How to Take Pictures of Food for Your Restaurant Portfolio

How to Take Pictures of Food for Your Restaurant Portfolio

by | Oct 14, 2016 | Business Toolkit, Management

There are four basic elements of a great food photo: lighting, composition, styling, and equipment. Once you’ve got a handle on these basics, drool-worthy food photos are a mere snap away! Let’s talk about how to take pictures of food for your restaurant portfolio.

Lighting 

Lighting will make or break your shot. It is the single most important photography element there is. But don’t worry if you don’t have a studio full of lighting equipment. Natural daylight can make your food look phenomenal when manipulated correctly.

Stay away from direct sunlight! It might seem like a good idea at the time, but it will be harsh, flattening, and can create shadows that distract from the food. Your goal is to shoot in a shady spot on a sunny day. This will allow the bright color to shine and texture will be more discernible in subtle shadows.

The prep work will enable you to find the best time and position to set up your actual food shoot.

Spend a few days looking at different locations in your restaurant throughout the day. Take a plate of food with you and look at it through your camera in different spots at different times of the day. This prep work will enable you to find the best time and position to set up your actual food shoot. Near a window is usually a good bet. (Tip: hang a white sheet over the sun-filled window to diffuse the light and create ‘shade.’)

Composition

As chefs, you know the old adage, “you eat with your eyes.” Never has it been more true than with food photography. These pictures have no heavenly aroma, and the ambiance of your restaurant can’t help you. They have to tell the complete story for you. The composition is not just plating, though that’s a huge part of it. It includes everything in the shot including the backdrop, plate, utensils – everything. Even including just food on a white plate is a stylistic composition choice.

The composition is not just plating – it’s everything in the shot including the backdrop, plates and utensils.

The ‘rule of thirds’ is a helpful one here. Imagine your framed shot is divided into nine squares – like a tic-tac-toe grid or sudoku. Now the main subject of your photo should sit on one of the grid lines, not in the squares themselves. This gives the image a dynamic feel. The main subject could be many things, your chef, the meat on the plate, the cheese bubble on French onion soup, the sugar flower on a cake, or the plate on a tablescape. This works for things big and small. If your shot is Thanksgiving, the turkey would be on a grid line. If your shot is the turkey, the crispiest, most delicious piece of skin would be on the grid line.

Styling

The devil is in the details, but so is the fun! Now’s the time to think about plates, silverware, and tablecloths. Do you wrap sandwiches in wax paper? Serve pie with printed napkins? This is a way to tell the story of your restaurant and chefs along side the story of your food. Colorful food can benefit from simple or highly contrasting props. What fits best with your restaurant’s style? Very brown food (think stew or chili) benefits from patterned props, but be careful not to distract from the subject.

Active moments are a great way to break up a static photo gallery and inspire the viewer to imagine them holding that spoon.

Food sitting flat? Get a model! Maybe a scoop of mac and cheese on a silver spoon held aloft looks more appetizing than the bowl. Take a bit out of a sandwich and photograph a spoon cracking a crème brûlée. Active moments are a great way to break up a static photo gallery and inspire the viewer to imagine them holding that spoon!

Equipment

How much equipment do you really need? With the right lighting, an iPhone or similar phone can absolutely take a fantastic photo. And maybe that works for you right now. There’s nothing wrong with that! But, if you’re ready to step up to some real photography equipment, these are good places to start.

  • Clip Lights – found at most hardware stores. Can act as back-up to a main light source (“fill”) or be the sun for you on a rainy day. Hang up a white sheet to diffuse it or use a big piece of white poster board to reflect the light onto your subject.
  • Tripod – Manfrotto makes great tripods for those starting out. But for an even cheaper option, AmazonBasics offers a couple of different models.
  • Editing Software – Polish up your photos before you send them out in the world! Photoshop is an obvious choice. But there are more options out there. Canva is a great design platform for those who don’t like to spend too much time editing pictures but still want to have pretty images.

Hopefully, this has inspired you to step up your food photo game. Make sure to share them on social media as well as your website to get the most bang for your shot.

