photo courtesy Stephen Mallin/Mallin Photography

DawnLongobardo@me.com

Copyright 2015  DawnLongobardo.com  All rights reserved

 Dawn Longobardo  FOOD STYLIST   food stylist

Clients include:
• Biscuitville

• Butterball

• Chef Chris Smith, The Diabetic Chef

• Cracker Barrel
• The Fresh Market

• House Autry

• Krispy Kreme
• Lowe's Foods

• Mama Mary’s Pizza/PSI Marketing
• McDonalds

• Neese's Sausage

• Our State Magazine
• Pepper Jelly Heaven
• Prestage Foods
• Southbend
• Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
• Red Hot & Blue

• Walmart

Hello! Thanks for taking a peek!

Why I love food:
Born in an Italian-American family in New Jersey, I’ve always been around food… really good food. My grandmother, Rose was the best cook I’ve ever known. “A little of this”, “Just enough of that”, “Cook it until it’s done”. Food was always central to my family’s life, so much time and thought went into feasts from holidays to Tuesday pasta at Gram’s house. We would linger around the table for so long, eating and talking. These are memories I cherish deeply.

How I got to this place and why I love it:
I was first exposed to food photography back in the 80’s as a young Art Director/Graphic Designer with Daymon, a private label food broker in NYC.

I was fortunate to work with wonderful photographers from New York to Omaha and loved the feel of a photography studio as much as I loved our little Art Department on Fifth Avenue.

Shooting food grabbed me so hard that I decided to quit my job and attend The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. It was scary going back to school at age 30, but I loved every minute of it. While at school, I was lucky to assist Delores Custer in a Food Styling continuing education class she taught once a year. What a great experience to watch one of the most sought after food stylists do her thing! I consider her book “Food Styling, The Art of Preparing Food For the Camera” my bible.

After graduation in 1996, I relocated to Raleigh, NC and apprenticed with the wonderful food stylist, Janet Grennes for several years. We styled print and film assignments for Hardees, Denny's, Kitchen-Aid, Carolina Turkey (Butterball),

McDonald's and Taste-Full Magazine. I learned so much from Janet, she is one of my favorite people. After taking a break to have a family, I’m back in the studio and having a ball. I love the surprises every shoot brings!