FOO

I had the wonderful opportunity to work with celebrity chef Bobby Flay on a project for Lipton Ice tea. I am a huge fan of the food network and shows like Iron Chef so when I had a phone call to come and photograph Chef Bobby I was so excited! It was so amazing to watch him cook and be able to talk with him about the food scene growing more and more in Omaha. Here are a few photos of the product shots and the behind the scenes photos of the shoot.

I was fortunate to work with Qdoba on a project to be used for their catering promotions and labeling.

The was a fun project for PepperJax Grill. My role in this project was Director for motion (See Motion for commercial ad) and Photographer. These are the still assets for their ad campaign “How Do You Philly”. I had an excellent time working the Bailey Lauerman Agency and Pepperjax team on this. We also had such a fun crew also!

*Ad Graphics by Bailey Lauerman.

Client: Pepper Jax Grill

Creative Director at BL: David Thornhill

Agency Producers: Susan Neuman at [NOT PICTURED]

Director/Photographer: Joshua Foo

DP/Production Co: Jon Hustead/Ephemera

Producers: Jesse Hassler and Laura Von Roenn

AC/Swing: Sam Foo

Key Grip: Paul Eichler

Grip/Swing: Lauren Abell

Food Stylist: Laurie Leahy

Food Stylist Assistant: Melissa Young

Editor: Lauren Abell

PA: Jasmine Rainey

Chef Tu’s Vietnamese-California cuisine began garnering press and accolades, first in 2016 with his weekly pop up dinners “AN - a Vietnamese Dining Experience.”; then in 2017 San Francisco Chronicle named him Rising Star Chef. In 2019, he was a featured contestant on Bravo's Top Chef Season 15 and invited to host ABC’s Taste Buds: Chefsgiving which was nominated for a James Beard Award.

As a first generation Vietnamese-American, food justice comes naturally to Chef Tu, who finds opportunities to use the medium of food as a vessel for meaningful work from cooking with incarcerated men in San Quentin; to being a community ambassador in Oakland working with Asian Health Services and the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. Tu’s involvement with food recovery and the Zero-Waste Movement is something else he got from his mother: During the Vietnam War, when supplies were rationed, she learned, out of necessity, that corn silk could be dried and used as tea or toasted, deep-fried, or sautéed to serve with rice. Chef Tu not only applies these Zero Waste principles in his own kitchen, he is a James Beard Smart Catch Leader, recognized for promoting the use of sustainable seafood options; and an avid teacher, sharing the riches and lessons of his birthright through food.

• www.cheftu.com

I had the pleasure of photographing Chef Tu while documenting a pop up dinner with him and Kano (omaha) at Merchant Roots in San Francisco. I have been a fan of Top Chef for years and it was exciting to watch him work and create dishes that comes from a deep place in his heart. Chef Tu is not only talented but also has a big heart for the food community and it was an honor being able to document this experience.

Where do I even begin?! I have been photographing the Big Omaha event for a couple years now and when I found out Top Chef Finalist Shirley Chung was going to be showcasing her food in a pop up alongside local Chef Tim Nicholson and was asked to photograph her and the pop up I couldn’t be more excited! I am a HUGE fan of Bravo’s Top Chef and Shirley was my one of my favorite contestants on the show. I love her emotional approach to food and her joyous attitude. Watching her work in person was a great experience and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity!

This project was for James Beard Nominee Kane Adkisson of Kano featuring his new spring menu. It’s always a joy to work with Kane and watch him work. His food is thoughtful and innovative showcasing what Nebraska has to offer through techniques he has learned working in Michelin Star restaurants around the world.

Masa Luna in Omaha Nebraska
Director and Photographer - Joshua Foo

Concept
Masa Luna lives in the middle of nowhere, a cantina where renegades and outsiders drift through. The story closes with a full tilt brawl. I placed that moment at the start of the series so the viewer enters the world with immediate tension and heat.

Visual Approach
The light is bright and unforgiving, shaped to mimic the midday sun. The styling leans into maximalism with vibrant color, layered texture, and clothing that feels expressive and worn in. The images carry the rhythm of a film scene that never stops moving.

Character and Story
The people in this world are loud in their presence. Every character has a clear voice, and together they create a sense of restless energy inside the cantina. The series moves between chaos and quiet, offering fragments of a story that never needs to explain itself.

Personal Note
This was an incredible project to build and I am grateful to the team at Masa Luna for trusting me with their world.

Photos - Joshua Foo

Camera Assistant - Sam Foo

Food Stylist - Sarah Jane Hunt

Greenland Market sits quietly in a strip mall on 84th Street, the kind of place you could pass a hundred times without realizing what is inside. I first heard about it from my friend Radman at Au Courant in Benson. He mentioned a small restaurant tucked into the back of a grocery store, and I was instantly intrigued.

