About this role
Lead Stylist (m/f/x)
The role
As Lead Stylist at HelloFresh, you will play a key leadership role in shaping the visual identity of our food content across recipe photography, brand campaigns, and multimedia channels. You’ll lead a team of talented food and set stylists, fostering a collaborative, high-performing studio environment that balances creativity, quality, and efficiency.
This is both a strategic and people-focused role. You'll be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the styling team, mentoring individuals in their growth, and driving forward the creative vision and standards of the studio in close partnership with Art Direction, Photography teams and Production. Your focus will be on empowering your team and ensuring our content remains visually compelling and consistently on-brand.
At HelloFresh, we value diverse experiences and encourage candidates from a range of creative backgrounds to apply — even if you don’t meet every listed requirement.
What you’ll do
• Lead, manage, and develop a team of stylists, providing regular feedback, coaching, and clear growth pathways
• Oversee the styling function across all studio productions, ensuring team resourcing, performance, and creative standards are aligned with business needs
• Own and evolve the studio’s styling vision, processes, and best practices, ensuring consistency and innovation across all content formats and platforms
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams — including Art Directors, photographers, culinary teams, and producers — to deliver exceptional, on-brand content
• Balance hands-on involvement with strategic leadership, stepping into high-visibility shoots when needed and guiding the team on complex or evolving projects
• Lead trend research and visual ideation, helping to drive the creative direction of our food styling while staying ahead of industry movements
• Ensure team performance against creative, operational, and delivery targets, while fostering a positive, inclusive, and solutions-oriented studio culture
What You’ll Bring
• 7+ years of professional experience in food styling, creative direction, or studio production — with at least 2+ years in a leadership or people management role
• A proven track record of leading styling teams and delivering high-quality, brand-aligned content in a fast-paced creative or production environment
• A strong portfolio showcasing high-level styling skills, conceptual thinking, and an ability to elevate content through design and detail
• Deep expertise in food styling techniques, with a strong understanding of composition, texture, and color in visual storytelling
• Excellent people management and leadership skills, with experience in mentoring, conflict resolution, and team development
• A collaborative, calm, and proactive approach — with strong communication and project management skills
• Passion for food, photography, seasonal trends, and brand-building through visual identity