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Your Culinary Career Doesn’t End With the Kitchen

Your Culinary Career Doesn’t End With the Kitchen

by | Oct 12, 2016 | Career

After years in the kitchen, many chefs find that they’re ready to try something else. Long hours slaving over a hot stove can start to wear on anyone after a while! Luckily, there are plenty of careers that will use your existing skills so that you can continue to develop your career and move outside the kitchen once and for all. These culinary careers will get you out of the kitchen and into new, fascinating areas of employment.

Food Critic

You know what it’s supposed to taste like. Now, get out there and see how other people are cooking it! Becoming a food critic is a great way to use your years in the kitchen to good advantage. From here on out, you get to eat the food instead of cooking it.

Food Stylist and/or Photographer

Do you delight in a plate that’s perfectly designed to be as appetizing as possible to your customers? If so, a career in food styling or photography could be the perfect move for you. Many restaurants want professional stylists and photographers to arrange their food perfectly for menu photos, advertisements, and more.

By becoming a restaurant consultant, you can work with a variety of restaurants to help them get their name off the ground and increase their customer base.

Research and Development Kitchen Worker

If you’re tired of slaving away in a restaurant, but don’t want to give up your place in the kitchen just yet, consider working in a research and development kitchen. In these locations, you’ll be the first to try new recipes, experiment with and develop new tools, and learn how to use great new foods in recipes that will entice everyone who tries them.

Teacher

Chances are, you didn’t develop your culinary skills on your own – and there are plenty of young chefs out there who would benefit from your expertise. Consider taking your skills to the classroom, where you can share tips and tricks with future chefs who are hoping to someday be as successful as you’ve been.

Consultant

Many restaurants fail simply because they don’t know how to do things properly. By becoming a restaurant consultant, you can work with a variety of restaurants to help them get their name off the ground, increase their customer base, and create fantastic dishes that will help set their restaurant apart. Consultants are able to control their hours, decrease their stress, and still enjoy that fast-paced restaurant atmosphere on a regular basis–the perfect combination for many chefs.

As a teacher, consider taking your skills to the classroom, where you can share tips and tricks with future chefs.

Nutritionist

Love cooking up healthy food and finding great ways to incorporate healthy recipes into everyday meal plans? Becoming a nutritionist will allow you to get closer to your customers, develop relationships with them, and offer them the advice they need to live healthier lifestyles.

Restaurant Owner

Want to keep the restaurant life, but take it to a new level? Consider becoming a restaurant owner. You’ll be able to keep your hand in and cook a few meals when you like, shape the menu for yourself, and interact with customers more often. For many one-time chefs, it’s the best of all available worlds.

Food and Beverage Manager

In many hotels and other large establishments, someone has to control the food that moves in and out of the kitchen. Becoming a food and beverage manager will allow you to oversee this critical area without leaving you trapped in the kitchen every day.

If you’re looking for a change of pace, any of these great jobs will help open doors and allow you to further develop your career without the need to start over. Your experience as a chef will help prepare you for exciting new career opportunities that you never imagined possible. Whether you’re tired of cooking for other people, ready to give up the long hours, or simply want a change, there’s a new career move out there for you.

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5 Things That Make Your Profile Look Unprofessional

5 Things That Make Your Profile Look Unprofessional

by | Oct 7, 2016 | IndiTips

Good Profile=Hired

One of the great features of online hiring platforms, like Sirvo, is the ability to create a profile unique to you and your accomplishments. Your Sirvo profile acts as a digital resume and is the first thing employers look at when deciding to consider you for an open position. Here are a few suggestions to assist you in making your professional profile stand out from the rest.

Profile & Cover Photo

It’s not necessary for you to upload a profile picture or a cover photo on Sirvo, but if choose to do so, you should definitely use one that shows you in your best light. The hospitality industry is still a fun industry, so we are not suggesting that you should look like you work at a bank. We are just suggesting to maybe not use photo of you and your friends at the bar. Your phone has an amazing camera and plenty of ways to edit and apply filters to enhance your best features.

