As a San Diego restaurant photographer, I get to capture mouthwatering dishes in all kinds of settings—but not all of them are glamorous. I recently shot for a meal delivery service operating out of a shared commercial kitchen. The space was packed with other chefs, many of whom are caterers, each hustling to prep for their own events in the greater San Diego area. Between the clatter of pans and the hum of ovens, there was barely a clear surface or decent light source in sight. My options? Shoot inside the tight, chaotic kitchen with overhead fluorescent lights with no room for an artificial lighting set-up, or take things outside. That is when I heard myself say “The alley’s got great lighting.” The chefs thought I was joking until I qualified the proposal by pointing out that there is a stack of palettes which is the perfect height for shooting and that the cloud cover made the perfect soft diffused light.
So we headed out the back door and into the alley. The stack of palettes served as both prep space for the two chefs and my shooting surface. I set up my backdrops and found shooting next to their prep station super convenient. This wasn’t my first time shooting outside a kitchen, but it was my first time being lucky enough to have a counter height stack of palettes waiting for me and my back was grateful.
The typical Southern California June Gloom cloud cover acted like a giant softbox so there was no need for extra lighting and no need for diffusers. The light was perfect. And most importantly, the food looked incredible.
This is the reality for many small food businesses, especially meal delivery services and catering companies, who often work in shared kitchens without a dining room or styled seating area. But just because your food is made in a busy kitchen doesn’t mean your brand should settle for low-quality photos.
I work with a range of brands in the food industry, from traditional restaurants, caterers, private chefs, meal prep services and meal delivery services, all to create custom visuals to drive business. Whether we’re photographing in a polished restaurant or the back of a building, I bring the flexibility, problem-solving skills, and eye for detail to make your food stand out.
Here’s one of the final shots from that photoshoot in the alley behind the shared commercial kitchen in San Diego. You’d never know there were delivery trucks just a few feet away.
From shared kitchens to styled tables—see what else I’ve captured for restaurants, caterers, food trucks, and prepared meal delivery companies in my Restaurant Photography Portfolio.
If you’re a southern California catering company, meal prep service, or chef working in a shared kitchen space, I’d love to help you showcase your dishes in the best possible light—literally.
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