If you’re anything like me, the sight of a bustling street food market instantly gets your taste buds tingling with anticipation. There's something undeniably exciting about the blend of tantalizing aromas, the sizzle and pop of food hitting hot griddles, and the vibrant medley of tastes waiting to be discovered.

But for our latest culinary adventure, we decided to veer off the well-trodden foodie trails of London. Why, you ask? Well, because we were on a mission. We set out to answer one deliciously tantalising question: Can we find truly exceptional street food beyond the bright lights of the Big Smoke?

The target of our quest? The charming town of Reading and its culinary hotspot, Blue Collar Corner.

Reading may be best known for its illustrious history, illustrious alumni like Ricky Gervais, and of course, the annual Reading Festival. But if you venture a bit further, you’ll stumble upon a real gem - Blue Collar Corner, a bustling hub of innovative and delectable street food.

And let me tell you folks, the food we discovered there was nothing short of spectacular. From the heartwarming British classic of fish and chips, elevated to gastronomic heights by the folks at Well Nice Food, to the fiery Korean wings and innovative corn dogs at Fries Love, every bite was a revelation. But I won't spoil all the surprises, because we've captured this whole delicious journey in our latest video (embedded above) for your viewing pleasure.

Of course, no food tour would be complete without some local brews, and we had the perfect companion in the form of Double Barrelled beers. Each sip was a refreshing punctuation to our flavour-packed bites.

The best part? Blue Collar Corner keeps things fresh and exciting, continually inviting new vendors to the party. Just when you think you've tasted it all, they shake things up with a whole new cohort of culinary creatives. And rest assured, I'll be on the first train over when the next round of vendors rolls in!

So, what’s the verdict on our original question? Based on our epicurean escapade at Blue Collar Corner, I’m thrilled to report that the answer is a resounding, and delicious, yes. Incredible street food isn’t the exclusive domain of big cities. It's out there, tucked away in the corners of less-explored towns, waiting for intrepid food detectives like us to uncover them.

If you’re salivating at the thought of crispy, flaky fish and chips, sizzling wings with the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, and a corn dog like no other, you're in for a treat. Click play on the video above and join me on this street food adventure

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Have you ever found yourself at a restaurant, only to be disappointed by the experience? If so, it's time to take control with our latest video from Dining Fables, "Become a Menu Detective: Choose the Best Restaurants & Avoid Terrible Dining."

In this enlightening guide, we share essential tips to help you navigate restaurant selection like a pro. From understanding the nuances of menu design to recognizing the importance of ingredient sourcing, we've got you covered.

Our video delves into the paradox of choice in menu length and why a concise selection can indicate quality. We highlight the role of awards and recognitions, and how to interpret them. We discuss the significance of menu design, and how it reflects a restaurant's commitment to quality.

Moreover, we explore intriguing areas like the use of uncommon ingredients, the authenticity of cuisine styles, and the delicate balance between value and price. All these factors play a crucial role in enhancing your dining experience.

Don’t waste another meal on mediocre dining. Watch our video today and unlock the secrets to becoming a master menu detective. Revolutionize your dining experiences and ensure every meal is a delight. Bon appétit!

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In the intriguing YouTube video, "9 MICHELIN STAR Plating Secrets: How Top Chefs do it!", you're invited to take an exclusive peek into the meticulous and artful world of Michelin-starred culinary presentations. Whether you're a novice in the kitchen or a seasoned cook, this video promises to elevate your culinary game.

Imagine turning a simple dinner into an elegant, restaurant-quality experience right in the comfort of your home. This video unfolds the secrets of selecting the perfect "Plate", the canvas for your culinary masterpiece. Feel the thrill of creating visually stunning dishes by playing with "Colour", and remember, every component on your plate should have a "Function", contributing to the taste or being edible.

The video explores the captivating universe of "Texture", a crucial aspect of a dish that can take your culinary creation from ordinary to extraordinary. Learn how to direct the diner's gaze to the "Focal Point" of your dish, a technique akin to creating a work of art.

Garnishing, often seen as just a flourish, is so much more. "Garnish" wisely to enhance both the visual and gustatory appeal of your dish. The video reminds us of the timeless wisdom that "Less is More", and that an overcrowded plate could detract from your dish's elegance.

You'll be introduced to the fascinating world of chef "Tools", which are instrumental in shaping the precision and finesse in plating. Lastly, the video unveils the secret of "Position", the thoughtful placement of elements that can transform your dish into a feast for the eyes.

Topped off with practical tips to apply these principles in your own kitchen, this video is a must-watch for all food lovers and home cooks. So why wait? Click to uncover the secrets that make Michelin-star dishes not just a treat for the palate, but a feast for the eyes as well. Start your journey towards creating dishes that look like works of art today!

Like what you see then please get in touch: tom@foodenvy.photography

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Explore why relying solely on TripAdvisor may not lead you to the best dining experiences. Discover the importance of local insight and the issues surrounding fake reviews. Learn about demographic biases and the alternative approaches to find authentic and remarkable local restaurants.

1. Issue 1: Fake Reviews: Uncover the alarming prevalence of fake reviews on TripAdvisor, affecting the authenticity of ratings and rankings.

2. Issue 2: Lack of Local Perspective: Understand the significant disparity between reviews from tourists and locals, and why the latter's insights are crucial for discovering genuine dining experiences.

3. Issue 3: Demographic Bias: Discover how demographic biases influence the ratings on TripAdvisor and why it's essential to consider your own preferences when relying on these reviews.

Conclusion: TripAdvisor can be a useful tool, but it's vital to be aware of its limitations. Learn how to navigate the pitfalls and explore alternative sources for finding outstanding local restaurants. Engage with the article's practical tips and discover a more authentic culinary journey beyond TripAdvisor's ratings. Join us in unlocking the secrets to remarkable dining experiences. Watch the full video now!

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Prepare to embark on an enticing journey through the vibrant and diverse culinary scene of Maidenhead. In this captivating YouTube video, we unveil the top five restaurants that have captured the hearts and palates of locals and visitors alike. The question on everyone's mind: Who has made the coveted list? And in what order do these exceptional dining establishments rank?

Maidenhead, a town often underestimated in terms of its culinary offerings, is about to surprise and delight you. From cozy gastropubs to exquisite Italian cuisine, innovative sushi experiences, and tantalizing pasta creations, the range of flavors and dining experiences awaiting you is truly remarkable.

But we won't give it all away just yet. In this exclusive YouTube video, we'll guide you through the enticing world of Maidenhead's dining scene, revealing the unique and exceptional restaurants that have earned their spot on our coveted top five list. Each restaurant has something extraordinary to offer, whether it's the impeccable quality of their steaks, the authentic Italian flavors meticulously crafted by talented chefs, the artistry behind sushi preparation, or the innovative pasta creations that will leave you craving more.

To discover the hidden gems and their ranking within our top five list, you'll have to join us on this culinary adventure. Immerse yourself in the tantalizing visuals, the captivating narratives, and the vibrant ambiance of each dining establishment. Let your senses be captivated by the flavors, aromas, and artistry that these restaurants bring to the table.

Whether you're a passionate foodie, an avid traveler, or someone simply seeking a memorable dining experience, this YouTube video is sure to provide the inspiration and excitement you crave. So, get ready to embark on a culinary exploration of Maidenhead's best-kept secrets. Sit back, relax, and let the enticing flavors and stunning visuals transport you to a world of gastronomic delight.

Without further ado, it's time to watch the highly anticipated YouTube video and uncover the top five restaurants that have earned their place on our list. Get ready to be enchanted, surprised, and delighted by the culinary wonders that await you in Maidenhead. Join us on this epic gastronomic journey that will leave you longing to savor the tastes, experience the ambiance, and create your own unforgettable dining memories. The time has come to hit play and discover the best restaurants Maidenhead has to offer. Enjoy the adventure!

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The Dining Fables approach to finding the best places to eat is subjective, based on the criteria that are important to me. When judging each restaurant, pub, or street food vendor, we consider several factors.

Our Criteria

1. Taste: The quintessential element. We gravitate towards dishes that are delicious, well-seasoned, and cooked to perfection.

2. Visual Appeal: Stemming from our love for food photography, we value meals that look as good as they taste. The art of plating is a significant part of our assessment.

3. Online Presence: We're not just about reviews and ratings. We scrutinize how restaurants communicate their food story through their website and social media. A compelling, consistent, and engaging narrative, coupled with up-to-date menus and imagery, is what we're after.

4. Value: Dining out isn't solely about the cost. We consider the quality of food, portion size, ambiance, and overall dining experience. A restaurant's value transcends the price, focusing instead on delivering an enjoyable experience worth every penny.

5. Uniqueness: We appreciate eateries that offer something unique. Be it a creative menu, intriguing atmosphere, or novel concept, a unique selling point can make a restaurant stand out and leave a lasting impression.

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If you're looking for a hidden gem in Windsor that offers a culinary journey to remember, look no further than Plate No.6. This innovative and creative restaurant is run by head chef Giancarlo, whose Italian and Mediterranean influences shine through in every dish. From the pokey Spicy Tuna Tartare to the creamy Risotto Milanese, Plate No.6 offers a unique dining experience that will leave you wanting more.

Let's start with the Spicy Tuna Tartare with Salmon Roe and Homemade Focaccia. This dish is a perfect balance of flavors and textures. The tuna is so fresh and flavorful, it practically melts in your mouth. The salmon roe adds a pop of brininess that complements the tuna perfectly. But what really takes this dish to the next level is the homemade focaccia. It's toasted to perfection, adding a slight char taste that brings everything together. And let's not forget the spice! As someone who loves heat, the pokey spice level was just right for me. It adds an extra layer of complexity to an already fantastic dish.