My brother and I had just wrapped a shoot with a client and were hungry. He said he was craving Mediterranean or Middle Eastern food, and I remembered Radman’s recommendation which was only a few blocks away.

When you walk in, you’re met with shelves filled with vibrant items from across the Middle East. Spices, teas, beans, snacks, sweets, dried fruit, and many things you do not find in big box stores. We made our way to the back where we met Hasib Ahadi, a taller young gentleman who greeted us right away.

We told him it was our first time and that we had heard there was food. He sat us at one of the two tables with deep orange chairs and a laminated menu. Most people order food to go, but he made room for us without hesitation. I asked if I could take some photos of the store and the food since I had all my gear with me, and he immediately said yes.

My brother ordered the Beef Shawarma Wrap. I went for the Falafel Wrap. We shared Samosas, and he added a plate of Mantu, the Afghan dumplings. The falafel was well seasoned. The samosas came with two dipping sauces, one of which was a chutney built on apple cider vinegar, chilis, and garlic. It tasted so much like a sauce I grew up with in the Philippines called sawsawan that it took me right back to childhood.

While we ate, I learned more about the family behind the place.

Greenland Market is a family owned business built by Afghan immigrants. The father, Abdul Latif Ahadi, came to Omaha in 2021. With help from the International Council for Refugees and Immigrants, he worked to build a new life here, and part of that new life became this store. His son Hasib helps run the operation, blending Afghan staples with Middle Eastern goods and halal offerings, creating a space that serves both the immigrant community and anyone curious enough to step inside.

Then, as if perfectly timed, Hasib’s two young sons Mohammad and Ahmad arrived with their grandfather. I asked if I could take portraits of them, and they agreed. Photographing three generations together in the middle of their family business felt special in a way I will not forget.

It is important to support our local immigrant businesses, but visiting places like this is more than support. It is learning. It is connection. Hasib let us try dried fruits we had never had before, a variety of almonds different from the usual, dried mulberries, apricot seeds, chestnut honey, and handmade breads they make in house. Every shelf had a story if you slowed down enough to ask.

Greenland is a special place, and the people who run it make it even more so. I highly suggest going in, ordering food, wandering the aisles, and letting yourself be curious. Say hello to Hasib. Ask about something you have not tried before. Let them tell you about what they have built here.

You will walk out full and probably carrying something new you discovered along the way.

Colorful and playful food art by Omaha Food Photographer Joshua Foo.

This was an incredibly fun shoot to do with our friends at Coneflower Creamery in Omaha, Nebraska. We were inspired by food photos from the 1950’s and 60’s and had a really fun time playing with color, light, and shadows.

Joshua Foo creates Still life Portraits - Personal Works

This spread is based off of the vintage cookbooks from the 1950’s-60’s. I focused on bright colors and textures. This is a style close to my heart as I grew up reading Betty Crocker cookbooks and was always fascinated with the photos.

Iconic Lucky Buddha Beer with an Asian Salad spread of Pennywort Salad with Dried Anchovies, Itlog na Maalat (Salted Duck Egg Salad).

This was really fun to make and it was nice making some traditional foods I grew up with!

I had the pleasure of capturing the stunning food at The Weather Room restaurant in the Cyrus Hotel in Topeka Kansas. The food was not only beautifully presented but also full of vibrant colors and flavors that were a joy to photograph. I had so much fun working with the talented team and capturing the essence of the restaurant through my lens. As a food photographer, I understand how crucial it is to showcase the best of what a restaurant has to offer through high-quality images, and my work with The Weather Room is no exception. Let me help you showcase your culinary creations and elevate your hotel's image through stunning food photography.

This was a fun shoot with our friends at Coneflower Creamery. We were inspired by vintage food photos from cookbooks from the 1950-60 era so we played around with color, light and shadows.

I LOVE working on cookbooks and I was so excited when I was asked by the amazing vegan chef and restauranteur Isa Moskowitz to work on her book “The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook”! I had a blast working alongside her as she made some amazing comfort food. She is definitely one of a kind and her recipes have inspired a whole new generation of plant based cooking. Because of her I went from being a vegetarian to making the jump into a plant based diet and I have her to thank for it. If you don’t have this book yet, I highly recommend it!

Saffron x Chef Whitney V Merz Collaboration Dinner

I photographed the first supper club at Saffron, a collaboration between Chef Whitney Stanley of V Merz and Chef Diwesh Bhattarai of Saffron. The evening highlighted their inventive culinary vision with a thoughtfully curated multi-course menu and complementary wine pairings.

