Talented chef Karyn back to school to style food for top Hollywood stars

Experienced chef and top food stylist Karyn Booth has gone back to school to create imaginative meals for a new fantasy movie with Hollywood stars being filmed in Belfast

A much sought-after specialist in styling food props for movie sets, Karyn is currently working on the School of Good and Evil, a major production for Netflix which stars Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Charlize Theron, Sophie Anne Caruso, a Broadway award-winning actress and singer, and Disney star Sofia Wylie.

Working with the stars of screen and television on food for filming is nothing new for the local freelance stylist, home economist, recipe creator and cookery writer. Karyn’s impressive CV includes original food seen on HBO’s Game of Thrones, the Emmy Award and Golden Globe blockbuster, as well as The Wiper Times, Shooting for Socrates, Frankenstein Chronicles and The Northman.

Announced last month as the home economist to provide food for the School of Good and Evil sets, Karyn, originally from Belfast, brings this vast knowledge and experience to the new feature being directed by Paul Feig, whose credits already include The Heat (2013) and Ghostbusters (2016).

“My role on the new movie is to organise and prepare all food that is going on camera,” Karyn explains. “This involves working closely with the production team in creating food in line with script requirements and in keeping with the overall style of the movie. The School for Good and Evil is a fantasy and this has to be reflected meticulously by the food on set. I am not responsible for food off set,” she adds.

Challenges the highly regarded and much in demand stylist has faced in the past include having to create an edible stallion’s heart – made from strawberry jelly – for the spectacular wedding banquet of Margaery and Joffrey in the hugely successful Game of Thrones.

“I was absolutely thrilled to be commissioned to provide on-set food for The School of Good and Evil project in the new Belfast Harbour Studios,” Karyn continues.

“The movie looks likely to be another substantial international success for the producers and, of course, for our widely respected and still developing expert services for the global film and television industry,” she adds. “It’s a pretty hectic period that involves agreeing the food with the producers, creating recipes, sourcing ingredients and then preparing for filming,” adds the mother of two.

She’s been very busy sourcing as many ingredients as practicable from a host of local food producers. “I’ve worked with local food companies including major producers on many occasions over my career,” she says.

The movie industry here contributes significantly to the local food and drink industry and wider economy in terms of on-set filming requirements and feeding those providing a range of production services and support.

Karyn is now an integral part of the expert infrastructure which now exists here to support this dynamic and demanding global industry.

Creating food for movie sets is an important element in Karyn’s successful career which has also involved recipe development and food styling for photography commissioned by companies. The images she creates are used for social media, advertising, recipe books and food packaging.

Karyn’s passion for local food is combined with an infectious zest for life and a tremendous sense of humour which has enabled her to overcome many challenges.

Her knowledge of the local food industry expanded working on projects with ambitious manufacturers in developing highly innovative products for market. She’s created novel recipes for the likes of the Livestock and Meat Commission, Belfast; White’s Oats, Tandragee; Mash Direct, Comber; Forest Feast in Craigavon; and Dale Farm in Belfast. Other original recipes have featured in publications such as Hello, Now, Bella and the Belfast Telegraph.

Kayrn’s impressive food journey began when she studied catering, bread making, confectionery and advanced patisserie at the College of Business Studies in Belfast and her subsequent qualification as a chef in 1990.

She then trained as a pastry chef in the popular restaurant at Selfridges and The Ritz Hotel, both in London, where only the highest standards are accepted.

Her creative flair and ability to work under extreme pressure in a fast moving environment led to a four-year stint as pastry chef at Paul and Jeanne Rankin’s legendary Roscoff’s in Belfast. She was then offered a major post at The House of Albert Roux and headed back to London. A year at Sir Terence Conran’s renowned Sartoria restaurant on Saville Row followed. The next stage was two years with leading party caterer Linda Artus. Some of Linda’s well known clients included Mick Jagger, Lord Linley, The Spice Girls and Elton John.

As a result of her expertise in food and successful track record across a range of expert activities, Karyn has developed a small business that’s now the preferred choice of top movie and television operations, major manufacturers and leading style magazines.

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