Next up, the Argentinian King Prawn with Slow Roasted Garlic and Chilli Desiree Potato, Lemon Sauce. If you're a fan of seafood, this dish is a must-try. The prawns are big and juicy, cooked to perfection so that the sweet and delicious prawn meat just melts in your mouth. But what really sets this dish apart is the thinly sliced Desiree potato, almost like crisps. They add a crunch and depth of flavor that complements the prawns perfectly. And the slow roasted garlic and chilli add a subtle, smoky spice that balances out the sweetness of the prawns. The lemon sauce ties everything together with a bright, fresh burst of citrus.

If you're in the mood for something creamy and comforting, look no further than the Risotto Milanese with Braised Ossobuco and Saffron Marrow Jus. This dish is a perfect example of how Giancarlo likes to invert classic dishes. Instead of the saffron in the risotto, it's in the ossobuco, and the red wine is in the risotto. The ossobuco is braised for 5 to 6 hours, resulting in a deep, meaty flavor and a soft, rich texture that practically falls off the bone. The saffron adds a subtle, floral note that complements the rich meatiness perfectly. And the creamy risotto is the perfect vehicle for the rich, wine-infused flavors.

Last but not least, the Halibut with Lemon Fava Bean Puree, Pure Chard Kale, and Baby Heritage Carrots. The halibut is a wonderful fish that's been cooked to perfection. The soft white flesh is beautifully complemented by the perfectly crispy skin. But what really surprised me was the lemon fava bean puree. It's so good! The lemon adds a zest and lightness to the creamy puree that's hard to describe. And the pure chard kale and baby heritage carrots add a nice crunch and a pop of color to the dish.

One thing I really admire about Giancarlo and Plate No.6 is their commitment to sustainability and waste reduction. They buy their fish in whole, using every part of the fish from the flesh to the bones for stock. It's always refreshing to see chefs who are dedicated to using every part of the ingredient and reducing waste.

Overall, Plate No.6 is a culinary journey to remember. From the innovative and creative menu to the commitment to sustainability, Giancarlo and his team have created something truly special. If you're in the Windsor area, I highly recommend

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Dining Fables video from Caldesi In Campagna in Bray

Italian cuisine is one of the most beloved and widely appreciated cuisines across the globe, and for a good reason. From classic dishes like pasta and pizza to lesser-known dishes, Italian cuisine is a force to be reckoned with. However, finding authentic Italian food in the UK can be a challenge at times, with many Italian restaurants serving Americanized versions of traditional dishes.

At Caldesi in Campagna, located in Bray, the UK, run by the local legend, prolific cookbook writer, and TV chef Giancarlo Caldesi, diners can expect authenticity and creativity to come together in perfect harmony. The restaurant boasts a menu filled with authentic Italian dishes, made using traditional ingredients and techniques, offering diners a truly unique and memorable dining experience.

The meal at Caldesi's starts with a selection of homemade bread, including rosemary focaccia, parmesan grissini, and simple brown bread. The focaccia, with its soft pillowy texture and bold rosemary flavor, was a standout, but it was the parmesan grissini that truly stole the show. These thin and crispy breadsticks were loaded with the rich nutty flavor of Parmesan cheese, making them a perfect accompaniment to the flavorful antipasti that followed.

The antipasti course featured the carpaccio of marinated beef fillet with mustard lemon dressing, rocket, and Parmesan shavings. The quality of the beef was impressive, with the fillet incredibly tender and melting in the mouth. The mustard and lemon dressing added just the right amount of tang and zing, without overpowering the subtle flavor of the beef. The rocket and Parmesan shavings provided a bit of bite and an extra peppery flavor to round out the dish. The dish was a feast for the eyes as well, with the thin slices of beef arranged with care and the mustard and lemon dressing drizzled over the top with an elegant swirling pattern.

One of the highlights of the meal was the surprise amuse-bouche, arancini, made from porcini mushrooms and pecorino cheese served on a bed of creamy celeriac puree and flaked almonds on the side. Arancini is made by turning risotto into a ball, stuffing it with cheese, and then rolling it in a breadcrumb coating before deep-frying. The nuttiness of the almonds and the earthy robustness of the porcini mushrooms complemented each other, with the celeriac puree adding a smooth velvety texture that rounded out the dish. It was a perfect example of how creativity and authenticity can come together to create a unique and memorable dish.

As someone who loves sea bass and pasta, I was intrigued to see how these two flavors would come together. Upon receiving the dish, I was immediately struck by the vibrant colors - bright yellows, pops of red from the tomatoes, and flashes of green from the herbs - which made for a stunning presentation.

The ravioli itself was freshly made, with a tender texture and filling that was carefully incorporated to create a seamless and delicious bite. I was pleased to learn from my server that this dish is always made fresh on the day and cooked to order, arriving at the table in peak pasta perfection. The use of sea bass in the ravioli was a stroke of genius, as its subtle flavor elevated the dish beyond many pasta dishes I've had in the past.

Lastly, the lemon butter sauce was a standout element of the dish. It was crafted to add a delicious brightness without overpowering the delicate sea bass flavors. The balance of tangy lemon and rich butter created a sauce that felt both light and fresh, yet indulgent and extravagant. Overall, I highly recommend trying the sea bass ravioli at this restaurant - it's a unique and memorable pasta dish that's sure to impress.

or the main course, I opted for the lamb two ways - slow-cooked shoulder and herb crust cutlet, served with carrot cream and potato cake. The lamb cutlet was cooked to perfection, with a herb crumb that added an irresistible crunch. The slow-cooked shoulder of lamb was the real showstopper, having been cooked for seven and a half hours with bones and fat intact to intensify the flavour. The meat was incredibly tender and flavourful, and the fat almost dissolved on the tongue. The potato cake and carrot puree added an extra layer of texture and contrast to the dish, making it a well-balanced and delicious meal.

Giancarlo and head chef Gregoria's knowledge and experience were evident in the quality of the lamb dishes. The slow-cooking process and the herb crust on the cutlet elevated the lamb to new heights. The potato cake, similar to the French Dauphinoise potatoes, added richness and texture to the plate, while the sweet and velvety carrot puree provided a contrast to the bold flavours of the lamb. Overall, the dish was well-balanced and delicious, and a true testament to the expertise of the restaurant's culinary team.

In conclusion, Caldesi in Campagna offers diners a truly unique and memorable dining experience. The restaurant's commitment to authenticity and creativity shines through in each dish, making it a must-visit destination for anyone who appreciates traditional Italian cuisine. From the homemade bread to the flavorful antipasti, every dish at Caldesi's is made with care and attention to detail, ensuring that diners leave feeling satisfied and content. So, the next time you're in the UK, be sure to make a reservation at Caldesi in Campagna for a truly unforgettable culinary experience.

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Plough in Shiplake: A Delicious Culinary Adventure

Are you a foodie always on the lookout for new and exciting places to dine? Then welcome to the newly opened Plough in Shiplake, where we will give you a glimpse of all the hard work and innovation that goes into creating their delectable dishes.

Plough in Shiplake is the perfect place to experience new flavors and indulge in some Comfort Food. So what was on the menu? Well, let's dive in and start with the ham and cheese croquette. Croquettes are, in our opinion, one of the best comfort foods around, and for us, cheese and ham are usually the king. But before you start thinking that this is just your average "run of the mill" croquette, let us tell you that it's not. It's a 'croquette-y' triumph!!! It's like a warm hug in the form of a deep-fried cube of deliciousness. The ham hock is ridiculously meaty and incredibly tender, so it just melts and falls apart in your mouth, which is just perfect for a croquette. The taste of the ham hock with the gooey cheese has a perfect balance of salty, smoky, and sweet, making this an irresistible combination.

But wait, it gets even better! Kieran, the head chef, allowed us to try a chicken version that wasn't on the menu yet. It was a bit like they put all the flavors of a Sunday Roast into one bite-sized slab of heaven. But as much as we love the chicken croquette, we think it was the ham hock and cheese that takes the win. However, we can imagine either of these croquettes would work brilliantly as a bar snack, pairing perfectly with a local beer or two, of which they've got many. The crispiness of the croquettes in contrast to the coldness of the beer, and the flavors complementing each other beautifully. Not only that, but the saltiness of the croquettes would also help enhance the flavors of the beer, making it a brilliant pairing.

Now let's move on to the Scorched Sea Trout, a dish that will tantalize your taste buds with its smoky and delicate taste. This is, without a doubt, one of the best-looking plates of food we've had on this channel so far. The trout pops off the plate, and the grape adds a wonderful pop of moisture and flavor when eaten with the trout. It's great, and the turnip adds texture and an earthy note to the dish, which further serves to enhance an already brilliant dish that's right up our street. But for us, the real star of this dish is something we've not even mentioned yet. Amazingly, it's the trout skin!

If you're a fan of crackling with your roast pork, then try and imagine the best pork crackling you've ever had. Well, this, for us, is even better! It's just so, so crispy with a massive salty kick of umami flavor. We could just eat a bag of these given half a chance!!! What we love about this dish is not only does it look unbelievable, taste amazing but...

But we're not done yet! We're also going to be indulging in the gamey and succulent British pheasant served with a side of BBQ leeks that's going to leave you craving more. The pheasant is perfectly cooked and seasoned, and the BBQ leeks give the dish a smoky, charred flavor that pairs beautifully with the meat. It's a dish that's both hearty and delicious, perfect for a cold winter evening.

So, will we be able to manage dessert after all that? Of course, wedid but you'll have to watch the video to see what it was

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The Role of Photography in Marketing Your Restaurant's Brand
 

As a restaurant owner or manager, you know that competition in the food industry is fierce. With so many options available to diners, it can be tough to stand out and attract new customers. This is where photography comes in. A well-crafted visual identity can be a powerful tool for marketing your restaurant's brand and driving business.

But let's be real, food photography can be tricky. You're not just trying to capture the beauty of a dish, you're trying to make people crave it. And let's face it, not all food is inherently photogenic (looking at you, mushy peas). So how do you make your restaurant's dishes look irresistible?

