special occasions--and being French for that matter definitely helped me. I've always been a believer that we eat with our eyes first.

What was your first draw, the photography, writing, or styling?
Styling and Photography. And then writing.

When did your blog, La Tartine Gourmande start? Have you gotten work through that?
I started my blog in November 2005. And yes, I have received a lot of work with it. It's thanks to it that people have been able to notice my work when I started.


Congrats on your first cookbook! Where did the inspiration for the recipes come from?  

Were they handed down or original creations of your own?
Thank you. Yes, all original recipes. Inspired by my French roots, my travels, and all of the foods I love to cook and eat. The book is really a reflection of my style of cooking and the foods I cook for my family and friends. I've cooked them over and over. And always love them the same way.


Do you travel a lot for work on the East Coast? Have you gone out of the country for work too?
I've traveled within the US and outside the US for work. Especially when I teach food styling and photography workshops. Finding interesting locations for the attendees is key--I am always looking for a cultural interest.

What are your inspirations for food styling? Your photography? Are they similar?
Various sources, not one that is always the same. I read and follow magazines, of course, but mainly I draw inspirations from the foods and ingredients I cook with. They have a natural beauty that I love to enhance.

Any dream clients you want to work for?
Not necessarily.  Anyone whose products and foods talk to me. it helps when I believe in the objects I photograph and style.

What is your favorite thing to cook?
Vegetables. And I love to bake and prepare pretty scrumptious desserts! ;-)

 

 

Food Stylist: Sabina Pensek

http://tolstanutrija.com/
http://sabinapensek.tumblr.com/

How did you get into food styling?

Well I got into food and cooking during my college years and from than on it became my passion. It is a place I go to when I need to relax or when I need to steam off some creativity. But I didn't want to become a chef. Photography has been my hobby from my high school years. I guess that the combination of those two is the perfect fit to become a food stylist. At first I was doing all sorts of jobs on commercials, but everyone knew about my passion for food. When foreign productions came to Slovenia to film food commercials, they brought food stylists with them and those needed someone who they could rely on during the preparations days; someone who knows about seasonal ingredients, this and that about cooking, and most importantly, they were looking for someone who they can rely on during the strenuous shooting days. So I gave it a go. At first I was overwhelmed but the moment I got a taste of it I fell in love with the job.


You seem to have more video styling than still, do you like that more? Did you start in film?

Right away I started working on film, but I had a pretty good idea about the work flow on the shoots, but for someone who didn't have an opportunity to experience that, it can be quite overwhelming. It is very, very demanding, because there are more variables, more uncontrollable factors and things that can surprise you and consequentially, go wrong... So you have to be prepared, think ahead and foresee things. Unpredictability is always in the air. You have to be quick and efficient, but always in control.


Where do you look for your inspiration?

I browse food blogs every day. I study the photos featured on those blogs and try to understand why some are more appealing to the eye and why food looks better on some. How the food is lighted and the textures add to this appeal. Also my inspiration are people I work or worked with. Food stylists with 10, 20 or 30 years of work experiences...


How long have you been in the business? Who are some notable clients you have worked for?

It's been only a few years since I started doing this professionally and getting paid for that, but fortunately I had a very quick and efficient "go" during this time and gathered quite a lot of experiences and built my references, as an assistant or solo food stylist. You can see my show reel on www.sabinapensek.tumblr.com


Any dream clients you want to work for?

I haven't thought about that yet. Maybe it is not so much about the clients, maybe it is more about creative behind the commercial or a shoot. I would love to do a big medieval feast of sorts.  That would be fun!


Can you tell me about your photo shoot with Delamaris? (Quick walk through how you approached this styling job)
That was a shoot for a photo on a package, and it is not out yet, so i better not talk about it just yet.


Can you tell me a little about your TV shoot with Gea?
Meggle cheese commercial is more recent and a bit more interesting than Gea.

The client wanted to tell the story of a typical family breakfast. Not too tidy and classic, but rustic, with story and with a hint of nostalgia - like a grandma would prepare. So the props on the table - the utensils and plates were selected in that manner and I styled the food on the table that way. Fresh and healthy ingredients that go along with the tasty cheese spread and cottage cheese. To get that perfect knife and the cheese spreading action we had to have quit e few go’s, always with a a new package. It had to be warmed to just the right temperature to get that nice glossy flow look and feel.



One tool you can’t show up without.

Tweezers!

Alouette Cheese Packaging

Just wanted to share a final rendering of a new product and packaging my client just released.

ReCap: Second Saturday Show with Hawk Krall...

It was a amazing opening at HOME on Passyunk Avenue for Second Saturday. Hawk Krall and myself collaborated on a art show comparing different food and landmarks along Passyunk Ave. We featured food inspired imagery from POPE, Stateside, Stogie Joe's and more...

Here is a link to the press page from the show

http://www.passyunkpost.com/2013/04/hawk-krall-collaboration-at-home-for-second-saturday.html

Sary, the owner at HOME had a great spread of food and drink. Alcohol was donated by Art In The Age (Philly Local Fav)

Screen Shot From Passyunk Post via Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/PassyunkPost


The show hangs for the month so make sure and go check it out!! :)

Food Stylist: Anne Marie Tobin

It's great to have Anne Marie on my blog! What sold me other than her amazing talent was the really unique opening video that I've never seen a food stylist do before...

http://www.annemarietobin.com/
stylishfood@yahoo.ie
Anne Marie Tobin

 

How did you get into styling?
First I studied at art college and then I trained to be a chef in London. There I assisted some great food stylists.


Are you originally from Ireland?
I was born in Ireland but learned to be a food stylist in London, I work out of Dublin.


Do you see different trends in Ireland than the U.S.?
The two countries have different food cultures so the food styling from each country reflects their own food culture.


Have you traveled for your work? If so where’s the farthest you have been?
While my daughters were young I focused working out of Ireland,often I work with overseas celebrity chefs who work in Ireland now they are teenagers so would welcome the chance to work further afield.


Any clients you aspire to work for?
It would be great to work for Marks and Spencer.


Who are some notable photographers you have worked with?
Simon Wheeler, Michael Michaels, Mike O Toole(my husband).


For your ice cream/milkshake shots did you use actual product or is it a mixture of other things?
For the milkshake I used real product from McDonalds but I froze it a little extra to add more texture, we also shot them as opposed to three at a time.


For your simple cheese shots for Irish Farmhouse Cheese how much cheese did you have to choose from to find the best for the shot? How long did it take to get those shots?
These shots were done over one day, the product was good quality, the better the quality the less I need to do with it. I think I had a wheel of each variety of cheese.


For your opening video on your website how did you come up with the idea? Was it a big collaboration?
Dear designer friends of mine who I had worked with many times suggested making a video where I form the word food. From there I decided to depict various different food stuff, I also wanted to choose colours that work well together. I am really pleased with the end result. There were four of us, a designer,photographer,videographer and me.


For aspiring food stylists what’s one thing you would tell them about getting into the business?
Be prepared to be flexible and willing to look at food from a different way.