The Butcher’s Cookbook
Food Photography & Styling by Guy Adamson
Editorial food photography for The Butchers Cookbook
Chemical free, natural pasture-raised chicken from Camden Valley Farms
This job was always going to be a whole lot of fun… Commissioned by an old foodie friend, the multi-talented private chef, butcher, musician and part-time pilot, Liam Crawley, to produce a range of high-end editorial food photography capturing raw product, food prep/methods and final plated recipes.
Along with supplying freshly picked garden herbs, ingredients and some amazing cuts of meat – natural pasture-raised chicken from local producer Camden Valley Farms, and an ample-sized goat shoulder from The Gourmet Goat Lady, BV Farms – Liam always brings his trademark enthusiasm and charisma to every job. Never short of a conversation or in dispensing pearls of culinary wisdom, it was always going to be an actioned packed day full of food, flavour and photography. Ahem, and my steady background of southern blues and folksy country to enliven the spirits and conjure the cooking gods from within.
Speaking of pearls of wisdom, Liam, my wife and I routinely sear our whole cut shoulder in a heavy cast iron pan before slow oven or Webber roasting. Voila, just as you said, seals in all the lovely flavours and juices!
The approach to styling the food was to keep it simple and as natural as possible – using the same props, cast iron used in searing the chicken and ingredients used in the food prep and cooking process. Soft diffuse natural light and a large black reflector draw out deeper shadows. Shot and produced in my studio with a near commercial-grade kitchen at your disposal.
Located on the outskirts of Sydney, Camden Valley Farm is a multi-award-winning producer of ethical milk-fed and pastured veal and pasture-raised chicken.
Chicken Cacciatore with fresh garden basil by Chef Liam Crawley
Goat shoulder from The Gourmet Goat Lady, BV Farms
The Gourmet Goat Lady of BV Farms is located in central-western NSW and is one of Australia’s leading producer of fine quality goat meat and speciality products. Their Boer goats originate from South Africa and are pasture-raised in a natural stress-free herd environment.
Braised Goat with Bay Leaf and Onion Broth by Chef Liam Crawley
Want to see more? A recent photo shoot at renowned Bondi osteria, Elva Bondi features natural light on-location food, people and lifestyle photography. Or to go to my dedicated photography website click here.