First and foremost, lighting is key. No one wants to see a blurry, poorly lit shot of their dinner. Natural light is always a great option, but if you're shooting in a dimly lit restaurant or at night, try using a tripod and a longer shutter speed to capture the dish without blur.

Props can also play a big role in making a dish look more appetizing. A well-placed sprig of herbs or a sprinkle of spices can add depth and interest to a photograph. Just be sure not to go overboard – you want the focus to be on the food, not the props.

But perhaps the most important aspect of food photography for restaurants is styling. This is where you can get creative and really make a dish pop. Think about the colors, textures, and shapes of the ingredients and how you can arrange them in a visually appealing way. Remember, people eat with their eyes first, so the more appealing the dish looks, the more likely they are to order it.

So, why is all of this so important? According to a study by Yelp, businesses with more than six images on their profile see a 70% increase in the likelihood of a customer contacting them. And with social media platforms like Instagram, it's easier than ever to showcase your dishes and reach a wider audience. In fact, a survey by Eventbrite found that 71% of respondents said that they have chosen a restaurant based on the food photos they saw on social media.

But it's not just about getting people in the door – a strong visual identity can also help to establish your restaurant's brand. By consistently showcasing visually appealing dishes, you can create a specific image or aesthetic for your restaurant that will attract a certain type of customer. For example, if your restaurant is known for its modern, Instagram-worthy plating, you'll likely attract a younger, trendier crowd.

In conclusion, the role of photography in marketing your restaurant's brand cannot be overstated. From attracting new customers to establishing a strong visual identity, well-crafted food photography is essential in today's competitive food industry. So next time you're plating up a dish, remember: you're not just cooking for your customers – you're creating a work of art.

8 Tips for Using Photography to Create a Consistent Image for Your Restaurant

As a restaurant owner, you know that first impressions are everything. And with social media and online review sites playing such a huge role in attracting customers, it's more important than ever to present a consistent image of your business. 

A consistent visual style is important for a restaurant because it helps to establish a strong brand identity and create a cohesive image. This can be particularly important in the competitive world of the food industry, as it helps to differentiate your restaurant from others and attract customers. A consistent visual style can also help to build trust and credibility with customers, as it shows that you are professional and dedicated to presenting a polished image. Additionally, a consistent visual style can make it easier for customers to recognise and remember your restaurant, which can be helpful in building loyalty and attracting repeat business.

One effective way to do this is through photography. But with so many options out there, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Here are some tips on using photography to create a consistent image for your restaurant:

1. Invest in high-quality equipment

If you want your restaurant to stand out, it's worth investing in some top-notch photography equipment. This doesn't necessarily mean you need to break the bank on a professional camera – there are plenty of great options available at more affordable prices. However, you should definitely consider splurging on a lens or two, as this is where you'll see the biggest difference in image quality.

2. Hire a professional photographer

If you're not confident in your own photography skills, or simply don't have the time to take photos yourself, consider hiring a professional photographer. They'll be able to capture your restaurant in the best possible light, and ensure that all of your images are high quality and consistent.

3. Find your style

Before you start taking photos, it's important to think about the overall aesthetic you want to convey. Is your restaurant formal or casual? Rustic or modern? Once you've determined your style, you can use it as a guide when selecting props, backgrounds, and other elements to include in your photos.

4. Take a variety of photos

In order to create a consistent image, you'll want to have a diverse range of photos that showcase your restaurant from different angles and in different lighting conditions. Some ideas for photos to include are:

• Menu items: Make sure to highlight your most popular dishes, as well as any specialties or seasonal items.
• Interior and exterior shots: Show off your restaurant's ambiance, whether it's cozy and intimate or bright and airy.
• Action shots: Candid photos of your staff working, or customers enjoying their meals, can add a sense of authenticity to your image.

5. Use editing software

Even if you're not a professional photographer, you can still use editing software to touch up your photos and give them a cohesive look. Some popular options include Lightroom, Photoshop, and Canva. Just be careful not to overdo it – you want your photos to look natural, not overly retouched.

6. Be consistent with your branding

In addition to the content of your photos, it's also important to be consistent with your branding. This means using the same logo, font, and colour scheme across all of your marketing materials, including your website, social media accounts, and menus.

7. Use social media to your advantage

Social media is a great tool for showcasing your restaurant's image, and it's especially helpful for reaching a younger, more tech-savvy audience. Make sure to regularly post high-quality photos on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, and consider using hashtags and geotags to make it easier for people to find your content.

8. Monitor your online presence

Finally, it's important to keep an eye on your online presence and make sure that the image you're presenting is consistent with your brand. This means regularly checking review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor, as well as monitoring your social media accounts for any negative comments or reviews. Responding promptly to any issues and addressing any concerns can go

In today's digital age, it's more important than ever to present a consistent and visually appealing image of your restaurant. By following these tips and investing in high-quality photography, you can effectively showcase your business and attract more customers. So don't be afraid to snap those shots and start building a strong visual brand for your restaurant today!

Gone are the days when a restaurant's success was determined by word-of-mouth and a prominent storefront. In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is essential for restaurants in the UK, and this includes social media and online ordering platforms. In fact, according to a study by the British Takeaway Campaign, over 60% of UK consumers use social media to discover new restaurants, and the online food delivery market in the UK is expected to reach £10.2 billion by 2024.

So how can restaurants in the UK stand out in this crowded and competitive online marketplace? One effective way is through the use of food videography. By creating visually appealing and appetising videos of your dishes and ingredients, you can catch the eye and appetite of potential customers scrolling through their social media feeds or browsing online ordering platforms.

But it's not just about showcasing your food. Food videography can also be used to highlight the unique atmosphere and ambiance of your restaurant, giving potential customers a taste of what it's like to dine with you. This can be especially effective for restaurants with a distinct decor or vibe, as it allows customers to get a feel for the atmosphere before they even step foot through the door.

Incorporating food videography into your social media and online ordering presence can also have practical benefits for your restaurant. According to a study by SinglePlatform, restaurants with strong visual branding and online presence see a 20% increase in revenue. So not only can food videography help entice potential customers to try your restaurant, it can also directly contribute to your bottom line.

But don't just take our word for it. Many successful UK restaurants have already embraced the power of food videography, and the results speak for themselves. For example, the popular London-based restaurant, The Riding House Cafe, saw a 50% increase in Instagram followers after incorporating mouthwatering food videography into their social media marketing strategy.

There are a few reasons why a video can help improve a restaurant's search engine rankings:

• Increased time on site: Users tend to spend more time on websites that have videos, which can signal to search engines that the site's content is engaging and valuable.

• Improved user experience: Videos can make a website more interactive and engaging, which can lead to a better overall user experience. This can be a positive ranking factor for search engines.

• Increased social sharing: Videos are often shared on social media platforms, which can drive additional traffic to a website. This increased traffic can help improve search engine rankings.

• Possible inclusion in Google's video search results: If a video is properly optimised and hosted on a platform like YouTube, it may be eligible to be included in Google's video search results, which can help increase visibility and drive more traffic to the restaurant's website.

A well-made and properly optimised video can be a valuable addition to a restaurant's digital marketing efforts and can help improve search engine rankings.

In summary, if you own a restaurant in the UK, incorporating food videography into your social media and online ordering presence is a must in 2023. Not only can it help attract potential customers and increase your online visibility, it can also directly boost your revenue. So don't wait – start planning your food videography campaign today and watch your restaurant thrive in the digital age.

Check out our video portfolio here

But just because you have a restaurant and an Instagram account doesn't guarantee success. To truly make an impact on the platform, you need to know how to use it effectively. That's where this blog comes in.

We've compiled a list of top tips for using Instagram to market your restaurant, no matter where you're located or what type of cuisine you specialize in. So whether you love social media or hate it, these tips will help you navigate the world of Instagram and effectively promote your restaurant.

Post Often

To effectively use Instagram to market your restaurant, it's important to post regularly to the platform. This will help you gain exposure and establish your presence on the platform. Aim for 3 to 7 posts a week, as posting too frequently may be perceived as spamming, while posting too infrequently may result in a lack of visibility. In addition to posting to the main feed, make use of the Stories feature to give your followers a more personal and behind-the-scenes look at your restaurant. Engage with your followers and other users by commenting on their content and joining in online conversations. If it's inconvenient to post in real time, you can schedule your posts ahead of time to make the task easier. By posting regularly and engaging with your followers, you can effectively use Instagram to market your restaurant.

Highlight your restaurant's individual character

To effectively market your restaurant on Instagram, it's important to showcase your restaurant's unique personality. This will help you stand out from the competition and give your followers a sense of your brand's identity. Share behind-the-scenes content, such as pictures or videos of your staff preparing dishes or setting up the restaurant for service. Highlight your restaurant's unique quirks, whether it's a contemporary atmosphere, a family-friendly vibe, or a romantic setting. You can also spotlight individual chefs and front-of-house staff to make your restaurant appear friendly, genuine, and approachable. By showcasing your restaurant's personality on Instagram, you can differentiate your brand and create a more personal connection with your followers

High Quality and Consistent imagery

When it comes to marketing your restaurant on Instagram, the quality of your photos is crucial. After all, Instagram is all about the visuals, so you want to make sure your pictures are mouth-watering enough to make your followers' stomachs growl. Food photography can be tough, but with a little practice and some helpful online tutorials, you can learn how to make your dishes look their best. And remember, it's not just about the food - make sure to also snap some stylish shots of your chefs in their fashionable aprons, piles of fresh ingredients from your suppliers, and interior shots of your restaurant that will make diners want to come and experience it for themselves. Just don't forget to have some fun with it - a little bit of creativity and personality can go a long way in making your restaurant stand out on Instagram. However, it's important to note that hiring a professional food photographer can also be a good investment, especially if you're looking to create a cohesive visual aesthetic for your brand. Professional food photographers have the skills and equipment necessary to create high-quality, visually stunning images that showcase your dishes in the best light. While it may be an additional cost, the investment can pay off in the long run by helping you attract more customers and establish your restaurant as a reputable brand on Instagram.

