COMMUNICATIONS/LEGAL - FOOD STYLIST 6 Food Stylist COMMUNICATIONS/LEGAL A picture is worth a thousand words. Have you ever seen a photograph of food that looks so good it almost jumps off the page? What about a colourful photo of a birthday cake that looks so pretty you consider it art? Well, getting food to look amazing takes work. Luckily there are professionals out there who know what to do to make images pop. These professionals known as food stylists can communicate powerful messages to viewers. Overall, they are responsible for all the beautiful food images we see on commercials, restaurant menus and social media. 1. Food Stylists Prepare and Present Food Food stylists prepare, plate and present food by arranging food in a way that looks appealing to the camera. Food stylists research clients and dishes to create beautiful photos. Furthermore, they communicate with clients, photographers, prop stylists, advertising, commerce and marketing teams prior to and during shoots. It is essential that they communicate effectively so they understand the visions of the clients. Some food stylists even cook or bake the food presented in a photo! These tasks, however, are general and are not all done by every food stylist. For example, some food stylists are freelancers and perform every task by themselves in the comfort of their homes. Alternatively, some stylists are required to go shopping for equipment and props prior to a shoot. It all depends on the company they work for and the client at hand. 2. Food Stylists Understand Food Although food stylists may not be food scientists, they have a strong understanding of the connection that cooking has with food. For example, they understand how salmon changes from orange to pink when cooked or the cooking process of creating an over easy egg that has a fully white egg white. Food stylists develop a strong food knowledge by reading cookbooks and practice cooking and baking constantly. It is not uncommon for a food stylist to have a background in culinary arts. 3. Food Stylists Do Not Need Degrees Many food stylists do not have a culinary arts degree from a culinary institute or college. This is because food styling is a unique profession that allows the individual to be self-taught. Many resources already exist for food stylists to hone their skills for photography, cooking and creative design. However, a degree in the culinary arts can provide stylists with a strong cooking foundation allowing them to focus on media capture side of the profession. Alternatively, an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree can be extremely useful for becoming a food stylist. Formal training provides professionals with a solid foundation that can be used for their careers. A food stylist can possess various educational backgrounds. Common education routes for food stylists include art, business, food science and marketing. However, within recent years, more colleges are offering certificates in Food Media. Courses for these programs include culinary arts, creative plate presentation and social media marketing. 4. Food Stylists are Creative Food styling is a form of art, meaning it lends itself well to the creative. Take, for example, a Food Stylist Making food look delicious Photo by Pixel-Shot George Brown College is an Education Partner of ours, check them out on FoodGrads! Click their logo below! Available Programs: Food and Media, Honours of Food Studies, Honours of Commerce (Culinary Management), Culinary Art George Brown College
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