travel + food : cacao in ecuador

When my friend and former editor of Style at Home magazine texted me and said, “Do you want to go to Ecuador and shoot a cacao story in the Amazon?” I immediately texted back and said “I am packing my bags now!”

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burt's bees | plant-based protein shakes

Many years ago, I discovered Burt’s Bees and their products have become a part of my daily routine. I am addicted to their lip balm - I simply cannot live without it! - and I always have a few tubes of their Lip Shine in Pucker on hand. Their Hand Salve helps renew my skin when I return from long stints of travel and busy days on location, too. The smell is intoxicating!

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deep run roots | food truck tour comes to greensboro

Vivian Howard has been on the move with her crew promoting her new cookbook since the beginning of October and finally made her way to us in Greensboro, NC! Here at SVB Photo, Stacey and Caroline (our newest intern) had the opportunity to host a very special lunch for them in celebration of her cookbook “Deep Run Roots“.

The idea of cooking for a renowned chef was quite intimidating to say the least, but after much planning we finally came up with a flavorful Colombian inspired meal. The meal included a variety of dishes from main course to dessert: Peruvian Pollo a la Brasas, Patatas Bravas, a Fresh Avocado salad with a Cilantro Vinaigrette, and Sea Salt Dulce de Leche Custards. We were very excited to host this lunch and so we wanted to capture the moments along with it. Afterwards, Stacey and Caroline were invited to enjoy the evening with some of the cast & crew, continuing to take pictures along the way. It was a perfect evening for the event and we are so fortunate to have been a part of it!

We hope you enjoy the images from our eventful evening!

Caroline & Natalie

{Photos by Caroline Boone + Natalie Schnur}

fsr magazine | vivian howard

We always love a phone call for a job to photograph one of our favorite chefs – the wonderfully charming and talented Vivian Howard.  So we were thrilled to photograph her for FSR’s November issue recently. She is coming to Greensboro tomorrow with her food truck promotion tour for Deep Run Roots, and we are in full swing here at SVB Photo preparing a lunch for their crew!  Stay tuned for more fun behind the scenes photos tomorrow...

 

 

a chef’s life | season 4 dvd release

We are thrilled to have the cover photo for A Chef’s LifeSeason 4 DVD!  And we had a great time attending the Season 4 Premiere Party in Kannapolis, NC. Vivian, food, all the people from the show, a private screening of the first episode at the beautiful Gem Theatre, followed by a little concert by Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers and dinner – what’s not to love?!

Photography :  Stacey Van Berkel
Styling : Elie Rossetti-Serriano
Production : Catherine Schramm

a unique cup of joe | cocoa + cinnamon

Located in Durham, North Carolina there is a delightful little cafe by the name of Cocoa & Cinnamon. Stacey recently had the opportunity to shoot this adorable shop and to show some of the unique qualities that it holds. Cocoa & Cinnamon not only offers a great cup of joe but has lots of teas, chocolates and many spices as well! We love the atmosphere of this fun local shop! If you are ever in the Durham area, you should give them a try, you wont regret it!

Cheers,
Natalie

garden & gun | asheville on tap

I am very lucky to live pretty close to Asheville, North Carolina – the rising beer capital of America . . .   We loved getting this assignment from Garden & Gun magazine.  I mean who doesn’t love touring breweries & restaurants and staying in nice hotels?  I was really impressed with the young brewmasters and their enthusiasm for their craft.  And even though I am gluten-intolerant, I admit I had a few sips of some beers they worked so hard on!

We’ve included photos from the Wicked Weed, the Wedge, and Highland Breweries but these are only a few of the 40 + craft breweries located in Asheville!

We stayed at the Grand Bohemian, a beautiful hotel with the rustic feeling of a European hunting lodge mixed with old world elegance.  The have an excellent restaurant, a gallery & spa and have been named one of the best hotels by Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler!

local favorites | mateo bar de tapas

Want to try some Spanish inspired tapas with a Southern twist?  Mateo bar de Tapas in Durham is wonderfully delicious and has such a warm feel. 

I loved everything we tried there and especially I remember the roasted spring onions.  Owner Matthew Kelly told us how the onions are sold all over the streets in Spain.  We had a small sampling of the many plates offered –  Patatas Bravas, Gambas, Alemendras and of course some jamon.  Seriously yummy.  

Mateo’s also has an impressive offering of sherry.  We didn’t get to try any since it was on the job but the beautiful painted menu on the mirrors looked amazing!