Running Competitions

Running competitions on Instagram is a great way to not only engage with your followers, but also attract new ones! The key to a successful competition is to make it easy for people to enter. Ask your followers to comment on or tag a friend in one of your photos, or use a dedicated hashtag on an image of their own. Just make sure the instructions are clear and simple - you don't want to confuse or frustrate people with complicated rules. And of course, you'll need to have a transparent method for selecting a winner, whether it's random or based on the best photo. As for the prize, it doesn't have to be expensive - free drinks or appetizers are always a hit, or you could give away branded items like tote bags or water bottles that will serve as further advertising when the winners use them. Just remember to have fun with it and get creative - a little bit of humour and personality can go a long way in making your competition a success!

Focus on building authentic engagement rather than just increasing your follower count

It's easy to get caught up in the numbers game on Instagram, but remember - it's not all about the number of followers you have. It's the level of engagement that really matters. Your goal should be to create a community of followers who are genuine fans of your restaurant and regularly comment on or share your posts. This not only increases the likelihood of converting followers into diners, but it also prompts Instagram's algorithm to show your posts to more people, increasing your influence even more. So don't obsess over your follower count - instead, focus on creating genuine engagement and building a community of loyal supporters. And have fun with it! A little bit of humour and personality can go a long way in making your followers feel like they're part of something special.

Provide value – share tips or recipes, or offer promotions or discounts to your followers

It's important to remember that Instagram is not just a platform for making money or getting more diners through the door - it's also an opportunity to bring value to the people who see your posts. So think about how you can use Instagram to offer something of value to your followers. This could be as simple as sharing some top tips on how to bake the perfect bread, or offering promotions or discounts to your followers. You could also share recipes or cooking techniques that people can try at home, or offer behind-the-scenes looks at your restaurant or the creative process behind your dishes. The key is to find creative ways to provide value to your followers, while also showcasing the unique aspects of your restaurant. And don't forget to have some fun with it - a little bit of humour and personality can go a long way in making your posts stand out and keeping your followers engaged.

Welcome to the world of food videography, where mouthwatering dishes and appetising ingredients come to life on screen!

If you're a restaurant owner in the UK, you may be wondering why you should invest in food videography for your business. After all, you already have delicious food and satisfied customers, right? Well, in today's digital age, having mouthwatering dishes and happy customers isn't enough. In fact, according to recent statistics, the UK food and beverage industry is worth over £100 billion, and with more and more people turning to social media and online ordering platforms to discover and order from restaurants, it's more important than ever to stand out in the crowded online marketplace.

And what better way to catch the eye and appetite of potential customers than with tantalising food videography? In this article, we'll explore the top reasons why restaurants in the UK should consider adding food videography to their marketing mix in 2023.

So grab a snack, sit back, and let's dive in!

• The rise of social media and online ordering: Discuss how social media platforms and online ordering services have become essential for restaurants to reach and attract customers. Emphasise how food videography can help restaurants stand out on these platforms and entice customers to order from them.

• Showcasing the restaurant's atmosphere and ambiance: Use food videography to give potential customers a taste of the atmosphere and ambiance of the restaurant. This can be especially effective for restaurants with unique or visually appealing decor.

• Highlighting the restaurant's signature dishes: Use food videography to showcase the restaurant's most popular or unique dishes, and demonstrate the care and attention to detail that goes into their preparation.

• Increasing appetite appeal: Use food videography to create visually appealing and mouthwatering footage of the restaurant's dishes. This can help increase appetite appeal and entice potential customers to visit the restaurant.

• Demonstrating the restaurant's dedication to quality ingredients: Use food videography to highlight the high-quality ingredients the restaurant uses and the care they take in sourcing them. This can help differentiate the restaurant from competitors and appeal to customers who value sustainability and ethical food production.

• Creating a sense of community: Use food videography to create a sense of community around the restaurant and its dishes. This could include featuring footage of customers enjoying their meals or interviews with the restaurant's staff and chefs.

• Boosting website traffic: Embedding food videography on the restaurant's website can help increase traffic and engagement, and can also lead to higher conversion rates for online orders.

• Improving search engine optimisation: Including food videography on the restaurant's website and social media profiles can help improve the restaurant's search engine ranking, making it more visible to potential customers.

• Conclusion: Summarise the benefits of food videography for restaurants in 2023 and encourage restaurant owners to consider incorporating it into their marketing efforts.

In future blog articles, we will be expanding on these ideas and exploring how food videography can be used to showcase the unique atmosphere and ambiance of your restaurant, highlight the personalities and expertise of your team, and create a story about your dishes and ingredients.

We will also be sharing tips and best practices for incorporating food videography into your marketing efforts, as well as success stories from UK restaurants that have already embraced the power of food videography. Stay tuned for more on the role of food videography in driving success for UK restaurants in the digital age.

I hope this outline is helpful! If you have any questions or would like more information, please don't hesitate to ask via our contact page

Devour Studios was conceived in 2019 by Glyn Harrison and Food Envy Photography and has steadily grown into an established production company, specialising in food based content including recipe demonstration videos and food story videos. Glyn and Food Envy Photography have worked in food TV/film production and photography for 19 years combined and were keen to see what they could create together.

Projects to date include Salt Masterclass, a series of online masterclasses by Michelin starred chef, Paul Foster, a soon to be launched online cookery school and Knife Drop, an ongoing passion project, which aims to produce high-end online content through collaboration with top chefs such as Michelin starred Tony Parkin (Tony Parkin at the Tudor Rooms) and Nick Galer (The Miller of Mansfield & former head chef at Heston Blumenthals’ The Hinds Head), showcasing the dishes that define their style. Glyn has over 13 years food TV experience and has produced mainstream factual entertainment and food content shows including Great British Menu, Saturday Kitchen, Million Pound Menu and most recently, Bake Off The Professionals. Glyn has collaborated with chefs across the country including Gordon Ramsay, Tom Kerridge, Michel Roux Jnr and Paul Hollywood to name a few. Glyn’s knowledge of food, the restaurant industry and production experience provides Devour Studio with a unique skillset to offer client. 

With plenty of food video projects in the pipeline for 2021 it should make for an exciting year

Full Ingredients and Instructions in description below. Recipe by The LunchBox Doctor: http://www.lunchboxdoctor.com - Video & Photography by Food Envy Photography: http://www.foodenvy.photography

RED PEPPER HUMMUS

1 x 410g chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

½ jar of red peppers in oil (drained)

Juice of 1 small lemon

4 heaped tsp peanut butter

Clove of garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin

*add seasoning as desired

Put all of the ingredients into your food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Serve with crudités and/or crackers.

Full Ingredients and Instructions in description below. Recipe by The LunchBox Doctor: http://www.lunchboxdoctor.com - Video & Photography by Food Envy Photography: http://www.foodenvy.photography

CURRIED MUSHRROM RICE

2 tbsp garlic infused oil

1 onion, chopped

250g mushrooms, thickly sliced

1 tsp salt

1 ½ tsp mild curry powder

250g basmati rice, rinsed

320ml water

Press Sauté on your IP. Add the oil. Once hot add the onion and mushrooms. Stir for about 5 minutes. Add rice, salt and curry powder and stir well. Add water and stir. Secure the lid in place and set to ‘Rice’ for 12 minutes. Use QPR (quick pressure release) method at the end of cooking.  Stir and then serve. Serves 4.

To buy an Instant Pot click here: https://amzn.to/2IC57Rs

This weeks recipe video from The LunchboxDoctor is for a delicious chicken curry using an Instant Pot and Cirio UK #passata. Try it tonight

Full Ingredients and Instructions in description below. Recipe by The LunchBox Doctor: http://www.lunchboxdoctor.com - Video & Photography by Food Envy Photography: http://www.foodenvy.photography

CHICKEN CURRY

500g chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

2 onions, chopped

1 tbsp garlic-ginger paste

2 heaped teaspoons curry powder

1 tsp salt

500ml passata

½ x 400g can of coconut milk (ideally the thick and creamy part of it has separated)

Put all ingredients except the coconut milk into your Instant Pot – make sure the chicken goes in last so it doesn’t stick to the bottom whilst cooking. Secure the lid in place and press the ‘Poultry’ button. Set to 15 minutes on the timer. Use the QPR (quick pressure release) method at the end of cooking. Add the coconut milk and stir then serve. Serves 4.

To buy an Instant Pot click here: https://amzn.to/2IC57Rs

Ingredients

500g lean pork mince

2 dried red chillies

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

olive oil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

250 ml white wine

zest and juice of 1 lemon

500 g fusilli or penne

20 g Parmesan cheese , plus extra for serving

½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method

Heat a olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a high heat. Add the pork mince to the pan, really breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon. Fry for a few minutes, or until the meat starts to colour and the fat has rendered slightly, then push it down once more so it resembles coarse mince.

Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and chillies and cook over a medium heat for around 10 minutes, or until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelised.

Stir in the oregano, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. Add the lemon zest and juice, then turn the heat down to low.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions.

When the pasta has cooked but still has a bit of bite, drain it in a colander, reserving a mugful of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the meat pan, then toss to coat in all those lovely flavours, loosening with a good splash of the reserved cooking water, if needed.

Grate in the Parmesan, then pick, roughly chop and add the parsley leaves. Taste and check the seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.

