Meet Food Stylist Lichelle May: The creative force behind your cravings

Ever paused mid-scroll because a glossy burger or a perfectly powdered doughnut stopped you in your tracks?

The lighting, the texture, the colour — everything so mouthwateringly flawless that you could almost taste it? Behind that kind of visual temptation is someone who knows how to turn hunger into art — Lichelle May.

Lichelle’s love affair with food started early. As a little girl, she was always eager to experiment in the kitchen, and trust me, she’s had her fair share of kitchen mishaps. But nothing ever stopped her from trying again.

In 2009, after moving from Pretoria to Cape Town, a Consumer Studies teacher opened up a whole new world of food for her. With that encouragement, she entered a cooking competition, traveled to Upington for the final cook-off, and came in second — discovering she thrives under pressure and loves thinking on her feet.

From there, Lichelle sharpened her skills at chef school in Stellenbosch and embarked on a vibrant journey across the food and media world. She’s freelanced on cooking shows and cookbooks, starred in local and international commercials, worked as a private chef on a yacht, and now masterfully blends advertising with editorial food styling. Recently, her dynamic creativity earned her the prestigious Up-and-Coming Content Creator 2025 Award at the Galliova Awards, marking her as a star to watch.

Based in Cape Town, Lichelle isn’t your ordinary foodie. She’s a qualified chef, food stylist, and brand strategist whose talent lies in transforming simple ingredients into visual stories that spark emotion, appetite, and connection. For her, food styling is about so much more than just looking good on camera — it’s the perfect balance between creativity and precision, sustainability and beauty, flavour and storytelling.

In this exclusive interview with Africa Jamz FM News, Lichelle takes us behind the scenes of her colourful world — sharing how she brings brand visions to life, the secret psychology of appetite appeal, and why, to her, every plate has the potential to become a masterpiece.

Telling stories through food

Lichelle often describes food styling as storytelling. She talks about the story she’s trying to tell every time she steps behind the camera — and how she makes people ‘feel’ that story through visuals.

“I love to make readers feel part of the journey, giving them the opportunity to live themselves into the recipes and make them feel that it is achievable while tapping into an aspirational element. Every dish and ingredient has its own story to tell and for each person it may differ through their experiences and food knowledge. I tell my story through my memories and experiences,” said Lichelle.

The art of highlighting nature’s best

Lichelle also emphasises sustainability and using local produce in her work. She opens up about how those values influence her creative process — and what message she hopes that sends to both brands and consumers.

“Food is so precious and I believe to use the best ingredients that you can find locally. I think it is such a beautiful thing that the earth is blessing us with beautiful produce to fuel our bodies and we should respect each ingredient and highlight it as best we can through the recipes we make. Ingredients are the key influence of my creative process, I look for interesting ways to highlight the natural flavour of ingredients in the best ways possible.

“I have learnt that sometimes it is best to do as little as possible to ingredients to feature them best, in that way highlighting the natural sweetness, umami or acidic flavours and by pairing them with other ingredients to make magic. To the brands and consumers, I want to inspire a deeper respect for food by celebrating local, seasonal ingredients and showcasing their natural beauty through thoughtful, intentional cooking,” said Lichelle.

The real story behind Food Styling

Many people think food styling is just about making food ‘look pretty.’ Lichelle dwells on the biggest misconception about her job — and what would surprise people most about what really happens behind the scenes.

“The biggest misconception about food styling is that it’s just about making food ‘look pretty,’ when in reality, it’s about telling a story through ingredients, texture, light, and mood. What might surprise people most is how much thought goes into every detail—how something is sliced, the plate its served on, the way a drizzle falls—all to make the food feel real, delicious, and emotionally engaging. Behind the scenes, it’s part cooking, part design, and part problem-solving, often under time pressure and with constant adjustments to lighting, composition, and even the food itself,” said Lichelle.

The psychology behind irresistible visuals

Lichelle has worked in advertising and understands how visuals sell emotion. She elaborates on the secret to creating that ‘I want to taste that now’ moment — the psychology behind food that makes us crave it instantly.

“The secret to creating that ‘I want to taste that now’ moment lies in triggering emotion through sensory cues. It’s about capturing food at its most craveable — the glisten of a sauce, steam rising off something hot, a perfect bite mid-air. We respond to texture, contrast, and imperfection because they signal freshness and realness. In advertising, I learn that people don’t just buy products — they buy feelings. So, when styling food, I focus on how it makes someone feel — comforted, excited, nostalgic, or indulgent —
because that’s what really makes them crave it instantly,” said Lichelle.

Lichelle on why Food Styling is a true art form

As someone who wears many creative hats — chef, stylist, strategist — Lichelle wraps the conversation by sharing why she believes food styling is a true art form, and how she keeps her passion fresh in such a fast-paced, visual world.

“To me, food styling is a true art form because it blends storytelling, emotion, and aesthetics in a way that connects instantly with people — often without words. It’s not just about arranging food; it’s about capturing a feeling, a moment, or a memory through colour, texture, light, and composition. Wearing different hats as a chef, stylist, and strategist allows me to see food from every angle — from flavour to execution to feeling.

“What keeps my passion alive is staying curious, eating and travelling: exploring new ingredients, drawing inspiration from nature, culture, and design, and constantly pushing myself to see food not just as nourishment, but as a creative medium that evolves with every plate and every frame,” said Lichelle.

If you would like to get in touch with Lichelle, you can find her on Instagram at:
https://www.instagram.com/lichellemayfood?igsh=MTNwdmtpcGo1NzMweA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

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