She literally wrote the book.

Delores Custer, esteemed food stylist, mentor and industry icon passed away peacefully on August 18 in her home city of Portland Oregon, where she chose to retire after a long and flourishing career in New York City.

Delores started her career as a food stylist in 1979 when all in the business were female, called Home Ecs, and most photographers were male. That’s how long ago. She learned from the first tier of stylists — there were about four of them at a place called Cary Kitchens in New York City. Dee segued from teaching grade school in the U.S. and Okinawa, to amateur restaurant consultant and baker, to mom, to receiving her master’s in food and nutrition at New York University.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, when an opportunity to assist on a food commercial arose, Dee welcomed it and the rest is history. She discovered a world of food that to her was visually stimulating, creative and at times thrilling (think live TV and flambé). She continued in the world of food photography for over 30 years.

Dee wrote as many articles on the subject of food styling and the history of food photography as were written about her. They appeared in major publications including The New York Times.

She was known for sharing her immense love and knowledge of food styling though workshops she taught, as far as South Korea (where we ventured together), Japan, the Philippines, Norway, Argentina… to regular gigs with the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, The New School in New York City, George Brown University in Toronto, Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, MS, and many more.

She was a vibrant member of the NYWCA and IACP where she networked, learned and gave back to her community through more workshops. So respected was her expertise that Dee was tapped to judge the annual cookbook awards for both the IACP and James Beard Awards.

Myself and many others had the privilege and pleasure to work alongside, travel and learn from Delores. Her knowledge and capacity to share it was immense. Her insatiable lust for learning paralleled her need to teach. She was interested, curious and inquisitive, as was apparent in her love of food, travel, art, music, books and theater.

She appreciated so much. Her parting words to me, two days before she died, were that I must experience Machu Picchu! And she was selling it (in so far as a Scandinavian “sells” anything!). She loved her work, the collaborative process of food photography, and was totally game for a challenge. The act of writing what is universally considered the food styling bible (it’s a tome) was her parting gift to the industry. Food stylists around the world either have it or have referenced it.

She did all of this with her gentle Scandinavian demeanor. Never pushy, always genteel and with deference. I was in awe of the restraint she had as a parent, even when it came to her daughter’s dating or career choices. She and her beloved husband Arthur raised an independent, confident, successful and beautiful daughter with whom they had a very close and caring relationship. Danielle was by Delores’s side when she bid this world adieu.

I was extremely fortunate to work alongside, travel and learn the trade from Dee but her qualities as a human will be with me always. Her wisdom and generosity of spirit will be missed.

Delores Custer’s obituary will appear in The New York Times and Oregonian.