Save
Vanessa has received awards and recognition for her work in food and still life photography. Among them are SAVEUR Magazine’s Best Food Photography and The [Framed] Awards best food photographer. Some fun bits and pieces about Vanessa: Vanessa lives with her boyfriend and fat, yellow cat above the best bagel shop in all of NYC, she grew up in the mountains of southwest Virginia and considers herself a country girl at heart.
If you were a dish, which one would you be?
Well, they say you are what you eat and I eat a lot of kabocha squash. Kabocha in curry, kabocha dumplings, steamed kabocha, kabocha pancakes, kabocha fries, etc. I'm not ashamed to admit that I go through about 2 squashes a week. I wouldn't be surprised if I turned into a big pile of kabocha dumplings! Mmm, now I'm hungry.
What's the first taste you remember?
I actually have a very vivid first taste memory. It's not a pleasant taste or story. When I was really young my parents crushed vitamins into my applesauce. I remember the chalky and bitter taste of the vitamins -and then I remember promptly throwing up all over the kitchen. Sorry mom and dad!
Something you always have in your fridge?
I always, always have hummus in my fridge. It's my go-to snack.
The subject of your first food photo?
Hmmm, well I just checked my blog and it looks like it was homemade Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
The most difficult food photo you've taken?
Photographing melted chocolate on poached pears was a real challenge. That blog post taught me that chocolate is incredibly high maintenance and very messy. Every surface in the studio was sticky by the end of the shoot. Since then I refuse to photograph melted chocolate without a food stylist around to work their magic. I love my food stylists!
The most appetizing photo you've taken?
I'd say the cranberry cream french toast photo that is up on my blog. I mean, who doesn't like looking at big stack of french bread covered in a sweet cashew cream sauce? Well, celiacs may not love it as much as I do…
The dish to die for?
Just one dish? That's tough. Well, I'm absolutely addicted to the steamed vegetable buns at Hunan Delight in Park Slope. I have no problem admitting to the world that I'd die for one of these steamed vegetable buns. They are just delightful!