All video and food photography by http://www.foodenvy.photography

We will be uploading content on a regular basis but we are constantly on the look out for sponsors, idea’s, collaboration’s so please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions 

Aveqia change the events and menu to reflect the season so are in constant need to of high-end photography to promote the excellence and deliciousness of the new menu pus the interactive nature of the events

Food Envy Photography is a food/ drink photography studio based in Berkshire but works with clients across the UK. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or discuss your brief

Once again the client was creating a new website and wanted some new photography to showcase, not only their wonderful breakfasts but their recently re-designed rooms. This required a full day shoot as they breakfast menu was extensive and interior photography can be quite a slow process to do correctly (especially when there are 15 rooms, all with en-suites).  

We started with the food photography first and I choose to shoot in the dining room which easily had the best natural light. The dining room also had amazing hand made wooden tables (the wood sourced from fallen trees in the New Forest) which provided an wonderful textured surface to shoot the breakfast on. 

Food Envy Photography is a food/ drink photography studio based in Berkshire but works with clients across the UK. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or discuss your brief

The shoot took place near Windsor in Vie & Vay’s kitchen, so space and light was always going to be tricky. However, by using the main window in the kitchen (and fortunately it was a cloudy day so I didn’t need to worry about harsh sun creating unflattering light) I was able to shoot the following photos. 

Prior to the shoot I had discussed with Vie and Vay the importance of sticking to the agreed shoot list and ensuring that we photographed the food as soon as it is ready….this is essential in food photography, because if food sits around too long it can quickly degrade i.e. sauces split, salad wilts, meat releases juices etc etc. Its this pre-planning organisation that allows us to be really efficient on the day and shoot the maximum amount of food possible

Food Envy Photography is a food/ drink photography studio based in Berkshire but works with clients across the UK. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or discuss your brief

That means I’m starting with Richoux Restaurants. Richoux are a chain of restaurants across the country that were wanting a website and menu refresh so were in need of food, interior and staff photography. The images were to be used to promote the restaurant update on a new website, across their social media channels and their traditional marketing materials.  

It was a really successful shoot and it was really helpful to have art direction by Alex from February who are the creative agency for Richoux Group. We managed to get though the entire shot list in a full day’s shoot which provided a great return on investment for the client.

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire so if you like to disucss your next shoot please don't hesitate to get in touch here

The brief was fairly simple as it was to shoot the new packaging against a black ground for the Mr Shericks labelled products but also for the 'own brand' packs for Aldi and Marks & Spencers who also stock their range of milkshakes. However, they were also keen to add some environmental and lifestyle photography to brief that they could the use in social media, print campaigns and presentations to future distributors and investors.

After many conversations about the brief with Mr Shericks' Marketing manager Lisa, we agreed a mood board and shot list and arranged the shoot date. However, having the client present at the shoot is invaluable because, even with all the prior preparation, ideas that work in your head don't necessarily work on camera so having that creative collaboration 'on the day' is essential.....its also lots of fun ;-)

I hear that some new flavours maybe in the pipeline so I cannot wait to hear (and try) them when they hit the shelves

Food Envy Photography is a food/ drink photography studio based in Berkshire but works with clients across the UK. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or discuss your brief

Tom

The rise of the internet and social media means that we are becoming even more visual as a society, so what you choose to share will have a dramatic impact on how you are perceived. Your food is your brand, your website is your shop window and the food photography you choose to upload provides a customer with their first impression. And as we all know, you only get one chance to make that first impression so its essential to make sure it a good one. Here is just a few stats to highlight the importance of good photography:

We all have a smartphone in our pockets nowadays that enable us to take good quality photo’s wherever we are. This democratisation of technology is amazing, but it can also be a double edge sword, as it means there is an awful lot of bad photography out there by people who think that all they have to do is point and click to produce amazing images. But the technology is only one factor to consider…….and in my opinion, for the aspiring food photographer, its not even the most important. The question to ask is how to separate yourself from the crowd and smartphone photography by itself will NOT cut through the vast amount of image noise that is out there. 

The best advice I can offer about how to take advantage of the powerful technology in your pocket is to dedicate more time and thought to what your brand is trying to communicate. You can then use the following tips to vastly improve the outcome of the image:

1. Think about your lighting.

Even with pro photography gear, my first thought on any shoot is lighting, because if you get this wrong, no amount of money spent on a camera will save your shot. This is true in any form of photography but perhaps even more so in food photography…..but as luck would have it, the best lighting (in my humble opinion) is daylight. Not only is it the best, its also FREE! 

However, not all daylight is equal - many people assume if its a bright sunny day without a cloud in the sky, then I should place my subject directly in this light. This is a bad idea as it tends to be too harsh, creating dark distracting shadows and colours that are too bright and wash away much of the texture and detail. What you are looking for is indirect daylight, or in English, some shade! It gives your food wonderful bright light with an even coverage that makes the food look at its delicious best. Check out the set up from a recent restaurant photoshoot where I turned off all internal electric lighting and just used window light that was shaded by another building outside

2. Composition

To put it simply, composition is the term used to describe the arrangement of stuff in your photograph. A well composed photograph will direct your eye to look at a specific place, this should not be an accident and requires a lot of prior thought e.g. the hero ingredient, your brand/ logo or person using a variety of techniques. 

The rule of thirds is shown in the images below and is a classic photography technique of putting the main point of interest on the intersection of horizontal and vertical lines. The egg photo is also a good example to show how the eye is also naturally drawn to the brightest item in the photograph and what is most in focus i.e. the egg & truffle

However, framing your subject and deciding where and what the camera should focus on, are not the only aspects to consider. You also need to think about the best angle from which to shoot from .e.g overhead for a pizza, 45° for a cocktail (so you can see the top and centre of the glass) or down low for a burger (so you can see all the ingredients) 

3. Props.

How you prop or accessorise a food photograph is a very creative part of a shoot and can elevate your image to the next level. It can also be tricky, as sourcing the knives, forks, plates/ bowls, linens, wooden boards, glassware, ceramic surfaces etc can add a lot of extra cost to your shoot (unless you are very lucky to have a  well stocked supply at home). A well propped image will add to the story you are trying to convey, but it needs to be well balanced, otherwise it will look messy and cluttered. Some things to think about are

• Choose your plate wisely
• Add dimension and personality with accessories: Napkins, utensils, glassware, and other placements can fill up the composition and make your images more engaging
• Garnish the dish
• Visit your local charity shop: I constantly pop into the various one’s on my high street
• Get creative with your backgrounds
• Make sure your accessories are clean
• Interact with the food: having a hand in the shot about to eat the food can add interest and dynamism to the image

I hope these tips will help to improve your food/ drink photography whilst you are growing your start-up food business. At the very least you will now be able to shoot a better photograph than the vast majority of images shared on Twitter or Instagram ;-) However, if you realise that your business  is growing to the next level and professional food imagery is essential to represent your brand/ product to investors, wholesalers or to further stand out from the crowd, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch for a chat

You can find some otters tips on my blog:

http://www.foodenvy.photography/blog/2015/12/is-there-a-difference-between-pro-food-photography-and-mobile-phone-food-photography

http://www.foodenvy.photography/blog/2016/2/food-photography-and-the-foodpreneur---why-its-so-important-for-your-food-business

The name Four To Eight stems from a food philosophy that great Italian cooking relies on simplicity of flavours, quality of produce and great provenance. Each of the plates comprise of between four to eight primary ingredients, no more is needed! With this emphasis, they have gathered an exciting, contemporary menu, which includes fish & seafood, rare breed grilled meats, vegetarian dishes, exciting pastas and a great selection of regional salumi and formaggi, all of which change regularly. The dishes are the combination of the best ingredients available, simply prepared by our skilled chef team, who hail from across Italy, bringing their passion and expertise with them.

The shoot itself went really smoothly with all the dishes being cooked to order and then shot immediately which means the photography looks at its most delicious and inviting. As usual nothing goes to waste as the dishes were eaten by the staff as soon as I'd finished…..although this is usually something I like to do myself but was too slow ;-) We also shot the session during a lunch service (albeit on a quiet Tuesday) in a small corner of the restaurant so it meant the kitchen could still cope and dinners were in no way disturbed by the photoshoot. The last thing I want to happen is for the shoot to interrupt business as usual!

Food Envy Photography is a specialist in food/ drink and restaurant photography working with clients across the UK so if you'd like to discuss updating your photography then please don't hesitate to get in touch

The cookbook is still in its early stages but it was important to get the photography done at this juncture as much of the humour is visual. The success of the full day's shoot was again down to pre-planning and organisation between Matthew and myself. It was very usful that he had a very clear vision for what he wanted to produce so we could plan each set-up in advance to ensure we had all the food, props and layout ideas before shoot day. With any photography its always great to have a plan, but even more important to be flexible, as an idea in your head does not always translate once you set it up and shoot it. This was the case in a couple of the set-ups but most of the time we just went with the pre-arranged concept

Food Envy Photography would love to talk to you about any ideas or concepts you may have for a cookbook and its food photography so please don't hesitate to get in touch

Thanks
Tom

Food Envy Photography is a specialist in food/ drink and restaurant photography working with clients across the UK

The two-day festival was hand-on interactive content, workshops, six unique zones and a schedule of inspiring must-see speakers who have all been there, seen it and done it. We attended a selection of inspirational talks ourselves from the likes of Patrick Drake (Hellofresh) & Ryan Kohn (PROPERCORN).

The event was very well organized with a wide diversity of entrepreneurs as all you needed to be part of the festival was a great idea or a food & drink business that you wished to move forward.

Their were also people at different stages within their food journey also present those at the idea stage, those just about to launch – as well as those looking to scale up to the next level.

No more feeling alone or feeling like a rabbit caught in headlights this event had it all for guests to go away with and feel even more inspired.

I myself cannot wait for next year’s event as Bread & Butter has allowed us to bring our vision of assisting food & drink brands to life

So want to feel inspired? Head on down to the next Bread & Butter event. You will not be disappointed!

