Vanja van der Leeden

Culinary Communication

At one point I left my computer as a writer and headed for the professional kitchen. To know what I was actually talking about. From the kitchen to the photo studio to visualize my plates in pictures. I communicate food as a chef, food writer and food stylist. I believe culinary communication is about this whole picture.

Food Styling
Food Styling
My clients range from editorial like Libelle and Elle Eten to commercial, such as Big Green Egg, Knorr, PLUS and Fair Trade Original.

Food Writing
Food Writing
From chef ghost writing to reporting Ayurvedic food. From chasing hunters to interviewing a vegan Hari Krishna chef in the centre of Milan.

Recipes
Recipes
My recipes have appeared in cookbooks and magazines, on websites and tables of restaurants and Norman castles.

Blog
Blog
I hate blogging but no respectful food writer can go without one these days. Will give you either wit or useful information. No cupcakes! Promised.

About Me

 

It took me a linguistic education, a couple of years in Italy in the conviction of being a reincarnated Etruscan princess and a failed attempt in politics, to end up in the kitchen. I shaped my skills working in restaurants and would write on the side –  this combo of sadistic manual kitchen labour and working with the head in solitude works for me.

In the meantime I have traded restaurant cooking for food styling, which is less sadistic but enough to be challenged. I believe culinary communication is about the whole picture of copy, visuals and kitchen background. And why am I pictured here smashing the aromatic hell out of lemongrass? If I have build up anything like a signature in the last decade, it would be bold tastes and the use of avalanches of spices. But with an Indonesian background this could also just be genetic.

Vanja van der Leeden
food stylist | food writer | recipe developer

Portfolio

All

FARINATARECIPE WRITING AND FOODSTYLING

LIBELLE CHRISTMASRECIPE WRITING AND FOOD STYLING

COVER ELLE ETENFOODSTYLING

PASTA ‘NDUJA E VONGOLEKICKING

YVETTE’S SOUPFOOD STYLING FOR LIBELLE

NEW DELHIFOODSTYLING

MAASLANDERrecipes and foodstyling

STOP MOTION COMMERCIAL

PHILIPINO KINILAWRECIPE WRITING

COCONUT FILEFOOD WRITING

Get in Touch.

V A N J A | culinary communication
Nieuwendammerkade 26H
1022 AB Amsterdam
E: info@vanja.cc
T: +31(0)6-47944349