Bio
Photo: Francine Zaslow
On November 7, 1990, I came across an article in The New York Times titled “Food Styling: The Art of Making the Basil Blush” by Dena Kleiman. In her piece, Kleiman noted, “Since there seemed to be no books on the subject and all that is known about the craft is learned on the job, many stylists keep their professional secrets to themselves.” This statement immediately captured my interest and deepened my fascination with the field of food styling.
At that point, I already had five years of experience as a food stylist. When I first sought work, I reached out to other food stylists in hopes of connecting and learning from them. However, no one responded to my inquiries or returned my calls, reflecting the secretive nature of the industry at the time. Despite these challenges, I continued my work as a food writer for the Boston Globe.
Determined to advance my skills, I took the initiative to research photographers in the Boston area who specialized in food photography and had food-related clients. I approached the Globe’s art director and requested that these photographers be assigned to shoot my food features. She agreed, which allowed me to both write and style my own articles. Through this collaborative process, I established relationships with several photographers. After working together on various features, some of these photographers began hiring me to style food for their other commercial shoots.
By thinking creatively and finding ways to work around the industry’s barriers, I was able to carve out a place for myself as a food stylist. When I read Kleiman’s article and realized there were no books or formal resources available on food styling, I recognized an opportunity to fill that gap. Motivated by this realization, I began working on a comprehensive resource for others interested in the craft. In 1992, I published "Food Photography and Styling," which became the first book dedicated to the subject.
Published Works and Recognition
Throughout my career, I have written several books and articles spanning a variety of topics within the culinary world. My publications include two children’s cookbooks, "Look Who’s Cooking" and "The Cookie Cookbook." In addition, I am the author of "Cape Cod Chef’s Table: Recipes from Buzzards Bay to Provincetown," "Great Italian American Food in New England: History, Traditions & Memories," and "Great Cape Cod Food Find."
My work has appeared in numerous respected publications, such as Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Bon Appétit, L’italo-Americano Italian newspaper, The National Italian American Foundation’s Ambassador Magazine, and Edible Cape Cod. My contributions to Edible Cape Cod were recognized with an EDDY award for Best Use of Recipes in a Feature. Additionally, I have been profiled in the Italian publication ER (Emilia Romagna).
Professional Engagements and Media Features
Beyond writing, I have been involved in various academic and industry events. I have presented papers at the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery in England and organized the biannual International Conference on Food Styling and Photography at Boston University. My expertise in the field has also led to media features, including appearances on TV Food Network’s Ultimate Kitchens and National Public Radio (NPR).
On November 7, 1990, I read an article in the New York Times called “Food Styling: The Art of Making the Basil Blush.” Writer Dena Kleiman said, “Since there seemed to be no books on the subject and all that is known about the craft is learned on the job, many stylists keep their professional secrets to themselves.” This fascinated me. At the time I had been food styling for five years. When I first looked for work by contacting other food stylists, no one would talk to me or even return my calls. People were close-mouthed about the business. Back then I was writing food features for the Boston Globe. I researched photographers who had food clients and were shooting food in the Boston area. I asked the art director if I could have them shoot my features. She agreed, and I began to write and style my own articles. After I had worked with some of the photographers a few times, they began to hire me to style food for their other shoots. By being creative and working around the system, I had started my career as a food stylist. When I read Kleiman’s article in 1990 and learned there were no books on the subject, I knew the time was ripe and got to work. In 1992 I published Food Photography and Styling, the first book on the topic.