Valerie Aikman-Smith is a chef and food stylist based in Los Angeles. Valerie first studied the culinary arts in her native UK and completed her education at the California Culinary Academ in San Francisco. She followed her schooling by cooking and food styling at the innovative Greens restaurant in San Francisco alongside Annie Somerville and then working with Alice Waters at the legendary Chez Panisse in Berkeley.
Valerie soon segued her chef skills and talent into food styling. Her first film food stylist assignment was James Cameron's TITANIC. It was Cameron who asked her to research, design and food style the exquisite dining room scenes in the blockbuster movie. That venture led to a succession of movies and television work as a food stylist as you will see on her client list.
Valerie's love of travel has also been incorporated in her food styling and she regularly travels both nationally and internationally on assignments for magazines including Bon Appetit.