Tips and advice for chefs who get recorded in videos for recipe and food styling

After numerous productions, we’ve accumulated a lot of experience in the field of shooting food recipes. There are very important points to consider before filming. These points can affect the final results of your project. 1. Prepare the necessary reference and research as well as a visual of the recipe and coordinate expectations with the photographer. This idea is emphasized in images from the site: https://www.pinterest.com 2. Both men and women need to get their hands manicured a day before the shoot. Women: get your nails polished; preferably bright colors such as French Pearl or French. 3. Textiles, maps and napkins should be organized prior to production. You should prepare as large a selection of these as possible. 4. A clothing/styling set should be ready for the day of filming. There should be at least 3 options for clothing changes for each shoot. 3-5 uniforms or changes of clothing should be ironed and creased. You should avoid crowded geometric shapes, lively stripes or networks/grids. It’s preferable to dress in a classic, unicolor uniform. I recommend black and white uniforms with aprons. If you wear regular clothing instead of a uniform, use pastel colors. 5. Kitchen tools and accessories (stove, microwave etc.) should be prepared in advance, rinsed clean and polished. The same goes for the entire workspace. 6. Print the recipe and work in chronological order. The recipe is also the script. There should be no errors in the amounts of food you need for the cooking process or time it takes to prepare something because it will disappoint viewers and lead to negative reactions in the comments section. The video may have to be removed from YouTube altogether and be revised and re-editing from scratch. Make sure you’ve tested the recipe and be sure it is accurate and will lead to a successful showing. 7. It’s a good idea to proofread the text that you want to use in the video prior to the shoot. 8. The order of the shoot begins with a presentation of the recipe and is followed by cooking tips, preparation of the dish, closing remarks and an invitation to subscribe to the channel. (There should be a co-shoot from a second camera: the first cameraman uninterruptedly shoots the cooking process and a second cameraman shoots a close-up of the action). 9. Silverware: It is important to prepare all the tools and ingredients for the recipe in advance. Everything has to be fresh and shining. 10. Do the grocery shopping for the “small” things you need early in the morning the day of the shoot for the final photos of dishes such as: mint leaves, strawberries, cherries, green leaves, etc. Once again, everything should be fresh. 11. The rhythm of speech and work should be rapid if you want to finish the shoot in under 4 minutes. 12. Avoid saying “uhm...” and “like.” 13. In the close-up shoot, the audience sees all the products in example versions: you can see small bugs and defects in the nana leaves, finger prints on the plates (you have sticky fingers), undesired leaks, etc. 14. Always pay attention to unwanted reflection and objects that should not be on the set or the subject's body. 15. When you talk, try to speak clearly and in an even tone. Try not to swallow words or stutter. 16. Be careful with the microphone and equipment connected to your body. 17. Don’t pull cables on the set. 18. It’s a good idea to bring an assistant at the chef’s bequest to wash dishes (cotton gloves should be used) so that there are no finger prints on the silverware. 19. Good language usage in front of the camera has a big effect on how you look in the finished product. 20. Be calm and comfortable on the shoot. This will help you focus on the text. 21. It’s very important to get a babysitter for house pets and babies so that they don’t interrupt the shoot. 22. Check in advance to make sure the area of the shoot is secure from unnecessary sound, air conditioning, gardening in the yard, passing vehicles, etc. It’s important to let the video man know about problems in advance. 23. Price stickers and product labels should be removed from silverware and food items.