Food Stylist Assistant

dotdash; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 20,631,000 - 41,262,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Mileage reimbursement

Job summary

People Inc. is seeking a Food Stylist Assistant to support the Food Styling team on-site in Des Moines, IA. This entry-level role covers food prep, grocery shopping, dishwashing, and assisting with recipe testing for photo shoots.

The Food Stylist Assistant may serve as a stylist on photo sets, delivering ingredients and preparing recipes under direction from clients and photographers. Mileage reimbursement is provided; agency W2 employment applies.

Qualifications

• Internships or prior work in food prep or purchasing helpful.
• Ability to take direction and communicate with others.
• Work independently on assigned projects.
• Understanding of produce quality for testing and photography.

Responsibilities

• Assist food stylists
• Prepare food for photography per stylist instructions
• Organize ingredients and pantry items for shoots
• Provide dishwashing and cleaning support for food stylists
• Select and purchase ingredients and cooking supplies for testing and shoots
• Act as a food stylist, recipe developer, and/or tester

Skills

Food prep

Team communication

Independence

Produce knowledge

Organization

Driving

Education

Culinary degree

Tools

Google Docs

Spreadsheets

Email

Expense reporting system

Job description

This assignment posting is for an Agency Worker opportunity with People Inc. The Agency Worker is paid by a staffing agency employer. Agency Workers will receive a W2 from the staffing agency reporting their earnings for tax purposes.

Food Stylist Assistant

The Food Stylist Assistant assists the Food Styling team with food preparation, kitchen cleanup, and grocery shopping. This position is critical to supporting the studio's ability to meet production commitments in a sustainable way, and is a great entry point to a career in food styling.

The Food Stylist Assistant will check in and organize incoming groceries, prepare recipes as needed per stylist instructions, provide dishwashing and cleaning support for the food stylists, and provide shopping support as needed for the photo studio and also for the test kitchen as directed by the Test Kitchen Coordinator.

The Food Stylist Assistant will also be booked as a stylist on photo sets as needed when they are ready for a bit more challenge. In this capacity they will provide all the food items needed for photo and/or video shoots, prepare the recipes, and style the content within the specific parameters outlined by art and editorial teams. This role needs to be able to take direction from clients and photographers while also providing direction to their assistant and other support staff to ensure they are producing high quality content at a pace that keeps projects on or ahead of deadlines.

In addition to providing food styling services to clients this position may also be asked to develop editorial content and test recipes as needed.

Assignment Details:

16-32 hours a week, average

Start date: 12/1/2026

End date: 6 months with potential to extend

Hourly Rate: $18/hour

Location: On-site. Des Moines, IA - US

Assignment Responsibilities:

• Assist food stylists
• Prepare food for photography, as directed by food stylists.
• Organize ingredients and pantry items in preparation for photo shoots.
• Provide dishwashing and cleaning support for food stylists.
• Select and purchase ingredients and cooking supplies needed for recipe testing and food photography.
• Act as a food stylist, recipe developer, and/or tester.

Skills/Experience:

• Internships or previous employment involving food preparation and food purchasing is helpful. A culinary degree or any test kitchen or photo studio experience is a plus.
• The ability to take direction and communicate with others
• The ability to work independently on assigned projects.
• Thorough understanding of produce and food product selection as it relates to recipe testing and photography.
• Knowledge of the proper way to store fruits and vegetables to maintain quality for recipe testing and photography.
• The ability to organize storage areas and make the best possible use of limited space.
• Proficient computer skills for use of email, google docs, spreadsheets and expense reporting system. The ability to drive. Must have a reliable vehicle. Mileage will be reimbursed.

People Inc. is the largest print and digital publisher in America. Nearly 200 million people trust us each month to help them make decisions, take action, and find inspiration. People Inc.'s over 40 iconic brands include PEOPLE, Better Homes & Gardens, Verywell, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Allrecipes, REAL SIMPLE, Investopedia, and Southern Living.