From childhood, Tomi has always been fascinated by the image of food, especially in places like billboards and fliers. Something about how they felt inviting attracted her interest. She also thought about how this quality would have made countless people like her salivating and drawn to the brand. At some point, she asked herself, “Who are those people that make these? What are they called? I would also like to do this.”
Like Tomi, many people marvel at the aesthetics of food and how attractive they appear on TV or on a giant billboard on the road. However, they don’t know that the professionals behind this are called food stylists. Despite the love and creativity that go into cooking, a dish’s appearance may not necessarily reflect its flavour. That’s where a food stylist comes in. This professional tends to the aesthetics of food that make it marketable. Advertising for food and drink benefits form the work of food stylists. They need to have the ability to work well with huge teams and be imaginative and innovative.
With the hospitality industry growing in Nigeria and many food and drink brands making active moves to advertise and promote actively, the need for food stylists has become more vital than ever. In light of this, we’ll explain the role of a food stylist, the proven tips on becoming one, and provide insights from professionals in the industry on excelling as a food stylist in Nigeria. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Who Is A Food Stylist?
A food stylist collaborates with photographers, art directors, producers, editors, marketing teams, and others to transform ingredients into a delectable work of art. While food styling is an art form that can be done solo, it is usually highly social professionally and may require extended hours or working nights and weekends.
“Food styling is the art of intricately arranging meals in an orderly and well thought out manner that makes it visually appealing and appetizing to the eyes,” says Bùsáyọ̀ Isola-Seinde, a food stylist and the founder of the288co and Strokture. “And it’s majorly used for TV advertising, marketing, and photography needs.”
Food stylists frequently style food scenes on sets, in studios, or outdoors for photo or video shoots. Food stylists can be involved in almost all aspects of a shoot, including choosing and preparing the food and creating the recipes.
According to Ayomide Maclean, a set designer, art director, and food stylist, food styling also centres around presenting the food with any appropriate elements to assist in creating a visual story. “I personally see food styling as some form of design and storytelling. Beyond trying to make the food look pleasing for the camera, the essence of the presentation is to tell the story behind the journey that leads to the finished plate of a sizzling meal while stimulating the taste buds of the receiving audience, “ she explains.
Food stylists manipulate food with the help of implements like glue, skewers, blow dryers, or even blow torches to create or maintain a desired appearance.
Tips on Becoming a Food Stylist In Nigeria
There isn’t one way to become a food stylist in a country like Nigeria. However, there are proven tips you can take to guide you on that career journey. You should take the following advice into account if you decide to follow this fascinating and imaginative career path:
- Appreciation for good food
Stylists must thoroughly understand delicious food, raw ingredients, and the role aesthetics play in a recipe. In our interview with Busayo, he mentioned how fresh ingredients and aesthetically pleasing plates are instrumental in a successful food styling session.
“I set out to the local market at Mile 12 where I get fresh herbs and ingredients,” he says. “After that, I visit the local farm along Ogudu with my friend Abubakar, who owns a small garden of fresh herbs. I get more supply of herbs there.”
In addition to using props and vibrant garnishes to enhance a meal’s aesthetic appeal, food stylists also use food to convey stories. A food stylist can choose or modify a particular recipe to evoke a certain feeling while also knowing what accents should surround it, both in terms of flavour complements and aesthetics.
“One of the amazing features of Nigerian cuisine is that our rich culture combines colours and taste,” Maclean highlights. “Thus having basic visual storytelling abilities enables the food stylist to not just stand out but also carve a niche for themselves.”
As a food stylist in Nigeria, you’ll benefit from developing a keen eye for how things seem or are presented from a design standpoint.
- Attending a culinary school
“Food styling is generally vast, and every food stylist should have culinary skills, creativity, attention to detail, communication, and more importantly knowledge of the culture and the cuisines,” advises Maclean.
You can learn the art of cooking by studying the culinary arts. While potential employers might or might not expect you to have attended culinary school, many may prefer it. The information you’ll also learn there is priceless.
Programmes are available in community colleges, some universities, vocational or trade schools, culinary schools, and so on. These courses, which can last up to two years, frequently include topics like plate presentation and culinary science.
- Enrolling in a food styling workshop
There are cases where some food styling enthusiasts don’t have the luxury of time to attend a lengthy culinary school program. Attending shorter food styling courses is an option in situations like these.
You don’t have to fret. You can find these workshops online or in person at culinary schools, chef colleges, restaurants, and community centres. They also last anywhere from two days to two weeks. Additionally, you can arrange for personalized instruction.
- Interning for a food stylist
For many career paths, it’s advisable to help others before you can work independently. Another proven way to gain practical expertise in food styling is by investigating internship opportunities with private businesses, online job boards, and trade associations.
Ask for inquiries and attend photo shoots as an intern or assistant whenever possible. Remember to also connect with other professionals in your field and maintain contact with people you meet online.
According to Maclean, curiosity plays an important role in creating a successful career as a food stylist. “Curiosity drives you to be creative, it also helps you to audaciously try out new things, and on becoming a food stylist, you’ll show up as a creative and an adventurer, because every plate reveals either side of you,” she explains.
Exposure to things that can help you later as a food stylist can also further equip you with the necessary skills. For instance, working at a restaurant or a catering service can teach you everything involved in working together to plate a dish. You can also consider helping a food photographer or joining a marketing firm specializing in the restaurant and food sector.
- Equipping yourself with the necessary tools
Changing a food’s appearance is a key component of the creativity required for the job of a food stylist. This task can occasionally be made simpler by maintaining a toolkit of objects that you can use to portray a meal’s delectability throughout protracted photography.
Food stylists regularly employ commonplace tools to handle food to create picture-perfect presentations, such as cotton swabs, toothpicks, tongs, tweezers, and latex gloves. For instance, glycerin is frequently used to preserve foods.
According to Busayo, his tools are instrumental for a great food-styling session. “After I sort out all that’s needed, such as my prop items, I head out to work and start my day with my brushes, paints, spray bottle, and edible oils,” he says.
- Develop your skills outside of the kitchen
As a food stylist, collaboration is an essential skill to have. You’ll need to work with a large group of creatives, including photographers, art directors, and producers, to develop concepts, plan precise images, and turn client requirements into works of art.
According to Busayo, improvisation, understanding, and proper time management are vital skills any food stylist should have. “You should be very understanding because you’d work with a lot of clients who don’t know specifically what they want, so it’s your skill set that will, in turn, help you figure it out,” he explains.
In the field of food styling, inventiveness and a strong palate will get you far, but many additional abilities might project you farther.
Consider honing your photography, design, marketing, and business skills to help you work with a team more effectively, stand out from other applicants, and improve your job as a food stylist.
Maclean explains that outside of working on a food styling project, she consistently equips herself by watching videos of various cuisines and learning about recipes, textures, colours, and presentations. Other days, she spends time reviewing her work to hone her skills.
Food stylists should have a fundamental understanding of the components of food, how they interact, how food changes in various settings, and how to maintain food’s aesthetic appeal.
