I am a dynamic food, travel, and lifestyle creative with experience producing photography, styling, recipes, blogs, and video for top food and beverage brands, restaurants, hotels, and agencies. Entrepreneurial and collaborative, I help clients bring their food and hospitality stories to life across print, digital, and social platforms.

Kristen Hess

I am a dynamic food, travel, and lifestyle creative with experience producing photography, styling, recipes, blogs, and video for top food and beverage brands, restaurants, hotels, and agencies. Entrepreneurial and collaborative, I help clients bring their food and hospitality stories to life across print, digital, and social platforms.

Available to hire

I am a dynamic food, travel, and lifestyle creative with experience producing photography, styling, recipes, blogs, and video for top food and beverage brands, restaurants, hotels, and agencies.

Entrepreneurial and collaborative, I help clients bring their food and hospitality stories to life across print, digital, and social platforms.

See more

Experience Level

Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Freelance Food Stylist, Photographer + Creator at Self-employed – The Artful Gourmet / NYC
January 1, 2012 - Present
Freelance photographer, food and prop stylist, and content creator for restaurants, CPG brands, PR firms, and advertising agencies with core clients in NYC, as well as FL, ATL, CHI, and LA. Styled and photographed food, restaurants, travel, lifestyle, products, and portraits for client advertising and PR campaigns across print, web, editorial, packaging, digital, social, packaging, and OOH. Led pre-production planning, shot lists, styling concepts, and coordination with post-production teams.
Owner/CCO/Creator at The Artful Gourmet
January 1, 2010 - Present
Created custom recipes, food styling + photography, videos, and wrote culinary travel/restaurant features for her blog, www.theartfulgourmet.com, and for freelance clients. Published content for food & beverage brands, chefs, restaurants, hotels, cookbook authors, magazines, and Advertising/PR agencies. Host and voice behind The Artful Gourmet Podcast and The Artful Gourmet YouTube channel, crafting stories around food, travel, creativity, business, and food styling/photography.
Sr. Food / Photography Stylist at H-E-B Advertising, Quad Graphics
October 1, 2021 - July 1, 2025
Lead food and prop stylist for H-E-B Advertising – providing food and prop styling for photography across digital, web, video, print, social media, OOH, and in-store promotional materials and campaigns. Partnered with creative directors and photographers to create original concepts, styling, props, lighting, and layouts. Managed assistants, junior stylists, and vendors while directing pre-production planning.
Freelance Food Stylist, Photographer + Creator at Self-employed / The Artful Gourmet
January 1, 2012 - Present
Freelance photographer, food and prop stylist, and content creator for restaurants, CPG food and beverage brands, PR firms, and advertising agencies with core clients in NYC, as well as FL + ATL + CHI and LA. Styled and photographed food, restaurants, travel, lifestyle, products, and portraits, for client advertising and PR campaigns across print, web, editorial, packaging, digital, social, packaging, and OOH.

Education

MA, Advertising at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
January 1, 2004 - January 1, 2005
BFA, Graphic Design at University of South Carolina
January 1, 1990 - January 1, 1991
BS, Design at SUNY Buffalo State University
January 1, 1987 - January 1, 1989
MA, Advertising at RMIT University
January 1, 2004 - December 31, 2005
BFA, Graphic Design at University of South Carolina
January 1, 1990 - December 31, 1991
BS, Design at SUNY Buffalo State University
January 1, 1987 - December 31, 1989
MA, Advertising at RMIT University
January 1, 2004 - January 1, 2005
BFA, Graphic Design at University of South Carolina
January 1, 1990 - January 1, 1991
BS, Design at SUNY Buffalo State University
January 1, 1987 - January 1, 1989
Post Graduate + Continuing Education: Food Styling, Photography at ICE + ICP NYC
January 11, 2030 - February 23, 2026
Food & Wine Pairing Certificate at ICC, NYC
January 11, 2030 - February 23, 2026
Culinary Arts & Blogging Programs at Parsons New School, NYC
January 11, 2030 - February 23, 2026
Professional Food Writing at Parsons New School, NYC
January 11, 2030 - February 23, 2026

Qualifications

Post Graduate + Cont Ed: Food Styling, Photography; Food & Wine Pairing Certificate; Professional Food Writing
January 11, 2030 - February 21, 2026
Food & Wine Pairing Certificate
January 11, 2030 - February 21, 2026
Culinary Arts & Blogging Programs
January 11, 2030 - February 21, 2026
Professional Food Writing
January 11, 2030 - February 21, 2026
Post Graduate + Cont Ed: Food Styling, Photography (ICE + ICP NYC)
January 11, 2030 - February 21, 2026
Food & Wine Pairing Certificate (ICC, NYC)
January 11, 2030 - February 21, 2026
Culinary Arts & Blogging Programs
January 11, 2030 - February 21, 2026
Professional Food Writing (Parsons New School, NYC)
January 11, 2030 - February 21, 2026
Food Styling, Photography (ICE + ICP NYC)
January 11, 2030 - February 21, 2026
Food & Wine Pairing Certificate (ICC, NYC)
January 11, 2030 - February 21, 2026
Culinary Arts & Blogging Programs
January 11, 2030 - February 21, 2026
Professional Food Writing (Parsons New School, NYC)
January 11, 2030 - February 21, 2026
Post Graduate + Continuing Education: Food Styling, Photography (ICE + ICP NYC)
January 11, 2030 - February 23, 2026
Food & Wine Pairing Certificate (ICC, NYC)
January 11, 2030 - February 23, 2026
Culinary Arts & Blogging Programs
January 11, 2030 - February 23, 2026
Professional Food Writing
January 11, 2030 - February 23, 2026
Parsons New School - Culinary Writing
January 11, 2030 - February 23, 2026

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Travel & Hospitality, Consumer Goods, Professional Services, Retail