Food Assistant Internship Opportunity at Woolworths TASTE Cape Town

Media24 is offering an exciting Woolworths TASTE Food Assistant Internship in Cape Town, Western Cape, for a passionate individual who has completed culinary training and wants to build a career in food styling and content production. This 12-month paid internship provides an opportunity to gain practical experience working alongside experienced food stylists and creative professionals in a studio environment. It is designed to help develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to pursue a future career as a food assistant within the food media and creative production industry.

Food assistants play an important role in bringing recipes and food concepts to life for photography, editorial features and advertising campaigns. At TASTE, the successful intern will help prepare and plate dishes, source ingredients, organise props and equipment, and maintain a clean, efficient working environment during shoots. The role offers hands-on exposure to the creative process behind food content, from preparing ingredients and setting up surfaces to assisting with recipes, costings and the final presentation of dishes for the camera.

The Woolworths TASTE Food Assistant Internship at Media24 is suited to someone with a genuine interest in food, an eye for detail and a willingness to learn in a fast-paced creative environment. Candidates should be organised, dependable, adaptable and comfortable following instructions while managing several tasks during a production. Applicants must have completed culinary training and should understand basic food safety and hygiene practices. The internship also offers mentorship, portfolio-building opportunities and exposure to advertising, editorial and commercial food shoots.

Key Responsibilities

• Food Preparation and Presentation: Assist food stylists with preparing, assembling and plating dishes according to their direction and the creative requirements of each shoot.
• Ensure that food is presented neatly and attractively for photography, paying attention to colour, texture, composition and other visual details.
• Follow instructions from food stylists to help achieve the desired appearance and presentation of each dish.
• Assist with preparing ingredients and organising food items before and during production.
• Kitchen and Equipment Organisation: Keep kitchen tools, equipment, utensils and ingredients organised so that the styling team can work efficiently.
• Ensure that the required equipment and materials are readily available throughout each shoot.
• Help maintain an orderly styling area and return equipment and tools to their appropriate places after use.
• Collections and Deliveries: Assist with collecting and delivering ingredients, props and equipment required for upcoming or ongoing shoots.
• Help ensure that the necessary materials are available at the correct location and time to minimise disruptions to production.
• Work Area Maintenance: Maintain clean and organised styling areas throughout the production process.
• Follow appropriate food hygiene practices when handling ingredients, preparing dishes and working with kitchen equipment.
• Assist with cleaning and tidying work surfaces and equipment to maintain a professional working environment.
• Food Storage and Labelling: Label and store food correctly after use, following appropriate food safety and storage practices.
• Help maintain the freshness and condition of ingredients and food items used during production.
• Ensure stored items are easy to identify and retrieve, particularly when continuity is required across multi-day shoots.
• Ingredient and Prop Tracking: Keep track of ingredients, props and other materials used during shoots.
• Monitor stock levels of required ingredients and props, notifying the team when items need to be replenished.
• Assist with maintaining accurate and organised records of materials where required.
• Recipe Writing and Documentation: Assist with writing, recording and documenting recipes for food content.
• Help ensure that recipe information is organised and accurately captured according to the team’s requirements.
• Recipe Costings: Support the team with recipe costing activities by assisting with the organisation of ingredient information and related details.
• Ingredient Sourcing: Help source and select high-quality ingredients that meet the requirements of specific recipes and creative briefs.
• Assist with preparing ingredients in advance to support efficient shoot preparation.
• Propping and Set Preparation: Assist with selecting, arranging and positioning props on sets and surfaces to support the visual direction of each shoot.
• Help prepare styling surfaces and maintain the overall presentation of the set in collaboration with the food stylist.
• Adapt to changing creative requirements and production setups as directed by the team.
• Production Support: Work alongside food stylists, photographers, art directors and other production professionals throughout the content creation process.
• Follow instructions carefully and respond quickly when priorities change during a shoot.
• Manage assigned tasks efficiently to help the production team meet deadlines.
• Demonstrate initiative, reliability and a willingness to assist with both small and complex tasks throughout the internship.

Requirements and Skills

• Completed culinary training.
• A genuine passion for food and a desire to pursue a career in food styling.
• Interest in food photography, editorial content, advertising or creative content production.
• Ability to follow instructions accurately and adapt quickly to changing requirements on set.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to maintain a tidy workspace, even under pressure.
• A proactive attitude and willingness to learn from experienced food stylists and production professionals.
• A positive approach to teamwork, with a willingness to assist wherever needed.
• Reliability, punctuality and good timekeeping.
• Availability for early starts and occasional weekend shoots.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced creative studio or on location.
• Flexibility to adapt to different working environments, production setups and shoot requirements.
• Basic knowledge of food safety and hygiene practices.
• Attention to detail when preparing, assembling and presenting food for photography.
• Ability to keep track of ingredients, equipment, props and other materials used during production.
• Good time management skills and the ability to prioritise tasks according to shoot schedules.
• Ability to work collaboratively with stylists, photographers, art directors and other members of the production team.
• Willingness to take direction, accept feedback and improve practical skills throughout the internship.
• An interest in developing food styling, recipe documentation and food content production skills.
• Application documents: An updated CV and a brief cover letter explaining your interest in food styling and what you hope to gain from the internship.
• Examples of food preparation, food styling or other creative work should be included where available. Personal projects are welcome.
• Copies of university results should be uploaded where available.

The 12-month paid Woolworths TASTE Food Assistant Internship at Media24 in Cape Town offers an excellent opportunity for a culinary-trained candidate to gain practical experience in food styling, photography and content production. Successful interns will receive mentorship from experienced professionals, participate in advertising, editorial and commercial food shoots, and have the opportunity to build a portfolio showcasing their contributions. The programme also provides exposure to the complete food content production process, a supportive creative working environment, and career guidance upon successful completion. Applications close on 6 November 2026. Candidates should submit their CV, a brief cover letter and examples of relevant creative work where available, together with copies of university results if available. In line with Media24’s employment equity policy, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups.

Apply here