When you’ve spent years in the fast-paced world of hospitality—especially running a Michelin-recommended restaurant—you learn a thing or two about food. Not just how it tastes (though, let’s be honest, that’s the fun part), but how it looks, how it’s plated, and, most importantly, how to capture it in a way that makes people need to try it.

Food photography isn’t just about snapping a pretty picture—it’s about storytelling, setting the mood, and making someone’s stomach rumble through a screen. Over the years, I’ve picked up some valuable lessons about what works (and what really doesn’t) when photographing food, and I’m sharing them all with you today. So whether you’re a chef, a restaurant owner, or just someone who wants to make their food photos pop, here are five key lessons I learned from my time in a Michelin-recommended kitchen.

Let’s dive in!

1. Freshly Cooked Dishes Photograph Best

Food photography isn’t a race… but it is a bit of a sprint. If you want those dishes to look their absolute best, they need to be fresh out of the kitchen. That means steaming-hot pasta still glistening with sauce, meat that hasn’t started to dry out, and garnishes that haven’t wilted into a sad little heap.

This is why food shoots often take longer than expected—because the kitchen needs to be involved, cooking each dish at just the right moment. There’s nothing worse than photographing a plate that’s been sitting under lights for too long, looking tired and unappetizing. If you want those shots to have that just-served magic, timing is everything!

2. Your Flat Lay or Backdrop Should Match Your Brand

You wouldn’t serve a beautifully plated fine dining dish on a plastic tray (at least, I hope not), so why do the same in your photos? The background, tableware, and overall setting of your food shots should complement your brand’s aesthetic.

If you’ve got a light, airy restaurant with delicate, refined dishes, don’t suddenly go moody with dark, rustic surfaces—it’ll feel off-brand. Similarly, if your place has a cozy, intimate vibe with hearty comfort food, a bright white, ultra-modern backdrop might look a bit out of place. The key is consistency. Your food photography should feel like an extension of your restaurant, not a separate entity.

3. Schedule Your Photoshoot Alongside Team Tastings

If your team already does menu tastings, why not double up and schedule your food photography session at the same time? Not only does this make sense logistically (less food waste, happier staff), but it also means your dishes are being plated with extra care and attention—because let’s face it, no chef wants to present a sloppy dish to their own team!

Plus, having your team around during the shoot means they can offer insight into how the dish is meant to be eaten. Maybe that sauce is meant to be poured over at the table, or the garnish is there for more than just looks. Understanding the story behind each dish helps create more authentic, mouth-watering images.

4. Gravy & Sauces Don’t Always Need to Be on the Plate

Here’s the thing about sauces: they can look a bit… gloopy when just sitting there. A puddle of gravy on a plate? Not always the most appetizing shot. But as an action shot? Absolute gold.

Capturing a beautiful pour of sauce or gravy mid-air adds movement and excitement to an image, making the dish feel alive rather than static. So instead of drowning a dish in sauce beforehand, consider saving it for a dynamic, in-the-moment shot that adds a little extra drama to your food photography.

5. Reflective Plates Are a No-Go

Crockery is so underrated when it comes to food photography. A gorgeous dish on the wrong plate can completely ruin the visual appeal of a shot. And one of the biggest culprits? Highly reflective plates.

Shiny surfaces bounce light in unpredictable ways, creating unwanted glare and distracting highlights. Instead of focusing on the beautifully plated food, your eye gets drawn to bright reflections that have no business being there. Matte or softly textured plates tend to photograph much better, helping the food take center stage without unnecessary distractions.

Final Thoughts

Food photography is more than just taking pretty pictures—it’s about capturing the essence of a dish and telling the story of your brand. From using fresh ingredients to choosing the right backdrop, every little detail plays a part in making your food look as irresistible in photos as it does in real life.

If you’re looking to upgrade your restaurant’s visuals with professional food photography, let’s chat! Whether you need new images for your website, social media, or menu, I’ll help bring your culinary vision to life—without a shiny plate in sight.