Completing Your Profile

On Sirvo, your profile acts as a digital resume and is the first thing employers see when you’ve applied to a position. We provide options for you to include your work experience, education, skills and interests. It’s a simple template that can be filled out quickly and is your chance to showcase what you’ve accomplished and why you’re qualified for the position. An unfinished profile is 99% less likely to receive a response from an employer.

Know who you are trying to work for and dress accordingly.

Grammar/Spelling

One would think living in a world of spell-check that simple grammatical or spelling errors would be a thing of the past, but the reality is that the existence of spell-check has made us worse writers prone to simple errors. We see these mistakes being made on all levels, even by major news organizations. We are not casting judgement here (we are guilty of this). But what we are saying is that when you are applying for a position, check your writing and then double-check it. The last thing anyone wants is to be disqualified for consideration of a new job because of a simple grammatical error.

Dress the Part

We live in a pretty laid back culture and as a society we have become a lot more accepting of a looser and somewhat less professional culture in the workplace. The hospitality industry is one of those industries that has accepted this relaxed decorum. That being said, there is a level of professionalism that should be maintained and is expected of applicants seeking open positions. Just because you are applying for that Barista position down the street at your neighborhood’s hippest coffee shop, doesn’t mean you should wear a t-shirt and jeans to the interview. Know who you are trying to work for and dress accordingly.

An unfinished profile is 99% less likely to receive a response from an employer.

TMI

Sharing too much information, be it in within your profile or in a job interview, is also something we suggest not to do. Everyone knows it is an election year, your interview is probably not the best place to get on your soapbox about what you think is wrong with this world. We also recommend not revealing too much about last week’s music festival. Speak to your qualifications and what sets you apart from other candidates applying to the same position.

We recognize that for a lot of our applicants, making a career in the hospitality industry is not the plan. A lot of times the attitude seems to be that some people are just doing this until they find their “real job”. Well the fact of the matter is that for most employers, this is their real job. We should carry ourselves as professionals in all lines and at all levels of work. The same person offering you that Dishwasher position, may be the same person who offers you that Sous Chef position down the road. How you carried yourself in that initial meeting will go a long way.

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7 Common Mistakes When Hiring and Managing Employees

7 Common Mistakes When Hiring and Managing Employees

by | Oct 5, 2016 | Business Toolkit, Management

Restaurant owners have a lot of responsibilities. Consequently, important aspects of hiring and managing employees often get lost in the shuffle. However, anyone working in hospitality can tell you that their business relies on employees who enjoy their work and provide excellent customer service. In the process of recruiting and directing workers, there are some common mistakes owners make that will sabotage even the most well-managed restaurants.

Unclear job descriptions

When businesses need to hire new employees, it can be difficult to pinpoint the specifics of every role. At the same time, not giving a clear job description will hinder employee success because there’s no way to reach a positive outcome. Every job description needs to clearly state the position, responsibilities, goals, processes, and specific tasks. It also should explain how the role contributes to the overall well-being of the restaurant.

Overpromising

Though rewarding, restaurant work is not always appealing. Owners may be tempted to hype up the role description in order to attract potential workers. But in reality, this does more harm than good. Transparency is needed regarding the physical requirements and difficult hours. Instead of intentionally misleading potential new hires, discuss their concerns during the interview and place an emphasis on career development.

Transparency is needed regarding the physical requirements and difficult hours.

Insufficient compensation

All restaurant employees are hourly or salaried workers, regardless of who relies on tips and who doesn’t. Employers need to offer at least market-rate compensation in order to stay competitive. Failure to do this will result in high turnover when employees leave for better-paying jobs. Investing a little more in worker salaries will decrease that turnover and attract the best hires.

Lack of internal promotions

External candidates are usually considered for management positions instead of regular employees. However, promoting someone from within the business can have unexpected benefits. It gives the employer firsthand knowledge of the person’s job performance before committing to the promotion, and it offers insight on how they will do in the management role. This kind of recognition also encourages loyalty from the staff.

This kind of recognition also encourages loyalty from the staff.

