The Secrets of Food Styling with Mira Evnine
As a food stylist, Mira Evnine has learned the craft of picking the best ingredients for a dish and preparing the table for the perfect shot. All images courtesy of Mira Evnine.
Mira Evnine has the type of job we’re all a bit envious of. As a food stylist and art director, her work combines two things that almost any human loves: good food and cool art. Evnine has worked at the intersection of food and design for more than a decade, helping companies like Shake Shack, Chobani, Hermés, and Häagen-Dazs to develop their brand identities.
“Food styling lies at the intersection of concept, storytelling, and technique,” she says. “You need to know what your visual concept is, be clear about what you are trying to communicate, and technically accomplish it.” To do that, Evnine has learned the craft of picking the best ingredients and constantly building upon her extensive knowledge base of what tastes good, how long a certain food item will last, and how to make it look delicious and fresh for the perfect shot.
Here, Evnine shares how she works, including the secrets behind food styling; her idea to create a working farm similar to SoHo House; and why a general can-do attitude fixes almost everything.
For Jono Pondolfi in collaboration with photographer Liz Clayman.
Rise and Shine
I’m generally an early riser, which means I wake up around 6 a.m. during the summer months. I try to avoid the temptation of my phone (which I’ve been successful as of late and something I’m quite chuffed about, as I find that delaying using my phone corresponds directly with the quality of my day). I make myself a cup of tea; black with a little milk. I’ll often put on WNYC. If I do pick up my phone I’ll take a look at the New York Times, and let’s be honest, Instagram.
The coop I live in has a large shared garden with portions of it maintained by tenants of each coop. So I try and go out to the garden to either sit and take in the flora and some sunlight or putz around the garden, pulling weeds here and there.
Work Uniform
Peak pandemic, I was a private chef and found it was easier to have a small set of more or less the same outfit: wide leg pants from Everlane and a white T-shirt. Clogs (currently in rotation are Calzuro, Birkenstocks, and Dansko). Hair pulled back. There was something nice about having a small, straight to the point set of outfits. In a post-peak-pandemic world, I’m rediscovering clothing. Certainly there are a lot of pants/jeans in the mix, but it depends on the weather and what I’m doing that day. Most important is dressing comfortably. Oh! And I love a jumpsuit.
How I Structure My Day
The way I structure my day depends on the week and what’s on the calendar. I like to keep a running list of “to-do’s” which I’ll try and consult throughout the day. This is usually a mix of work and personal items. I try to front-load my day, taking advantage of energy and focus. But some days, the focus and energy run differently or not at all! On those days, if my schedule allows for it, I’ll skip the work in deference to doing something else fun or constructive.
If I’m working on a cookbook photoshoot, I’ll read through the manuscript which can take a bit of time depending on density of the writing or length of the manuscript. I’ll create a spreadsheet schedule that details the prep schedule, a schedule of what recipes to cook on what days and in what order. The spreadsheet may also include notes on sourcing, as well as any styling notes discussed prior to the photoshoot. I’ll then rearrange a physical copy of the manuscript to reflect the spreadsheet and vice versa.
If I’m cooking for clients, I’ll consider the number of people I’m cooking for, the clients preferences, and what's available seasonally. I’ll consider the weather. And then ultimately, I go to the market and see what's available, see what's looking good. And build out dishes from there.
For Shake Shack in collaboration with photographer Joel Goldberg.
Playlist Favorites
When I work by myself, I often prefer to work in silence. But when I do play music, it’s eclectic and depends on what I’m doing, the weather, the light coming through the window, etc. It can be either Classical, Radiohead, Tribe Called Quest, Beyoncé, Selena, Fairport Convention, Leonard Cohen or sometimes a ’90s mix. Recently, I was introduced to Odesza, which is a newer genre for me. I find the rhythm of the music keeps me at pace and keeps me moving.
Tools of the Trade
Because my work is varied, my tools will change depending on what I’m working on. But regularly in the mix are:
My 13” MacBook Air.
A lineless notebook that I use a pen and pencil with. But also rely on my phone for the notes app.
My knife roll includes a Kramer carbon steel chef knife, a couple of Pallares Solsona knives, and a serrated knife. A couple of Gio Ponti spoons I picked up working in Italy over the pandemic.
Dream Studio
Hmmm, this is a deceptively simple answer: I’d love a large, light-filled space with high ceilings and a large outdoor space for gardening. With a kitchen and large table for gathering around. Perhaps a library in the corner.
One Unique Thing About My Work Process…
In my work, I am especially aware of how people eat with their eyes first. This is something my aunt taught me when I was very young and we cooked together. When something came out sort of ugly I said, “Well? At least it'll taste good!” Then she countered with, “But you eat with your eyes first.” So, compositionally, I bring a lot from food styling in to my everyday. Part of the responsibility of being a food stylist is understanding light, and to some degree, photography and video so that the I can collaborate with the photographer or videographer and other stylists on set. Also, when I am cooking other peoples’ recipes for photoshoots, I learn about different approaches and recipes, which ultimately influence my own cooking.
As for making things look good for camera? My approach is fairly untechnical and low intervention. A little hot water mixed with oil goes a long way for reviving meats and other things that need to look juicy.
Mantra
“Let’s figure it out!” This is a general approach that is both inherent to my personality but was also reinforced (formally and informally?) at RISD, where I went to school. There’s no hidden meaning, it’s really quite straightforward: the general can-do attitude that most puzzles, situations and/or challenges can be figured out. I became aware of this mantra and am reminded of how foundational it is to my way of approaching everything — big to the smaller — when I come up against people who do not have this approach. There’s a distinct difference.
My Brightest Idea that Never Saw the Light of Day
Too many! Working on bringing more ideas to fruition! But one that sticks out to me is a membership-based farm — think SoHo House but make it a working farm. There’d be a place to gather, participate in farm processes, socialize, learn. It’d be part classroom, part community supported agriculture, part social club, part cafe, part farm stay.
To-Do List Item that Keeps Me Up at Night
I’m a pretty sound sleeper. I try to leave the worrying to waking hours as best I can.
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