A food stylist prepares and arranges food for still photographs or motion pictures in an aesthetically pleasing manner. He or she can style food for cookbooks, magazines, TV commercials, or movie scenes, but he or she does not usually photograph or film the food. While there are no specific educational requirements for becoming a food stylist, extensive experience working with food is usually beneficial.
Culinary school is one of the most common ways to start a career as a food stylist. A culinary school can teach you the fundamentals of food preparation and handling. It may also offer food science coursework so that you can understand how food reacts under various conditions. This knowledge can be useful for a future stylist career because you’ll know which foods are most likely to wilt or melt when photographed or filmed under hot lighting for long periods of time.
Working as a chef in a restaurant can also be used to replace culinary school. This is a great way to get the experience you’ll need to become a food stylist, such as how to arrange food on plates and add decorative garnishes. You can also practice styling desserts for use in dessert carts or glass displays.
You may need to create a portfolio of your work before applying your food experience skills to become a food stylist. Many stylists begin their careers as assistants to seasoned professionals in the field of food styling. You can approach stylists who work for publishing houses or advertising firms through your culinary school advisers, or you can approach stylists who work for publishing houses or advertising firms directly. Working as an assistant will provide you with professional experience and allow you to compile a portfolio of photographs or film clips. Because assistant jobs are often unpaid internships or low-paying jobs, you may need a second job with a flexible schedule while you gain experience.
Network and get contact information for the clients you and the stylist are styling while you’re working as an assistant. After you’ve built up a portfolio of clips, use that information to inquire about future job opportunities as the main stylist on your own. This will enable you to freelance and gain multiple clients, allowing you to eventually work as a full-time food stylist.
You can continue freelancing or apply for contract positions once you’ve worked full-time as a main stylist. If you prefer to style food for still photographs for cookbooks, reach out to cookbook publishing houses. If you want to style food photographs for articles or magazine covers, contact magazine editors. You can also apply to work as a stylist for television or print advertisements by contacting advertising firms. Contact studios or production companies if you want to style food for movie scenes; however, the work will most likely be freelance.