Can’t wait to go back again soon!

wall street journal | simran sethi

What a treat it was to meet and photograph Simran Sethi and her lovely mum for the Wall Street Journal recently!  Simran’s new book Bread, Wine & Chocolate : The Slow Loss of the Foods We Love came out in November 2015 and I pre-ordered it so I could have her sign it at our shoot.  If you have an interest in food (and don’t we all?), you’ll enjoy her book.  She spent a few years traveling around the world to understand where our food comes from and the difficulties the world is facing as we lose diversity to increase production.  She talks a great deal about taste and the enjoyment we derive from food and even includes some helpful resources at the back of of the book to help define our tastes.  I have been reading her book very slowly, and as I told Simran, I am literally savouring the information and thoughts in the book.

For the photo shoot we met at Simran’s family home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to photograph her in the kitchen.  As soon as we walked in the house, we were greeted with the pungent and delicious smell of something yummy cooking.  And then the warm welcome of Simran and her mum just put us at ease.  It was fun to do the portraits and we also photographed the sweet potato dish and spices, but best of all we had to eat the food!  I adore Indian food and all the fusion foods that come from that cuisine.

More recently I was able to attend Simran’s book signing at Scuppernong Books here in Greensboro.  It included discussion and a chocolate tasting focusing on North Carolina chocolate makers :  Escasu & French Broad Chocolates   We learned to cup a small piece of chocolate in our hands and breathe in the aromatic smells before tasting the chocolate.  It is incredible when you take the time to really smell and taste food how wonderful and complex the enjoyment can be.

our state | the table

There are some shoots that are harder than others – being gluten-free is especially difficult at such a lovely place like The Table in Asheboro, NC.  Look how beautiful this bread is!  I really just wanted to slather butter on it and maybe a bit of honey and cram some on my mouth.  It took all my will power not to do it!  So instead, I tried to just look at the beautiful textures of the bread and photograph it as still life.  And besides, The Table, does offer a full menu with fabulous salads and other yummy dishes so us GF people have lots to pick from.

Dustie Gregson, the owner, is the sweetest person you’ll ever meet and has done a lovely job with all the details of the decor even down to the 1 of a kind chandelier made out of milk bottles.  So if you are in Asheboro or visiting the potteries in Seagrove, I would make a little trip to this cute and delicious restaurant!

our state | vivian howard

I was joking recently that I should get an apartment in Kinston, North Carolina  – I have been there 6 or 7 times this year alone for various shoots involving the wonderful and talented Vivian Howard.  

We are so excited to have the November cover of Our State magazine featuring Vivian’s famous blueberry chicken. It’s this yummy chicken that launched Chef & the Farmer on it’s way.  

There were so many good shots from this shoot that just couldn’t fit in the Our State article so we wanted to share a few of our faves with you.  The food shots will make you want to head straight over to the Chef & the Farmer or the Boiler Room for something scrumptious – if you haven’t been . . . make it a plan!  You won’t be disappointed. 

Stay tuned for a Behind the Scenes on the set of A Chef’s Life post coming soon!

_________________________________

Cover Food Styling : Susan Johnson Smith

All Photography: Stacey Van Berkel

garden & gun | asheville on tap

I am very lucky to live pretty close to Asheville, North Carolina – the rising beer capital of America . . .   We loved getting this assignment from Garden & Gun magazine.  I mean who doesn’t love touring breweries & restaurants and staying in nice hotels?  I was really impressed with the young brewmasters and their enthusiasm for their craft.  And even though I am gluten-intolerant, I admit I had a few sips of some beers they worked so hard on!

We’ve included photos from the Wicked Weed, the Wedge, and Highland Breweries but these are only a few of the 40 + craft breweries located in Asheville!

We stayed at the Grand Bohemian, a beautiful hotel with the rustic feeling of a European hunting lodge mixed with old world elegance.  The have an excellent restaurant, a gallery & spa and have been named one of the best hotels by Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler!

garden & gun | katie button's cúrate

I love my job everyday but I especially love it when it allows me to meet inspiring people!  I photographed Chef Katie Button at her fantastic restaurant Cúrate in Asheville for Garden & Gun magazine earlier this year (see more of the story here).  I found Chef Button’s enthusiasm for food catchy and the food at Cúrate delicious!  We always suggest people stop by Cúrate if they are going to Asheville.  And yesterday we were excited to read that Button will now be doing a cookbook and we wanted to say a big congratulations from all of us at Stacey Van Berkel Photo!