3 Things to Know About Hiring a Food Stylist for Your Cookbook with Callie Blount

Photo by @brookelark at Unsplash

Long before we all started doing photo shoots at every brunch and dinner party, food stylists were hovering around sets with water bottles and extra sprigs of thyme. They’re the magicians behind the scenes who, without you knowing it, make you buy that magazine or cookbook for the cover photo alone. It’s also their “fault” your Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t look like the picture.

So, why do people believe they wouldn’t need a food stylist for their cookbook? Author Jessica Murnane believed she could do the food styling and photography herself for One Part Plant. And then she caved, hired a team for her cookbook shoot and said it was one of the easiest and most fun parts of creating the entire book. 

Sometimes, you just have to bring in the experts. That’s why I wanted to call on my friend and professional food stylist, Callie Blount to walk us through the process of finding the perfect styling partner for your cookbook. Here are the 3 things Callie wants you to know about hiring a food stylist for your cookbook.

1. What’s the number one thing an author should look for in a food stylist?

 A great food stylist is organized, articulate, and able to cast vision for how to present a dish. I am a BIG believer in websites to showcase a stylist's style, perspective, and background. There are several different types of food stylists out there — some specialize in editorial/cookbook/magazine work, and you can see that on their site. Others prefer commercial work, like styling for Carl's Junior or Sonic. Others prefer motion work, like a Logan's steakhouse commercial. You should be able to easily see on their site what they love to do and match what you are looking for with what they can create.

2. What do authors miss out on by not hiring a food stylist? 

Ohh so much!! This is a point I am passionate about as a stylist. There is a WIDE divide between plating food and plating food for a camera. For example, when I look at food now, I see light. I look at where the shadows are, where the highlights are, and consider which angles of food will reflect light, and how the placement of a spray of water, or spritz of oil, or another layer of texture will create a mouth-watering image. There are also straight-up logistical elements a stylist helps with that make the day flow SO much more smoothly! Stylists understand which foods to plate first, which ones can be prepped the day ahead and how to store them so they look perky, which recipes will take the most time and exactly how long a piece of pizza will last on set before it looks like a greasy hot-mess.

3. When the day(s) goes perfectly (or as perfectly as they can), what does that look and feel like for both the stylist and author? 

It feels fulfilling. It feels like there was amazing energy flowing through the team that allowed them to create at their best. It looks like images that you are really, really proud of and maybe even a slight sadness that the days have ended.

One More Thing:

To me, one of the most exciting privileges of being a food stylist is the chance to work with wildly intelligent and creative humans. I think about all of the stylists that have built confidence, skill, and wisdom in me; it's also a brilliant opportunity to serve others and help their vision come alive. It's fulfilling and challenging; oftentimes leaves me with sore feet and a Whole Foods bag of wayyy to many bunches of carrots with stems, but it's wonderful. I highly recommend hiring one, knowing one, or befriending one. I am pretty sure it will bless your life!

Callie was born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama- which means Southern hospitality and a deep love and respect for food courses through her Crimson Tide veins. Spending her childhood days in her neighbor’s vegetable gardens, flower beds and front porches informs her love for beauty and connections with clients. Now that she calls Nashville home, for her, her husband and son Eli-at the end of the day, the best thing that can happen is that people feel loved, and food, kindness and beauty are celebrated. Amen.