LA Sates Q & A: 2010 IACP Winner Denise Vivaldo

LA Sates sits down with food stylist Denise Vivaldo, recent winner of the 2010 IACP award for Food Stylist of the Year. Founder of Food Fanatics, a catering, recipe-development, and food-styling firm based in Los Angeles, catered for such events as the Academy Awards Governor’s Ball, Sunset Magazine’s Taste of Sunset, and Hollywood wrap parties. She also styled food for countless local and nationally syndicated television shows such as The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NapaStyle with Michael Chiarello, and Inside Dish with Rachael Ray.

1. You've cooked for Heads of State, major celebrities, and some of the most high-profile events in Los Angeles. How do you stay inspired to keep these experiences fresh for such demanding clientele?
   I love to cook — it's easy, they pay me alot of money — it's a great gig.
2. What exactly does a Food Stylist do?
   A food stylist makes food ready for the camera — I'm a make-up artist to eggplants and hamburgers.
3. What is it you find most appealing about the food styling craft?
   Fooling the camera. The camera sees only one dimension — it's a gift and a curse.
4. Is presentation as important as taste in the culinary experience?
   Absolutely — if food is ugly — no one wants to eat it... unless they are starving...
5. You've catered and styled for some of Hollywood's biggest movies and television shows. Do you have any favorite memories on set, food-related or otherwise?
   Yes, and I'd like to sell those hysterical stories in a memoir... funny, you should ask. I worked with talent that was drunk, mean, hysterical and plain hungry. My favorite day was working with a TVFN star that didn't know the stove from the sink... she kept burning herself when she wanted to wash her hands...
6. Love Boat. What was that like?
   Long before reality TV — there were scripts and writers. Love Boat was a brilliant plan to use talented and well known actors — as guest stars. Constantly bringing in new viewers. Aaron Spelling was a genius. Aaron was Tori's father... for your young readers.
7. What food styling tips can you offer for a casual dinner party or private gathering?
   Keep it simple and use all white plates. Food on white plates to the natural eye is clean, sleek and enticing.
8. What are your biggest styling challenges? Gherkins and monkfish? 
   Brown food — stews, soups, beans — looks like dog food — not enough shape for the camera to capture.
9. Do you leave your work at the office, or do you find yourself styling your snacks at home?
   You're kidding right? I'm visual! I art direct my house, my dogs, my husband — I like life colorful and pretty at all times — the outside world can be pretty ugly.
10. What are your thoughts on the Los Angeles culinary scene?
    Everything starts on the West Coast and moves East — we change standards, sell choices and create trends.
11. Do you have a favorite local cuisine?
    I love burritos — everything you need all wrapped up and easy to eat.
12. You've also been tremendously successful as an author. What other teachings do you have in mind for your readers?
    I like to write. I think you owe the next generation some answers. Life is to short to not make it fun.
13. What's in store for you in the near future?
    I don't know — I keep being called for food TV shows — they love me in the auditions — but never hire me? Don't know if it's my drinking, my swearing or my libelous stories that's holding me back?!

Denise is the author of How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business, which has sold more than 150,000 copies and is in its 5th printing, and How to Start a Home-Based Personal Chef Business. She is also the author of Do It For Less! Parties, Do It For Less! Weddings, and The Entertaining Encyclopedia. The Food Styling Handbook, a book based on her decades of wide-ranging food styling experience, will be published in the fall of 2010, and Perfect Table Settings: Easy and Elegant Ideas for Hundreds of Napkin Folds and Table Arrangements, will be published shortly thereafter. In addition to books, Denise enjoys being a contributing blogger for the Huffington Post as well as her own blog, Food Fanatics Unwashed.

For more on Denise Vivaldo, go to www.denisevivaldo.com. Sign up for her upcoming workshop Styling and Photo Techniques for Food Writers and Bloggers.