Food Envy Photography is a specialist in food/ drink and restaurant photography working with clients across the UK so if your interested in discussing your food photography then please don't hesitate to get in touch

I feel that imagery and photography are so important to a food business (we eat with our eyes after all), and perhaps even more to a start up food business, as they are having to compete with established companies with large marketing budgets. However, through imagination and creativity we can collaborate to create awesome food photography that will enable the foodprenuer to compete on the same level and attract, not only customers, but investment, wholesales and funding. This is where I discovered Cinnamon Bridge who are an incubator and innovator of start up food businesses who certainly appreciate how important food photography and imagery is to their clients.

I've been lucky enough to attend a number of their start up event in Camden and not only met loads of great start ups but also contacts within the food world and sampled some wonderful new products

Food Envy Photography is a specialist in food/ drink and restaurant photography working with clients across the UK so please don't hesitate to get in touch to discuss your food photography requirements

Thanks
Tom

My usual style is primarily using natural light, shot in an environmental or editorial way, but this time its far more simple, using studio lights and a white background to produce food and drink photography with a very specific function and purpose. The main issues to complete the brief was the sheer volume of photography that was needed as each dish had different variations, perhaps with a different sauce or topping that each needed a separate image. This was an issue I highlighted at the very start of our discussions (which the client was very grateful for) so we could work on being as organised as possible when the shoot dates came around. Simple things like having a comprehensive shot list that we stuck to or shooting in an order that made it easier for the chefs (e.g. hot items first or trying not to move the main subject and adding the variations in order) made for a streamlined and more productive shoot

Food Envy Photography is a specialist in food/ drink and restaurant photography working with clients across the UK so please don't hesitate to get in touch should you wish to discuss your food photography requirements

Tom

Having personally tried most of the menu I can wholeheartedly recommend the Jerk Chicken Wings and Bajan Fish Cakes….wow! The restaurant offers a top class experience and brilliant service with friendly and knowledgeable staff who help to choose the best food for you, if (like me) you're not too familiar with Caribbean Cuisine. 

The event was also filmed by Mike at Jelly Fielders so please check out the video over on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pJRJGkTtff0. 

Food Envy Photography is a specialist in food/ drink and restaurant photography working with clients across the UK so if you 'd like to discuss your food photography requirement, please don't hesitate to get in touch

The brief from Thiabult (their very talented patisserie chef) was for a festive photoshoot that took place both in the café but also on the buses…..I'm not to proud to say that I took a sharp in take of breathe at this stage! Now I'm no stranger to shooting in restaurant or café and the limitations this can create (in terms of space & light) but shooting on an vintage RouteMaster bus would definitely magnify this. Its certainly the first time that I've need to a 16mm superwide lens on a food photography shoot…..but as they say 'necessity is the mother of invention' and getting creative is one of the best aspects of my job.

We shot over two consecutive half days and were able to shoot the whole brief plus some extra product shots of the beautiful patisserie as a bonus…..you can see a selection of the results below:

Food Envy Photography is a specialist in food/ drink and restaurant photography working with clients across the UK. Please don't hesitate to get in touch should you wish to discuss your food/ drink photography requirements.

Thanks
Tom

Aveqia are a very creative company and are always innovating and changing their menu's to attract new or existing clients. Just like Food Envy Photography, Aveqia understands the value of food photography and that we eat with our eyes! So being able to visually communicate the food that clients will produce and then enjoy as part of the process, is essential in gaining new and repeat clients. I've now been lucky enough to work with the team on their spring, summer and Xmas menu's and I look forward to future collaborations with the whole team

Food Envy Photography is a specialist in food/ drink and restaurant photography working with clients across the UK. Please don't hesitate to get in touch should you want to discuss your food/ drink photography requirements

Tom

The Boulters Restaurant food photography shoot took place in Maidenhead back in back in June and it was a real pleasure to work with Paul and the team who work really hard to create some innovative and delicious food. You really should check out their a la carte menu as it changes on a seasonal basis.

The shoot itself took place in a corner of the main restaurant just before lunch service so I wasn't in the way too much whilst service was underway. After all, all I really need is a table, some window light and collaboration with the kitchen to bring the food out when I'm ready with the set up/ composition. Food can degrade quickly in front of the camera (not to the naked eye but the resolution of my lenses/ camera can make it more obvious) so its essential to have that coordination with the kitchen to shoot quickly once the plate hits my table.

Food Envy Photography is a specialist in food/ drink and restaurant photography working with clients across the UK. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with any questions?

Tom

After discussions with the team at Alf Turners it was clear that the focus of the shoot was on these new innovative products - the Dragons Egg, Dragons Pork Pie & Dragons Sausage Roll all of which are made using traditional butchers techniques but with a hit of chilli. The other aspect that was highlight in our prep work was to set the majority of the shoot using an outdoor/ picnic setting

It was so exciting to be working with such a large and successful brand who first came to my attention when appearing and succeeding to win investment on Dragons Den a few years ago. They also do large amounts of work with the Help for Heroes charity which is a fantastic cause.

If you have a brand that you feel could benefit from some professional food photography then please don't hesitate to get in touch to discuss concepts, ideas or brief.

Tom

You can find some advice at my blog on the difference between DIY and pro food photography or why its essential for the foodpreneurs to get their photography right.

Cioccolatini are at this stage. They were in the process of creating a new website for their brand of cupcakes and chocolates and I was delighted to help with some pack shots plus some more creative environmental photography that helps to visually communicated what their brand is all about.

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire, just outside London. If you have any requirement for food photography, then please don't hesitate to get in touch

Once everything was agreed, two full days of shooting could commence. This included pack shots, product with ingredients, environmental shots, location shots (including, a restaurant, studio, and outside locations), product with food suggestions etc etc. A big thank you has to go to Boulters Restaurant in Maidenhead for allowing me into their premises to use their wonderful location (overlooking the river Thames) as a spectacular backdrop to some of the images. 

If you have a food or drinks brand that could benefit from some professional photography then please don't hesitate to get in touch

After an initial meeting to discuss their brief, a full day of shooting was arranged. With any photo shoot of this type, collaboration with the chef is essential so we can understand when the food will be ready to enable us to photograph it at is absolute best. So we created a shoot list with accurate timings that enables me to compose the shot beforehand and then have the dish arrive to shoot (once the dish is on the table we are against the clock as it can degrade pretty fast) and be able to move onto the next to guarantee finishing in the agreed timescales.

Over the course of the day we managed to complete 3 x starters, 3 x mains, 3 x desserts, group shots of dishes on set table, canapés, champagne, tea & coffee, Conference facilities 

If you have a menu or dish that would benefit from similar food photography then please don't hesitate to get in touch   

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire but serves clients across the UK. If you have a requirement for some food/ drink photography or simply have some questions then please get in touch

Ingredients:

• 250 g Camembert
• 1 clove garlic
• a few tips fresh rosemary
• olive oil
• bite-sized pieces bread , stale
• a few sprigs rosemary
• olive oil
• 1 tiny pinch sea salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Leaving it in the box, score around the top of a 250g Camembert about ½cm in and cut off the top layer of skin. Finely slice a peeled garlic clove and poke it into the top of the cheese with a few fresh rosemary tips. Drizzle with a little olive oil then bake in the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until gorgeous and oozy in the middle. 

Thread bite-sized pieces of stale bread onto stripped woody rosemary sprigs, drizzle them with olive oil and a tiny pinch of sea salt to help them crisp up then lay them on a tray and pop in the oven to cook with the Camembert. 

Once your bread skewers are golden and crisp and your cheese is oozy, put everything out on a board then dunk a bit of toasted bread in the gooey cheese and get ready to dunk

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire but works with clients across the UK. Please get in touch with any questions or enquiries about your own food/ drink requirements

Ingredients:

500g Fresh Beef Mince.

4 Rashers of Smoked Streaky Bacon, finely diced.

2 Tins of Plum/Chopped Tomatoes.

6 Fresh Cherry Tomatoes.

2 Medium Onions, peeled and finely diced.

2 Sticks of Celery, trimmed and finely diced.

2 Carrots, trimmed and finely diced.

2 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and finely diced.

1 Medium Chilli (optional), seeded and finely sliced

75g Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, plus extra for grating over.

2 tbsp Tomato Puree

1 Beef Stock Cube.

Glass of red wine (optional)

Herbs:

2-3 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary.

Handful of Fresh Basil, plus extra for Garnish.

1 tsp Dried Oregano.

1-2 Fresh Bay Leaves.

Olive oil.

Sea Salt and Black Pepper.

Method:

Get yourself a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, and place it on a medium heat. Add a good lug of olive oil and gently fry your bacon until golden and crisp, then reduce the heat slightly and add your onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Next remove the leaves from the Rosemary sprigs and add them to the pot, discarding the sprigs. Move everything around and fry for around 8-10 minutes until the veg has softened.

Next, increase the heat slightly, add the mince and stir until the meat is browned all over.

Stir in your tins of plum/chopped tomatoes, (plum tomatoes are best as they contain less water, but either will turn out great!). Add your remaining herbs, tomato puree, stock cube, chilli and if using, the wine. Slice your cherry tomatoes in half and throw them in as well.

Give everything a stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up the plum tomatoes as you go and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low-medium, put the lid on and leave it blipping away for about an hour and 15 minutes until the flavours develop into a wonderfully rich tomatoey sauce. Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't catch.

Just as the sauce is nearly ready, Add the parmesan and season to taste.

Ingredients

Edamame Beans (in theirs pods)

Salt flakes

Chilli Flakes

Method

Heat the beans in the microwave for 30 seconds - add salt & chilli flakes

Serve......BOOM!

Thanks to Heidi's Patisserie in Daniels Department Store for this wonderful surprise!

