Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendra Smith.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Food has always been my first true love. My childhood memories overflow with the aroma of grandmother’s kitchen, and the wooden spoons my mother kept in the middle drawer. After working in the baking and pastry world for some time, I fell into food styling, and have never looked back.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
With any career, there are always going to be mountains you have to climb, but for me, that only makes it more interesting. One particular challenge for me was going from decorating cakes in the back of a bakery, to placing sprinkles on a donut with a pair tweezers in a photo studio. It was an adjustment going from behind the scenes, to immersing myself in the more client facing world of food styling where all eyes are on you. I had to learn to quickly problem solve and remain calm under pressure.
Please tell us about Kendra Smith Food Styling.
As a food stylist, you can often find me on set with a Carharrt tool belt filled with various brushes, tweezers and spray bottles. It is my job to ensure that the food or products on set are camera ready for packaging, print and/ or TV. My responsibilities can vary depending on the project and client. For a typical project, my duties consist of sourcing and preparing items that will eventually be styled. I work closely with the photographers and clients to ensure that I understand exactly what they are looking for. I take pride in my attention to detail, and ability to think unconventionally. Food styling is different in a sense that you aren’t cooking items to eat, you are making them solely for their appearance, so there are a lot of other factors you have to consider. Over the last seven years I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing and talented people, the skills I have acquired from hands on experience and guidance are unique.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
To be completely honest, I wouldn’t change a thing. Everything happens for a reason, and I am so fortunate to be where I am today. I think back to my early twenties, not knowing what I should do with my life, and all of a sudden I was thrown into this world that I did not know existed. The course of my life changed based on following my intuition and all of the ups and downs are a part of the journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: kendraelizabeth.com
- Phone: 508.942.4177
- Email: kendra.elizabeth.s@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Emily Kan, Francine Zaslow, Alex Jones, Amy Spirito, Mark Schou
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