In this series, British Baker talks to people from across the baking industry to find out about their career path, what their job involves, and the latest trends that are shaping their work.
We’re looking to showcase a diverse range of talent and job types across the industry, so if you’d like to be involved, please email dan.riley@wrbm.com.
Name: Mike Cutting
Age: 44
Job title: Design & Creative Lead UK
Company & Location: Emmi Desserts UK, Maidenhead
Education: BA in Graphic Design, University of Staffordshire
Tell us about your career so far:
I’ve always had a love of food, so when a junior designer role came up on Olive food magazine, I jumped at the chance to combine it with another passion if mine – design and photography. I quickly became involved in multiple photoshoots for the monthly magazine, working through the entire process for each recipe, from collaborating with the development chefs, pitching creative direction to editors, briefing prop and food stylists, and art directing photographers. Over time, I began prop styling shoots myself.
After five years at Olive I joined Lonely Planet Magazine, spending another five years working within a highly creative editorial team and alongside photographers. But when COVID hit, the magazine closed and I found myself looking for a new challenge. In 2021, an opportunity arose with Mademoiselle Desserts at its bakery in Maidenhead, where I’ve lived my whole life.
My role has grown alongside the business. I’ve been able to shape the overall visual direction, develop sub-brands with their own identities, and move our photography and communications away from a corporate feel towards something much more editorial, inspired by the very best food magazines. Our aim is to inspire and entice through our products.
How would you describe your job?
I’m responsible for the visual identity of the group, shaping signature styles across photography, branding, corporate identity and all marketing materials.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day involves supporting teams across the entire business, from creating marketing materials for sales teams, maintaining brand consistency across the wider Emmi Desserts Group, to planning and art directing photoshoots for new launches and B2B products.
Tell us about a challenge you’ve faced recently:
One of the biggest recent challenges has been supporting the transition from the Mademoiselle Desserts Group to the Emmi Desserts Group. We’ve brought teams from across the globe together under a single new brand identity, covering corporate materials, creative direction and internal communications, and we’re really only just beginning. It’s an exciting project with a huge amount of potential.
What have been some highlights of your career?
As a designer, seeing your work out in the world is always a huge thrill. Showing my kids an edition of Olive on a supermarket shelf and being able to tell them “I did that” was pretty special. Other highlights include working with chefs such as John Torode and Paul Hollywood, and art directing photoshoots featuring their food.
More recently, I’ve been incredibly proud to be part of the launch of Emmi Desserts.
What’s a common misconception about your role?
One of the biggest misconceptions is what actually goes into a food shoot. There’s so much behind a successful shoot – it takes time, trust, and collaboration. The relationship between the photographer and art director is key. If you don’t work as a team, it shows.
When it works, both sides push boundaries, stay agile on the day, and bring out the best in each other, which often leads to truly beautiful photography. And no, I’ve never used mash potato instead of ice cream!
aWhat advice would you give to bakery businesses in terms of an approach to photography and videography?
AI is everywhere right now, and while it certainly has its place, it’s only as good as the creative vision and direction behind it. There’s a misconception that AI can instantly create something meaningful from nothing, a quick fix, but without excellent products and time spent exploring them, results will fall short.
Quality photography and videography are art forms. Investing time, care and commitment into them will always deliver results your brand and business can genuinely be proud of.
Interested in a career in bakery? Check out Foodmanjobs for the latest vacancies
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