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August 31, 2006
IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME
When I tell people I’m a food stylist, they often respond "You guys use mashed potatoes to make scoops of ice cream for photographs, right?" Well, there was a time that that kind of fakery was common. But we pride ourselves on making real food look beautiful and, well, real, with as little manipulation as possible.
Not that some things don’t require a little help. That’s our stylist Vince Camillo working on a sandwich Emeril built for a book of sandwich-themed photographs by New York City photographer Alan Batt, aka Battman. This is the latest in Batt’s series of food-themed books featuring creations from top chefs (the last theme was Bagels and Lox). Battman donates the proceeds from the books to the Children's Storefront School of Harlem - a tuition free school close to Emeril's heart.
Emeril and Vince knew that the final shot had to be dramatic, or funny, or inspiring, or provocative. But Emeril also wanted to create a sandwich that the audience would, quite simply, want to eat. So he ordered the ingredients he’d want on his sandwich: soppresata, prosciutto, pâté, ham, mozzarella, provolone, arugula, ciabatta bread. When Emeril arrived and walked into the kitchen (he’d been on set shooting the next season of Essence of Emeril), neither he nor Vince knew quite what direction the sandwich might take.
Well, the direction it took was up. And up. While Battman lit and shot the sandwich from various angles, Vince needed to keep the sandwich picture-perfect. He had to work quickly. Time and nature are often the stylists' enemies: Bread dries and curls, cheese droops, greens wilt. And gravity always wins; eventually the top layers of this sandwich would crush the bottom, or the sandwich, already tilting slightly to the left, would topple. So,he quickly improvised a scaffold out of wooden skewers to prop up the sandwich from behind (and out of camera range).
Back in front of the sandwich, Emeril and Vince agreed that feathering the arugula out just a bit would frame the sandwich against the neutral background. A few homemade potato chips at the base help draw the eye all the way down and across the tower (and just look so tasty, too).
When Battman had taken the last shot, everyone in the kitchen, including Emeril, clamored for a bite. Proof of a job well done: A picture good enough to eat.
Food Stylist: Vince Camillo
Blogger: Miriam Garron
Posted by Food Network at August 31, 2006 10:13 AM
Comments
That looks like the "perfect" sandwich!
Posted by: Jenna at September 6, 2006 5:06 PM
Always striving for food-porn worthy shots, I loved this behind-the-scenes look at how you guys did it - thank you!
Posted by: Cate O'Malley at September 7, 2006 9:32 PM
Thanks for exposing this side of the food kitchen, I found your article very interesting! I am a classically trained chef who also loves to take photographs. How does one break into the industry of food styling?
Posted by: Lauren Capello at September 8, 2006 12:27 PM
I enjoyed the article. I teach a 4-H club on food and nutrition and plan to use this as one of the food industry careers we will study. Thanks
Posted by: Denise at September 10, 2006 10:49 AM
Well considering Emeril enjoys food and enjoys eating. You knew that sandwich would have to turn out looking great and super edible!
Posted by: Bryant at September 21, 2006 9:05 AM
That is the tastiest looking sandwhich! I love the idea of wooden sticks to hold it up. A slim size book end would do the trick too! Keep cooking!
Posted by: Veronica Flores at September 27, 2006 4:23 PM
Great Photo!!
looks yummy and good enough to eat! Thanks for letting us in on how you do things behind-the-scenes.
Posted by: Patsy at September 27, 2006 10:47 PM
Great presentation I can wait to indulge in this
terrfic sandwich.
Posted by: teresa yarbrough at September 28, 2006 6:40 PM
Fanastic Sandwich, I'd love to serve this to my hungry guests.
Posted by: Gloria at September 29, 2006 1:49 PM
Now that is a high class sandwich!
Posted by: Danyella at September 29, 2006 1:58 PM
Cool BLOG, very informative contents. I also have a blog similar like yours.
Posted by: Chicken Recipe Schools at September 27, 2007 2:36 AM