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio in Berkshire who works with food businesses of all sizes to produce imagery they can be proud of. If you need blog content, website images, recipe photo or print photography for your food business then please don't hesitate to get in touch today

Thanks

Tom

You just have to think how many possibilities there are for improving the look of your website, promotional material plus all social media interactions and endless sharing opportunities that are driven by imagery and specifically photography. Here are just a few statistics:

From speaking with clients who understand the importance of dedicated food photography for their business, the response is always positive. They see an increase in customer engagement on their website and increased shares/ comments across their social media platforms. For example when a new menu item is announced, it generates far more interest and engagement if it’s accompanied with a beautifully lit, composed and authentic photograph.

So what are your options?

As we’ve discussed in previous blog post, it is possible to take a DIY approach to visually represent your food on your website and social media. Camera technology, especially smart phones, are now everywhere allowing everyone to take images of food simply and with little difficulty. However, are the results good enough to represent your business and communicate the quality of your food? Only you can answer this but we now live in an online/ social media world where imagery is ubiquitous, available at the touch of a button, so making the right first impression is absolutely essential. You don’t see companies like Coca-Cola, Cadbury's or Marks & Spencer fronting their ad campaigns with camera phone footage.

Social media platforms like Instagram are fantastic for food businesses but care needs to be taken with the photos that are uploaded and shared. It’s  fantastic when clients share images but when your business does this, you should be asking simple questions: is the quality, resolution, accuracy good enough to represent my food/ produce? Software tools likes filters, whilst fun to use, don’t make a photograph good, they just help to mask an adequate one.

Many smaller/ start up food companies will look to stock photography to help. Whilst this may help with the quality issue it will not address the authenticity and provenance concerns. One of the major unique selling points of being a smaller brand is the credibility and authenticity of the story that your product generates (perhaps you are an artisan cheese manufacturer who uses your own rare goats milk or a chef whose restaurant only uses ingredients sourced from urban farms). This can be completely overlooked by utilising generic, non-bespoke stock imagery on your website/ blog/ social media as it’s the provenance that customers are buying into and they will see through photography that is not genuinely telling the story. 

It is also a common misconception that stock photography is a cheaper option. If you are sourcing the images from non-free libraries then you have to understand how and where you plan on using the photo’s as you will be charged accordingly. For example if you purchase a small image for your social media but then decide you wanted it printed larger and in high resolution then costs can quickly escalate. By using a professional food photographer you can specify a universal licence for unlimited use to overcome this.

Your food is your brand and your website/ social media is your store front so poor imagery can damage your off and online presence. As we all know, our first interaction with food is visual - ‘we eat with our eyes’ before any other the other senses get a chance to register. 

How can Professional Food Photography help you?

Working with Food Envy Photography is a collaborative effort as we need to understand you, your food business and the concept you are trying to visually communicate. This allows you a great deal of opportunity to express your story, skill, reputation and themes and is essential to create successful imagery that highlights your unique brand in the marketplace. 

Once we understand the brief we can start the process of showcasing your food with some amazing photography by using our experience to create the best light, composition and styling. In our opinion, natural light brings the best out of the food so timing is therefore everything. We will work together to plan exactly when and where the photo shoot needs to take place to ensure you are getting the best possible result and avoid unnecessary waste. Food Envy Photography will bring experience and knowledge to the process to ensure it is as efficient, cost effective and successful as possible, resulting in images that will enhance your website and you will love to share on social media. 

Please get in touch if you would like to discuss any of the points made in this blog article or would like any more information in photography for your food business.

Food Envy Photography

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire, just outside London. We help clients with photography for their recipes, blogs, content, print and website so if you've any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire, just outside London. We love to work on photography for your recipes, blog, posts, online content and website so please get in touch with any questions

Tom

As it turns out, american style pancakes are just as easy to produce, they just take a little longer to cook due to their thicker consistency - why not try the recipe below on Pancake Day this year? Just so you don't forget its 9th Feb.....

Food Envy Photography is a Professional Food Photography Studio based in Berkshire, just outside London. Please feel free to get in touch with any food photography requirements you may have:

There is not really much else to say, except that I came across this particular recipe on the BBC Good Food website and its been a regular addition to my curry repertoire. Its easy to do and beats a takeaway hands down so give it a go this weekend with a couple of cold beers and friends!

Food Envy Photography is a Professional Food Photography studio based in Berkshire, just outside London

Get in touch if you're interested in creating recipes or food photography for your business or website

Bon Appetite

Tom

Food Envy Photography

Food Envy Photography is a professional Food Photography studio based in Berkshire, just outside London

4 chicken thighs, skin on

2 lemons
1 tbsp chopped tarragon and thyme
1 tbsp olive oil 

350g maris piper potatoes
1 tsp paprika, sweet or smoked 

1. turn on your oven to 220C/fan 200. Pat the chicken thighs with kitchen paper to remove as much moisture as possible. Grate the zest from 1 lemon and squeeze the juice from both. Then marinade the chicken in a shallow dish (Slash the skin of each chicken thigh three times) with the lemon, zest, tarragon/ thyme, 1 tbsp of the oil, and some salt and pepper. Turn the chicken in the marinade to make sure its well covered and ideally you want to leave it in the fridge for a few hours to take on the flavours. If you want extra crispy skin then pan fry the thighs (skin side down) for a few minutes before placing them skin side up into the oven for 30 mins

2. Cut the potatoes into wedges/ cubes and place into a pan of water and bring to the boil. You want to par boil them for 5 minutes, drain and then allow to steam for a few minutes. Place them on a baking tray and then toss in oil and sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 30 mins, until the chicken is well browned and the potatoes tender. 

3. I recently met with Tim from Flavour Magic who kindly gave me some samples of his smoked and chilli infused salts to try. So to finish the dish, I added a few flakes of smoked salt and a few flakes of chilli salt to the potatoes……it added a real punch of extra flavour

Bon Appetite

Tom

This is a fantastic recipe for a healthy lunch and serves 4.

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Maidenhead, just outside London. Please get in touch if you'd like to discuss your food photography requirements in more detail

Bon appetite

Tom

20 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tbsp harissa

3 tbsp olive oil

3 onion very thinly sliced

4 tbsp Greek-style yogurt

1 garlic clove, crushed

200g couscous

½ small pack mint, roughly chopped

½ small pack parsley, roughly chopped

Veg stock

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the tomatoes in 2 tbsp of the oil. Season and spread in a roasting tin, cut-side up, and bake for 20-55 mins.

Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan. Tip in the onions and sizzle for a couple of mins. Turn down the heat, season and cook for 15 mins or until golden and caramelised. In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt, harissa and with some seasoning. Set aside.

Tip the couscous into a large bowl. MIx Veg stock with 400ml boiling water and pour over couscous. Cover with cling film and leave to stand for 10 mins or until all the water has been absorbed. Fork though the herbs and half the onions. Top with the tomatoes and the remaining onions, and serve with a dollop of the yogurt sauce.

The dish on this occasion is a tuna pasta dish that is as quick as it is simple. Usually with any pasta dish I'd prefer a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc but I was recently introduced to Bottle Green sparkling drinks that can offer a good alcohol free alternative.

Makes 2 serves

200g spaghetti

30ml of Olive Oil

Spinach or Rocket

half a chilli (depending on how spicy you like it)

1 medium size cans tuna in water

Cherry tomatoes (halved)

dried oregano

2 cloves of garlic (chopped)

Salt –pepper and a tiny red hot chilly

1 tea sp of sugar

Tomato Puree

Anchovy Puree (optional)

extra virgin olive oil and squeeze of lemon to serve

Cook the pasta in salted water as per the instructions on the packet

My advice is to cook the pasta while the sauce is being cooked, so the pasta can be added in the sauce straight away

In a frying pan heat the oil cook the garlic and chilli and the herbs. Cook in very low temperature Now add the halved cherry tomatoes and slowly cook. Add tomato/ anchovy puree plus liquid from the starchy pasta water if its starts to dry out

Once pasta is cooked drain it and add to the sauce along with the spinach/ rocket. It will start to wilt  but you can also give it a stir at this point. 

Once combined, fold the tuna chunks into the pasta to warm thou. I like to keep the chunks chunky so tend to not stir it to vigorously

Serve with squeeze of lemon and drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire, just outside London. Please get in touch should you have any questions about your food photography requirements

Tom

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire, just outside London. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your food photography requirement then, please, get in touch

Tom

2 unwaxed oranges
1 lemon, peel only
150g caster sugar
5 cloves, plus extra for garnish
5 cardamom pods, bruised
1 cinnamon stick
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 bottles of fruity, unoaked red wine
150ml ginger wine

1. Peel and juice 1 orange, and add to a large saucepan along with the lemon peel, sugar and spices. Add enough wine to just cover the sugar, and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 – 8 minutes until you have a thick syrup.

2. Meanwhile, if you're serving the mulled wine immediately, stud the second orange with 6 vertical lines of cloves, and then cut into segments to use as a garnish.

3. Turn the heat down, and pour the rest of the wine into the saucepan, along with the ginger wine. Gently heat through and serve with the orange segments as a garnish. Alternatively, you can allow the syrup to cool, and pour it into sterilised bottles for use at a later date.

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire

I popped into Waitrose (just before closing) last week with the intention to buying some of their marked down products (those that are reduced due to final day on sale before being thrown away) to photograph and highlight that these products still retain their flavour and original deliciousness. 

This image was from my first set up of mini Lemon & Ginger Tarts, that I'm assuming, would have been thrown away in a few hours as the sell by date was that evening. To me, they still looked perfectly edible and hopefully, you'd be hard pressed to disagreed based on this image. But just to be safe I felt it was only fair that I tested the tarts.....just to be sure ;-). I can happily confirm that they were every bit as delicious as expected! 

I'll be heading down to other supermarkets over the coming weeks to see what other wonderful products I can save from the bin, photograph and then eat. 

