Food Presentation: Food Stylist & The Art of Food Presentation

If one person would deserve to be considered a hero in the culinary world, it would have to be the food stylists. Whenever you see a picture of a culinary delight in a menu or on the television that makes your mouth water, you have seen the food stylist at work. You cannot become a food stylist overnight and master the art of food presentation, however, and it takes a lot of creativity and on-the-job training to become a professional in the field of food styling. Here are a few things to consider if you are interested in a career as a food stylist.

1. Get an education. While there is no formal degree required to become a food stylist, most of the well-respected professionals got their start in the culinary arts. Understanding how to make food look good when it is presented is a must for the professional food stylist, and top culinary schools like The Art Institutes and The Culinary Academy offer courses in food presentation which will prove to be very helpful throughout your career.
2. Get some on the job training. One of the best ways to learn the art of the food stylist is to apprentice with a seasoned professional. Becoming an assistant to a well-known food stylist will not only teach you the tricks of the trade, but will also help you get closer to the people you may want to work for some day.
3. Learn all the tricks. The job of the food stylist is to turn ordinary food into literal works of art. For this reason, the professional food stylist has an arsenal of creative tricks for food presentation that they utilize to help make the food they prepare look as appetizing as possible. Some of these tricks include:
   • Steam creation – using cool air nebulizers to give the appearance of real steam.
   • Adding color - Food stylists use different techniques, including the use of gravies and food coloring to make food appear more vibrant than it actually is.
   • Fake Milk - Food stylists often use heavy cream instead of milk to prevent cereal from becoming soggy while filming.
   • Plastic Ice - One of the most common tricks is to use plastic ice cubes while filming so the drinks continue to appear cold and refreshing.

These are just a few of the tricks that food stylists use while performing their craft and mastering the art of food presentation. Over time, the food stylist will pick up a number of techniques and usually invent some of their own that may someday become staples in the field of food styling.

1. Build a reputation. Once you’ve gotten your foot in the door as a food stylist, take all the work you can get and become as flexible as possible to meet your clients’ needs. Build a reputation as a food stylist who is both creative and flexible and you are sure to see your career take off.