Are you one of those people that gets seated at a restaurant and you immediately ask to switch to a different table? I am.
I don’t want to sit in a corner staring at the restroom. I don’t want to sit next to the air vent that blows like five hairs on my forehead. I don’t want to sit next to the weirdo who keeps staring at me. I mean I’m single but I’m not that desperate.
My virtual friend Kristin Guy of Dine by Design is a food & lifestyle consultant in Los Angeles. I’m always in awe of her work, sometimes becoming mildly obsessed with her perfectly crafted Instagram posts.
I asked her to spill the beans on how she’s so fabulous, so I wanted to share with Bake Like A Champ readers too. Her tip about where to sit at restaurants is genius. I apologize in advance to all the hostesses who have to continue to reseat me.
1. As a food & lifestyle consultant, your Instagram feed is flawless. What advice do you have for women wanting to post magazine-worthy photos without access to fancy cameras and props?
It’s all about the lighting! Ask to sit by a window in restaurants, get yourself an inexpensive light reflector or a large piece of white foam core for projects at home. Play around with composition – there’s nothing wrong with scanning pinterest or tumbler for new styling ideas – you might be surprised how stylish the pieces you already have at home become when paired in new unexpected ways. Most importantly, take photos of what you love and not what you think will get the most likes – that true personal style will come through all on it’s own.
2. What are your go-to places for recipes?
I really enjoy the challenge of recreating dishes I’ve had out and on travels. My husband and I have a game where we try to make notes of all the flavors and ingredients (which I try to discretely punch into my phone notes) so we can relive that experience back at home. I’ve also become quite the cookbook collector over the past few years. Even if you’re not cooking every single page, there are lots of inspired pairings and techniques that I then use for both work and personal cooking. Current Favorites this year include: Heartwood, Mr. Wilkinson’s Vegetables, Gjelina, Jerusalem & Plenty More.
3. With a busy career, how do you find time to cook and bake from scratch?
Luckily most of my styling and photography work has to be done before the sun sets (I only shoot in natural light)…so that gets me on a pretty diligent schedule. I keep my cooking during prednisone the week is pretty simple – light and fresh easy recipes like roasting chicken or fish, grain salads or a veggie soup – and save the weekends for more complicated and playful experimentation. And maybe it’s just me, but there’s something incredibly relaxing about sautéing some garlic and onion at the end of the day – I really do enjoy the ritual of cooking so I make sure there’s time for non-work related kitchen time every day.
Check out more unique tips, beautiful photography, and the latest happenings of Dine by Design here.
Leave a Reply