“We need Cindy!” Those are the words spoken at the start of every project where we want to show beautifully styled food. Not only does Cindy create the stuff of magic on set, but she has a level of preparedness that goes beyond the normal expectation for any shoot. I have worked with Cindy on shoots ranging from simple prepared items to multiple days of full meal displays and she always has exactly what we need or want on hand. She operates the kitchen with precision and never have I had to wait on the kitchen for a shot. Just as important as the food prep is the on-set styling, which Cindy has mastered. She works seamlessly with photographers and has an excellent grasp of how to style for the camera.
I can’t say enough about Cindy as a stylist and as a person. As an agency producer, I feel safe with her in the kitchen to keep our clients happy. Any crew would be lucky to have Cindy.””
Cindy Melin
Cindy is a Chicago based but willing to travel Food Stylist with 25 years of
experience making all things edible look great! Her formal training was in photography and sculpture. Quickly her love for food took over in the studio, she jumped into the kitchen and never looked back.
“This job does not get boring! Creating beautiful images for clients in print, on television, on the big screen or the internet is so much fun. Food is a never-ending source of color and texture and composition. It provides a limitless source of problem solving to get everything just right. The new challenge of each job is always exciting. Food is wrapped in emotion, love, family, history, and tradition. How lucky am I to play around with that everyday!”- Cindy
Cindy creates yummy food for Quaker, Tyson Foods, Lays, Portillos,
Subway Sandwiches, Wendy’s, Jimmy John’s, McDonalds, Kraft, Home
Run Inn Pizza, Lean Cuisine, Fisher Nuts, Boursin, Butterball, Kind,
Kellogg’s, White Castle, Blue Bunny Ice Cream, Aldi , Oscar Mayer, and
more…
When she’s not in the studio- Cindy lives in Oak Park with her Husband
and 3 kids. Oh, and 3 chickens, a turtle and a cat. She spends lots of time
in the garden growing veggies, herbs and flowers many of which make an
appearance in a shot now and again.
“Cindy Melin has been instrumental in the development of the Portillo’s portfolio. She perfectly executes our creative vision and brings our food to life in each shot. Her professional experience and kind demeanor make her an absolute pleasure to work with. When it comes time for another photoshoot, we choose Cindy every time! ”