A few month’s ago I started working at The Food Network in the Digital Test Kitchen, testing and developing recipes for their online database. While there is a large culinary team working in The Food Network Kitchen, there are numerous other people doing a wide range of jobs that help make this company as successful as it is. For example, there are many culinary producers who organize and direct video shoots. As well, there are food stylist and designers who photograph food with beautiful plates and table linens to make the perfect shot. Over the years, these props have multiplied and what resulted was an amazing room of props from decades of events, video and photo shoots at The Food Network.

Lately, the prop room has been bursting at the seams, so it was decided to have a sale to hopefully give these beautiful props a good home.  Plus, it will make room for new props that will be used for future shoots. So, as soon as the sale started, I had to go check it out because I wanted a piece (or two) of Food Network history that I could call my own. I also thought some new plates and bowls would be great for styling on Coffee, Cabs and Bar Tabs!
The prop room is located in the basement of our building, and as you can imagine, it’s a typical dusty, NYC basement. But as soon as you walk into the room, the rows and rows of countless props are mesmerizing and quite astounding. The props include everything from placemats to punch bowls to candle holders and baking dishes. It’s really amazing to see so much history from such an influential company in the food industry.
I ended up buying a variety of items. I got a stunning set of glasses and a few colorful plates with pretty details. One of my favorite buys is the small mortar and pestle I found hiding on one of the bottom shelves. It’s the perfect size for making dressings and spice blends, and I cannot wait to put it to good use. I hope when you see these items on Coffee, Cabs and Bar Tabs you not only see their beauty, but also the story behind them and the roll they played in Food Network history.