Good to eat? Even better to see: Riding the luxury food styling wave in India
Times of India | 11 December 2025
When Netra Mantena–Vamsi Gadiraju’s ‘Billionaire Wedding’ unfolded in Udaipur, the food was not just good to eat. But it was also the star of the show. Luxury food stylist Rakhee Jain, who led the visual direction, recalls the pressure to create precision plating: “Everything had to look perfect and stay in harmony with the larger design vision.” Across India’s weddings and luxury events landscape, there is a growing appetite for stylish food that’s honestly too pretty to eat. Here’s a taste of the trend.
It starts with the menu
Every stylist starts at the same place: the menu. From there, the visual world is built. It’s essential to know the menu well to understand how it will hold up given the event’s circumstances. Rakhee also styles with the camera in mind & plans with the weather and the timing in mind. She says: “Outdoor events can unravel quickly – chocolate melts, greens collapse. The magic often looks effortless because the logistics behind it aren’t.”
What you feel is what you eat, say stylists
Across varied aesthetics, the call for mindful table craft holds steady. Food stylist & photographer Alok Verma works with raw textures & the food’s kinetic spirit. Jain uses the décor-food service triad to sync every element. Shumaila, meanwhile, blends emotions with storytelling.
Gram-worthy tables as a booming industry
Food styling demand is rising thanks to aesthetic expectations and social media’s visual language. Now clients want food to taste good and photograph even better. Food stylist Shumaila Chauhan says: “With AI images becoming more common, authenticity feels valuable as it gives a sense of reality.”
What’s trending on wedding menus
Indian wedding menus are shifting toward thoughtful and regional food with a global vibe. Rakhee says families now treat menus like storytelling. Morning events lean on temple-style meals, while tribal and forest cuisines add rustic depth. “Guests are enjoying indigenous flavours prepared using natural surfaces like stones and bamboo,” she says. Khichdi counters highlight regional diversity, and cheese-and-charcuterie boards add a global touch. Cocktail hours are now chef–mixologist pairings.