Spotlight Interview | Majella Taylor MIH

This month, we are shining our spotlight on Digital Content Creator and Photographer Majella Taylor MIH, aka ‘Pavlova & Cream’! We chat about her love of visual storytelling and how it’s led her to a varied and exciting career path and much more!

Thank you so much for taking part, Majella! Can you tell us a little more about yourself and your career to date?

Thank you for having me! I’ve worked in hospitality in some guise for almost 30 years, so it’s really been the thread running through my career. I’ve held a few different roles along the way, which has given me a good understanding of the industry and, most importantly, the people behind it.

I’ve been a food photographer since 2010, and over the years I’ve had the chance to photograph some amazing chefs, restaurants, products and events, allowing me to meet some wonderful people and build fantastic relationships within the industry.

During Covid, I decided to use the time to study and completed a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing, along with a Tutor Award. After Covid, I branched into social media and digital marketing, starting Pavlova & Cream. I now work with hospitality and food businesses on their photography and social media, helping them create content that feels genuine and reflects who they are.

I also created #Plated, bringing chefs, suppliers, producers and hospitality professionals together for food, creativity, photography and networking. When I look back, I suppose food, hospitality and people have always been at the heart of what I do.

How did you come up with the name Pavlova & Cream?

There isn’t a hugely complicated story behind that! I didn’t want to use my own name for the business. I wanted a name that could grow beyond just me, and have a connection to food, without being too obvious or taking itself too seriously.

I took inspiration from one of my favourite desserts, Eton Mess, and came up with Pavlova & Cream. It’s playful, food-related and, hopefully, memorable. I also quite like that it doesn’t immediately tell you exactly what I do, which allows me to start a conversation!

Let’s talk photography… as you know, hospitality is all about creating memorable experiences. How do you go about capturing that feeling on a shoot?

For me, event photography is about capturing the feeling of the occasion rather than simply documenting what happened. Hospitality is all about people, atmosphere, energy and those little moments that make an experience memorable.

I prefer reportage over posed photographs. Some of my favourite photographs are the ones where people don’t even realise I’m taking their picture; a chef laughing with their team, someone discovering a dish for the first time, guests having great conversations or people genuinely enjoying themselves.

I like to move around and really immerse myself in what’s happening because that’s when you find the moments that tell the real story. I want the photographs to feel natural and authentic, so that when people look back, they remember not just what happened, but how much they enjoyed being there. The images should tell the story of the experience and make someone who wasn’t there wish they had been.

You’re clearly passionate about visual storytelling, which leads us nicely to your role as a social media specialist for hospitality. If we can pick your brains, what trends do you think UK hospitality businesses should be following this summer, and are there any they should be avoiding?

I think the biggest trend for hospitality this summer is authenticity. We’re seeing a real move away from everything being overly polished and perfect, towards content that feels much more real, spontaneous and human.

Short-form video, particularly Reels, is still incredibly important, but not every piece of content needs to be highly produced. Sometimes a chef talking to camera, a busy kitchen, the team having a laugh or a guest enjoying a dish can tell you far more about a business than a beautifully produced advert.

I’d also encourage businesses to think about social media as part of the customer journey rather than simply somewhere to post pretty pictures. People are increasingly using social media to discover hospitality businesses, so your content needs to show who you are and what it feels like to be there

As for what to avoid, don’t jump on every trend just because everyone else is doing it. If something doesn’t feel right for your business or audience, don’t do it. There’s nothing worse than trying desperately to be ‘trendy’ when it doesn’t fit your personality. Ultimately, concentrate on showing what makes your hospitality business special.

You’ve been a proud member of the Institute of Hospitality for the last five years. What has being part of the Institute of Hospitality meant to you professionally?

IoH membership has come to mean so much more to me than simply being part of a professional membership organisation. For me, it’s been about friendship, inspiration, opportunities and experiences.

I’ve met some incredibly interesting and inspiring people through the Institute, and there’s a real sense of community within the membership. People genuinely want to support each other and celebrate what makes hospitality such a wonderful industry.

One experience that really stands out came through a friendship I made in my early days as a member. I met Marco through the Institute, and that friendship led to some very special experiences for my family. The most recent highlight was taking my mother-in-law and her guests visiting from the USA to the Corinthia Hotel for her 80th birthday. We were given the most incredible treatment by Marco and his superb team. It was such a beautiful experience, and being able to share something so special with her is something I’ll never forget.

For me, that really sums up what the Institute means. You may join as a professional organisation, but the friendships, opportunities and experiences can become so much more personal.

Your love of food photography and content creation led you to start #Plated. Can you tell us more about this initiative?

#Plated came about from bringing together lots of the things I love about hospitality: food, photography, creativity and people.

Through photography, I was constantly meeting amazing chefs, producers, suppliers and hospitality professionals, and realised there was an opportunity to bring them together in a different way. I wanted to create something that wasn’t just another networking event, but somewhere people could eat incredible food, discover new products, create content, share ideas and make genuine connections.

We hold daytime hospitality experiences where chefs, producers, suppliers, photographers, content creators and people passionate about hospitality can meet and collaborate.

I capture content throughout the day, so chefs and suppliers can walk away with professional imagery without investing in a full photography shoot, whilst creating an environment where people feel comfortable talking and connecting.

Every #Plated is different depending on the venue, chefs and partners involved. The aim is that everyone leaves with something valuable: great images, a new contact, a new idea or simply a really good day.

We’re not sure how you find the time, but you’re also one of the creative forces behind the contemporary art brand, The Drew Collective. Can you tell us more about your role and how you work with hospitality venues?

The Drew Collective is another project that has grown out of our shared love of art, hospitality life, good food and drink, and creativity. We came up with the concepts together and work closely with the artist to bring those ideas to life.

Our first collection focused on hospitality businesses and food lovers; we’re now lucky enough to have our artwork displayed at Smith & Wollensky in the West End, One Lombard Street in the City and Scott Hallsworth’s restaurants in Balham.

My role is very much on the creative and business side. I built and manage the website, look after the social media and, of course, work on the concepts, so there are lots of different hats to wear! We’re also just about to launch our online shop, selling prints, postcard sets and accessories.

Which Institute of Hospitality member resources do you use the most?