Tom

Food Envy Photography

Now don’t get me wrong, it is perfectly possible to take usable images on a smart phone, which is fine, if its your customer taking images to share with friends on their social media….in fact, this is great for your business. However, when you visit the website of a top restaurant or food brands they are not using these types of images on their home pages or anywhere other than on Facebook or Twitter feeds. They understand that customers ‘eat with their eyes’ and that with the advent of the internet, its only too easy for them to find your competition in a few clicks and decide their delicious, colourful, vibrant looking food is more appealing  and eat there instead

What to look for

Accuracy

Your food is your brand and you spend hours creating, improving and perfecting the look, smell and taste of a dish. Therefore, this needs to be communicated visually to your customer and risking this to shaky amateur mobile phone photography can indicate a lack of care in your product. 

Colour 

Colour is probably one of the most important factors in food photography and is one of the easiest to get wrong. Most restaurant have tungsten or florescent lighting installed which is great for the interior but can murder the food photography if its not corrected for or avoided completely. Getting the colour wrong turns off customers very quickly as they immediately know something is wrong with the dish

Distortion

This is one of the harder aspects to notice in food photography but still important. Smart phones have a very wide lens so its camera needs to get much closer to the food and this will cause distortion of the photograph. Distortion is generally referred to an optical aberration that deforms and bends physically straight lines and makes them appear curvy in images. Again, this can make your food look unappealing as the brain is aware something is wrong, even if the viewer cannot quite put their finger on why?

Detail

Its very easy to lose detail with a camera phone as the level of precision need in the lens to capture fine macro detail is not what they are designed for. This is where a specific lens come into play (I promise not to get techy here) that are designed to bring out all of the hidden beauty of the food in question. In the Cod photographs, I deliberately chose a piece of white fish to highlight this issue, as its very hard to a mobile phone camera to cope with the whites/ greys in the flesh and in the parsnip puree which means it ‘blows out’ the image. All detail is lost and you are just left with white whereas the image on the left you see subtle details and colour changes in both the fish and puree.

If you'd be interested in a discussion about how dedicated food photography can help your restaurant, chef, products then please don't hesitate to get in touch here

BTW, just in case you are wondering the Pro photography kit used was Nikon D800 + 105mm macro lens and the mobile was the Nexus 6P

The 6 American states in the far north east of the country—, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont—are otherwise known as New England. 4 of the 6 have large seacoasts; all 6 share a common heritage dating back to settlements of Puritan immigrants from the the UK during the first half of the 17th century. Further waves of immigration, particularly of Portuguese speaking peoples in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and of Italians, Poles and other peoples, have added great depth to New England cooking, but the directness and no-frills nature of the original settlers continues to shine through in an array of basic dishes.

New England generates two stereotypical cultural images in the tourists imagination; The sea is primary—the tough fisherman, the fishing boat, the lighthouse. The other image comes from rural New England, its gentle hills decked with multi-coloured autumn leaves, rustic farms, covered bridges. Both maritime and inland areas of New England have food traditions. Since the area became the source for great migrations through the entire northern tier of the United States all the way to the Pacific coast, its food-ways have had a great deal of influence on other areas of the country.

Seasonal foods to watch out for:

Steamers: or clams to those of us form the UK. amazing!

Pumpkins: Sept and Oct, enjoy pumpkins patch festivals leading up to Halloween is a fantastic time of year

Lobster: Abundant, super fresh and reasonably priced, New England lobster is best enjoyed “in the rough” at a “lobster shack” — an informal shore-side restaurant.

Maple syrup: In March, sap from maple trees is boiled down to make this delicious treat, plus candy and other goodies.

Oysters and clams: Eat them raw, fried, in soups, in chowders, and stuffed. Yum!

Cranberries: Grown on and around Cape Cod; essential with turkey at Thanksgiving. Come to watch the harvest.

Part two of this blog will be out soon

Pumpkin season in New England.     

For many years now I’ve wanted to take a trip around New England to see the autumn leaves change colour. So many American friends have told me that its one of the most amazing sights in the US and has to be seen to be believed as no photo can ever do it justice. Its a big claim, so in October this year my wife and I flew in Boston, hired a car and started our road trip taking in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut and New York

Its always a bit of a concern when you’ve such high expectations for a trip but, thankfully, on this occasion my expectations were not only met but exceeded. New England in Autumn is simply beautiful (I’ll go into more detail in upcoming blogs), the range of colours on show in such a dramatic landscape are mind-blowing, and without doubt, one of the most spectacular places I’ve ever been to. 

As a food photographer, food is never too far from my thoughts so it was great to see a thriving food culture with passion every bit as exciting as back home. It just so happened that we were travelling though New England during Pumpkin season and the run up to Halloween which provided the opportunity to see artisan US food culture in action. Although we’d be home before 31st October, it was fascinating to experience how big an event Halloween is, and just how omni-present the pumpkin is. Our road trip took us off the Interstate so we could see ‘small town America’ and it didn’t seem to matter how small the towns were, pumpkins, pumpkins patches, pumpkin bake sales and pumpkin festivals seemed to be taking over. 

It really inspired to to document what I saw then give my own pumpkin soup recipe a try when getting home:

Ingredients 

Serves: 6 

750g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed

2 carrots, coarsely chopped

2 onions, cut into wedges

2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large potato, sliced

1 litre water

2 or 3 cubes chicken stock, crumbled

250ml double cream

1 1/4 tablespoons ground nutmeg, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

salt to taste

Hot Sauce to taste

Method

Prep:5min  ›  Cook:55min  ›  Extra time:1hr  ›  Ready in:2hr 

1. Preheat oven to 220 C / Gas 7.

2. Place pumpkin, carrots and onions in a baking dish or roasting tin. Drizzle with vegetable oil.

3. Bake in preheated oven 40 minutes, until soft but not blackened.

4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water and crumbled stock cubes to the boil. Cook       potato in simmering water until soft, about 20 minutes.

5. Combine potato and water with roasted vegetables and puree in a liquidiser or food processor until smooth. Return to pan over low heat and stir in cream, nutmeg, pepper and salt. Heat gently; serve.

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire, just outside London

So this week I've decided to test myself with a recipe from Tom Kerridge for some friends this weekend. It slow roasted leg of lamb with saag aloo and sounds amazing. Here is a picture form the first stage today and I'll try and get a few more as I go......wish me luck

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire and serves London and the South East.

If you are interested in creating food envy for your images then please don't hesitate to get in touch

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire but works with clients across London and the South East. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like to create food envy for your clients

Original recipe by BBC Good Food

chorizo and tomato pearl barley food envy photography

Ingredients

100g chorizo ring, sliced 

1 onion, finely chopped 

1 garlic clove, finely chopped 

150g pearl barley 

200g of cherry tomatoes 

500ml hot chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube 

2 stalks rosemary, leaves chopped 

method

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the chorizo for 3-4 mins until it turns golden and releases its oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. 

2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, and cook for 3-4 mins, until they begin to soften. Add the pearl barley and stir well to coat in the oil, before tipping in the chopped cherry tomatoes and the chicken stock. Bring just to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 30 mins, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the pearl barley is tender. You may need to top up with a little extra water as you go. 

3. Season and stir in the rosemary and chorizo to serve.

Bon Appetite 

porridge and berries breakfast food photography Some things don't change however, and I still must have the largest cup of tea available (or maybe two) and a slice of toast. Due to the rather simple nature of this recipe there really wasn't any need to write down the ingredients and method.....you can just look at the photography ;-)

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photography studio based in Berkshire but works with clients across London and the South East. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like to create food envy for your clients

Tom

In addition to covering the opening event of the rebranding of Heidi's patisserie at Daniels Department Store in Windsor, local food photographer, Food Envy photography was invited to photograph some of their latest and most delicious creations.

This is one of those commissions that I love, as it combines my passion for food with my passion for photography. This shoot really made me think creatively as there was very limited time and space to get the images, but this what I love about my job, thinking on your feet to make sure the you get the best images for the client

Who doesn't love pizza.....I know I certainly do, and have undoubtably eaten more than my fair share over the years. However, this weekend I decided to take the plunge, try something new and make my own! Domino's and Pizza Express BEWARE

The process was actually far easier and quicker than I imagined....however, this was helped by using the dough blade on my MagiMix rather than hand kneeing the base (the instructions for which are below) so it did cheat ever so slightly. You can obviously add any toppings you wish but I created a hot & spicy one (pepperoni, jalapenos and hot sauce, yum) and a second more sensible one (salami, courgette, mozzarella and basil) - see the food photography below

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photographer in Berkshire, just outside London

Food Envy Photography is a professional food photographer based in Berkshire, just outside London.

This food photography shoot was inspired by the age old argument (well, in my household at least) of "on a home made scone do you put the jam on top of the clotted cream or is it vice versa". We've never actually been able to settle this (or how to actually pronounce the blooming things) so I thought I'd create a batch, photograph them and see what others think......plus, if it inspires you to have a go at the scones (or the argument) then recipe is below

Luminous Photography is a commercial & food photographer in Berkshire

Everyone loves a good roast dinner and I'm no exception!!! I've been cooking this one for years as it tastes amazing.....therefore, I thought it would be a good recipe to add to my food photography blog! Thankfully its a really simple recipe, as running around taking photographs, whilst trying not to burn everything proved to be quite a challenge.

Food Envy Photography is a professional photographer in Berkshire, near London

This blog is going to be especially important to me as I will be blogging about many areas, from my professional food photography commissions, personal food projects to recipes and visits to amazing restaurants and producers.....basically anything that sparks my passion. Some of the images will be created for clients using my pro gear either on site or in my studio but others maybe be shot on my mobile phone in a restaurant or food establishment. 

The goal is to document my food photography journey around London and the UK but also across the globe when the opportunity presents itself. I can't wait to get started

I hope you enjoy

Tom