Have you always loved food?
Not really—my mom was a terrible cook! But as a teenager, I was a vegetarian for a while. That forced me to eat things I wouldn’t normally eat. I had to experiment and explore, and I learned a lot about food.
How did you become a food stylist?
I started out as a chef. Then I started assisting food stylists on my days off. They had to work so hard to make something look like they hadn’t worked on it at all. I loved the creativity I saw.
What’s your favorite styling trick?
You’d be surprised by how many paper towels I use! For example, I needed to create a big bowl of salad. But if I filled it with just salad, the heavier vegetables would sink to the bottom. So first I filled the bowl with crumpled paper towels. Then I put the salad ingredients on top of that. The paper towels held everything up.
What traits does a food stylist need?
You have to be able to stay focused. I once styled a burger that was going to be photographed super close-up. I spent hours making sure the sesame seeds on the bun were placed perfectly.
What’s the hardest food to work with?
Definitely chocolate. You can’t really touch it. Every single fingerprint and smudge shows up in photos. It’s really frustrating.
Why is cooking important?
Cooking is a skill you’ll have for the rest of your life. So find someone who loves to cook and ask if you can help out. The kitchen is a very welcoming place!