No compensation was received for this post. I attended a press event which facilitated the writing of this post.
I have an insatiable passion for fresh, wholesome, gourmet food, and the inspiration for my recipes comes from a combination of my culture, my travels, and my life experiences. And while flavor is integral, I also find that the look of the dish is often what initially compels someone to even think about tasting or recreating a recipe. With that concept in mind, I never really thought much about the food used in films. A handful of journalists and bloggers came together for a hands-on demonstration from Hollywood Food Stylist Chris Oliver (who worked on Saving Mr. Banks) to discover what it takes to make the food look beautiful on-screen.
Saving Mr. Banks, which is now available on DVD, is the poignant untold story about the making of the beloved classic Mary Poppins. Starring Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers, we get a surprising look at the lengths Disney went to in order to obtain the rights to Travers’ book. What we discover is a deeply emotional story about the ghosts that haunt us and the importance of recognizing the integral role our childhood plays in our future. The film is set in the 60’s, and along with ensuring the locales/sets, costumes, and script reflect this period of time, the food also had to be authentically appetizing.
Along with creating and styling the food for Saving Mr. Banks, Oliver’s extensive work can be seen in commercials, television shows (Parenthood, Revenge, Glee, How I Met Your Mother) and films (About Last Night, and Oblivion). Her expertise lies in making food from any era both camera ready and edible, a challenge amongst talent who may be adhering to a variety of diets. Whether you simply enjoy hosting people in your home or you have a more professional interest in food styling and photography, Oliver’s easy tips can transform a “blah” dish into something that would wow even the most elite chefs.
1. Use layers to add color and depth to a dish. For example, Oliver plated the deviled eggs she made around fresh vegetables including halved cherry tomatoes, black olives, parsley, and celery.
2. Use contrasting colors to make food stand out. Oliver turned an ordinary fruit kebob into an extraordinary delicacy simply by using an apple as a base and then alternating fruits and veggies in a variety of colors.
3. Change the angle at which your food is displayed to create depth and allow food to “pop.” Oliver used anything and everything she had at her disposal (including grapes!) to tilt the plates, dramatically changing the presentation of the food.
After Oliver demonstrated these easy tips, it was time for us to get hands-on! Tee, Xenia, and I were on “fondue” duty and I’m happy to say that we utilized Oliver’s tips to make our dish stand out. A sprinkle of parsley on top of the fondue created that contrast in color. We also created veggie “trees” which would be the perfect inspiration for a child to dip his/her vegetables in the fondue.
Saving Mr. Banks is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.
Images: Disney
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