Improper onboarding of new hires

Training is just as important, if not more so, than the hiring and interview processes. Without that training, workers can’t to do their jobs properly and contribute to the success of the restaurant. After the initial training period, it’s important to provide regular feedback on employee performance, set aside additional training days, and require job shadowing for new recruits. This will help improve employee performance as well as decrease worker anxiety.

Inflexible schedules

One of the biggest hurdles faced by restaurant employees is the way scheduling is handled. Inflexible schedules make it tough for employees to achieve a healthy work-life balance, a necessity for any successful staff member. This can lead to employee burnout and dissatisfaction, which may ultimately lead them to find a job with more agreeable hours.

 This can lead to employee burnout and dissatisfaction.

While it will be impossible to accommodate all scheduling needs, it’s important that every employee’s requests are at the very least taken into consideration, and granted when possible.

Lack of staff appreciation

Employee appreciation is a must, regardless of the work environment. The hospitality industry is seeing a rise in turnover rates, so it’s more important than ever that employers show their gratitude towards their staff. A simple thank you can go a long way in decreasing turnover and improving employee morale.

It’s inevitable that as a manager or owner, mistakes will be made. But, by taking into account the hardships faced by employees as well as the benefits that can make a positive impact on their work experiences, these mistakes will be fewer and further between.

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Minimizing Food Costs for Your Restaurant

Minimizing Food Costs for Your Restaurant

by | Sep 30, 2016 | Business Toolkit, Management

Whether you’re a brand new restaurant that’s just getting started or an established restaurant with a long history of success, controlling food costs is one of your top priorities. You don’t want to deliver anything less than the quality your customers have come to expect. On the other hand, you don’t want to overspend, either! Try some of these tips for minimizing food costs while still providing the excellent quality that every customer expects from your restaurant.

Know What Your Menu Items Cost

Have you ever taken the time to evaluate what each item on your menu actually costs you to create? Check out the individual cost of the ingredients and add them up in order to determine how much you’re really spending on each dish. Some of those premium dishes may end up costing you more than you think! Knowing how much you’re spending on each item will help you determine how you need to change your restaurant spending.

There are some things that are worth offering discounts on, even if the restaurant makes little or nothing on them.

Check Out the Menu

Do you have items on your menu that simply aren’t selling? Are there ingredients that you must purchase on a regular basis, but which often go bad before anyone orders meals that contain them? If so, it’s definitely time to change your menu.

You should also take food costs into account when developing your menu. Are there dishes that are above the regular price point for your restaurant? There are some things that are worth offering discounts on, even if the restaurant makes little or nothing on them, but you should be sure to evaluate the actual use of each of these menu items.

Evaluate Portion Sizes

Portion sizes can have a huge impact on the cost of each dish. If your dish is designed to have four ounces of meat, but the chef often tosses six ounces in arbitrarily, you’re wasting food. Make sure that you have a standard portion size for each dish. It won’t just help slice food costs; it will also help customers know what to expect every time they order their favorite menu item.

You should think outside the box and find ways to use as much of the food you’ve ordered as you can.

Control Your Inventory

Ordering food that ultimately goes bad is one of the biggest wastes of your restaurant’s food budget. Keep an eye on what’s coming in and what’s actually going out. Don’t let yourself run out of key ingredients, which could cause a problem for customers, but don’t over-order, either! Instead, create an inventory system that keeps the right amount of food coming in for your restaurant.

Watch the Waste

There’s a lot of potential for waste in many restaurant kitchens. From careless prep work that results in perfectly good food being thrown away to dishes that use only a portion of a meat or vegetable, then fail to recycle it for later use, you can find yourself throwing food away quickly – and throwing money away along with it. Look for creative ways to use as much of every piece of food as possible.

That doesn’t mean that you should attempt to use things that aren’t typically edible, but it does mean you should think outside the box and find ways to use as much of the food you’ve ordered as you can. Monitor the employees performing prep work to make sure they understand how to use the food properly.

Reducing food waste, controlling your inventory, and changing your menu to reflect the desires of customers and the needs of the restaurant will all help keep your restaurant running smoothly on a lower budget. The more attention you pay to the way you prepare your food, the lower your food costs will be. Often, that means that you can charge less for key dishes, keeping your customers happier, too!

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