A review of The Food Stylist’s Handbook

I saw Denise Vivaldo, the author of The Food Stylist’s Handbook, present at Camp Blogaway earlier this year. She shared some funny stories and a few general tips, but kept her food styling secrets to herself.

When I complained about the meager take away from the session, a friend remarked that Denise must be keeping all the good stuff for her book. Indeed she was as The Food Stylist’s Handbook chapter titles reveal:

• Food styling as a career
• What a food stylist does
• The different niches of food styling
• Starting a food styling business
• Building a food styling kit
• Marketing your food styling business
• Making money and selling your services
• Preparing for magic time
• Tricks of the trade

Denise explains in vast detail how to be a food stylist. She shares tips on how to start your own business and gives examples how to do it right, from styling job sheets to sample press releases. If this is an industry you want to work in, The Food Stylist’s Handbook should be your bible.

But is The Food Stylist’s Handbook right for food bloggers?

After attending Art Ramirez’s sessions at Camp Blogaway, going behind scenes at General Mills’ photography studios, and attending classes given by Todd and Diane, the White on Rice Couple, Jen from Use Real Butter and Helene from Tartelette, I’ve realized that every food blogger/photographer has their own philosophy on how to present food.

Most food bloggers tend to photograph the food they just made and are planning to eat or serve to others. The recipe and the final product are just as important as a nice photograph. While food bloggers want a gorgeous picture, most won’t manipulate their food to the point of making it inedible. Their food is real – and waiting for dinner to be served!

Yes, food bloggers play with lighting. They fuss with the way the food is arranged. They may punch up the colors and fix the contrast in Photoshop. They will use a cotton swab to remove crumbs from a plate. And they may even spray vegetables with water to keep them looking fresh.

But they don’t paint food with dyes, build a scaffold to prop up a sandwich, or use fake ice cream made from powdered sugar and Crisco.

That’s where Denise’s philosophy butts heads with many food bloggers’ views. As a professional food stylist, she’s there to make food as gorgeous and perfect as possible, whether it’s for a cookbook or a movie. But the food is manipulated to the point where it’s inedible and thrown away. In fact, the food she styles is almost never made for consumption. It’s just there to look pretty for the job assignment.

That’s OK for her business and her clients, but it may not be the way you handle the photography on your food blog. If that’s the case, you may find her book discouraging. Still, food bloggers should check out The Food Stylist’s Handbook for tips on how to make your real food look better. For example, Denise’s detailed instructions on how to make stew look good (strain it, pick out the good pieces, arrange them in a bowl, then add back the liquid, etc.) are worth trying and you can have your stew afterwards (unless you leave it out for hours that is).

You can purchase the book at Amazon (currently) for $31.50.

Anne-Marie Nichols is the Managing Editor of Mom Central Blogger University. You can also find her blogging up some healthy recipes at This Mama Cooks!

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Disclosure: Anne-Marie received a review copy of the book to facilitate this review.

Anne-Marie Nichols