For the photography, I used a lush red velvet background to add depth and texture, paired with bright directional lighting to accentuate shadows and highlights on each dish. Guests experienced a Tuna Tartare with beet gel, shallot, dashi, and tangerine paired with Stefan Muller Riesling Kabinett 2023, a Butternut Squash Salad with labneh, za’atar, tomato jam, whey, and chive oil paired with Sans Liege Cotes-du-Coast 2023, and a Brown Butter Raviolo with ricotta, chestnut mushroom, kale, gremolata, and rutabaga accompanied by Arnot-Roberts Trousseau 2023.

The main course featured Lamb Striploin with carrot, potato, caulilini, tomato, leek, and lamb jus, paired with Jean-Louis Chave Selection Offerus 2023, followed by a Chocolate and Persimmon Tart intermezzo with compressed persimmon, bourbon glaze, oat crumble, and chantilly, paired with Bodegas Toro Albalá Don PX 1999. The images capture the chefs’ collaboration, combining bold flavors, thoughtful presentation, and a cinematic sense of depth and texture.

Chef de Cuisine Diwesh Bhattarai and Sous Chef Whitney Stanley led the kitchen while Sommelier Charlie Ludwig curated the wine pairings, creating a memorable evening at Saffron.

Parlor is a three level space that holds several unique spots: A lounge, Library, den, 2nd story garden patio, and an event space for any and all of your social needs. There are 7 unique restaurants within parlor where you can dine on pizza to Korean street food fare. If your’e in the OKC area be sure to check it out!

ROOT is a pop up dinner concept featuring a healthy approach to cooking by Kimberly Kula. This dinner took place in her beautiful home.

Coneflower May 2022 Campaign

I had the honor of photographing Chef Austin Johnson of One White Street. One White Street is a neighborhood restaurant in downtown New York City from Chef Austin Johnson and Master Sommelier Dustin Wilson. Located in a historic Tribeca townhouse. Chef Austin is incredibly talented and I had a lot of fun taking his photos when he was in town in Omaha, Nebraska.

Located at 2102 Q St, Omaha, NE 68107 Amigo’s Market and Restaurant is a quaint neighborhood grocery and restaurant serving comfort food from El Salvador. Servings dishes like Pupusas, Tamal de Pollo, and other specialties are all made from scratch. The owners are absolutely amazing and so kind always giving their customers a warm welcom. If you’re in the area, definitely check it out!

In my free time I love to stop into restaurants randomly and see if they will let me come in and snap a couple of photos. Au Courant is one of my favorite places to go. A couple years back when Benjamin Maides was the chef I was walking through the back alley of his restaurant. I remember seeing a large smoker sitting in the back with a haze of smoke catching the suns rays. Their door was open so I poked my head in to see who was in the kitchen and was met with a few surprised but friendly looks. I introduced myself to the chef and asked if I could take some photos and he kindly agreed and let me come in. Now Chovy is the head chef at the restaurant and I found myself again walking around Benson on my day off, this time with my brother Sam. The door was open again and it had bee some time since I had come back to the restaurant and thought I would check in. I asked Chovy if I could take some photos of them as they prepped that day and he kindly agreed. Here are some new portraits of the new staff. I hope that someday we can all look back at these and remember what time was like back then.

I had the opportunity to photograph Mushiya, a unique pop-up restaurant featuring edible insects in a fine dining setting, and it was truly unforgettable. Chef Ethan, aka "Little Crankers," is a culinary mastermind who has created a menu that highlights the sustainability and health benefits of eating insects. Not only are they a great source of protein, but they also have a low carbon footprint and require minimal resources to produce. It's clear that Chef Ethan is passionate about his craft and educating others about the benefits of entomophagy. Mushiya is a must-try for any food lover looking for a new and exciting dining experience!

I had the wonderful opportunity to photography the Colorado Cherry Company in Lyon Colorado commissioned by First National Bank of Omaha. Colorado Cherry Company is now a fourth-generation owned and operated business. This location was surrounded by the beautiful Colorado mountains. The smell walking into the building was amazing, smelling of baked pastry and tart cherries. We were greeted by the owners who were warm and friendly. They gave us a tour of the building and told us a bit of the history of the place which was son interesting to hear. I headed downstairs to watch the bakers make pies and pastries from their famous cherries. It was hard to not eat them all! If you’re in Colorado, definitely put this place on your places to visit, it’s definitely worth it!

Chef Otto Phan of Kyōten in Chicago Photographed by Omaha Food Photographer Joshua Foo