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JEDDAH: In the Kingdom's culinary arts scene, food styling, while a key component, remains a fringe career. However, one female culinary artist is quickly making a name for herself by plating with style.

Rawan Shouman's interest in food styling – the process of arranging food to look as attractive and appealing as possible for a photograph or video – began during her university days, shortly before the global pandemic, when she decided to help a photographer friend.

“With a passion for cooking and photography, styling seemed like a natural fit,” she told Arab News.

A cooking background is not necessary for styling, but in Shouman's case it turned out to be a bonus. “Knowing how to speak the language of the chef and the language of the photographer is essential to communication,” she said.

Shouman said that she has “always loved cooking and photography, so styling seemed comfortable because it combines both.

The result is a career that combines food styling, set and prop design, and creative direction.

Shouman invested the money she earned as a stylist in special equipment needed for photography and video shoots.

But with food styling relatively new to the Kingdom, she faced challenges to establish herself professionally.

“Most of us pretend we know what we're doing until we actually do it,” she said. However, through hard work, determination and a good portfolio, she convinced clients to work with her.

So, what exactly does a food stylist do? “We work with chefs to produce the best-looking food, whether it's in restaurants or on commercial sets, where I hire production chefs to join my team,” Shouman said. “With their culinary skills and my styling tricks and vision, we develop the best looking final products.”

Every project is different and has its own needs and budgets. The stylist's job ends at the end of the shoot, but Shouman also gets involved in pre-production and post-production.

“The creative process starts with the client's needs, then comes ideation and planning,” she said. “We prepare for the needs of filming from the background, the plates, everything. Then it's the day of the shoot… sometimes we do rehearsals before the shoot to perfect the styling method.”

Shouman also looks for props that match the project and recipes. “I have in mind what other elements I want to add to the scene, so not only provide plate options, but also provide glasses, utensils, plates and ramekins for sauces, garnishes or ingredients,” she said.

She considers textures, layering props and fabrics when creating a visually appealing food setting.

As our food industry evolves, it needs to be presented in a way that captures attention and shows its uniqueness.

Rawan ShoumanFood stylist

She said Santos Loo, a Los Angeles-based food stylist, “once mentioned that he thinks about textures, and I like to think that way, too.

In the past, the main standard for food photography was to aim for perfection, but now the trend is towards a more natural aesthetic.

“Victoria Granof (American food stylist) is the one who started to defy these rules and her style has now become more acceptable and desirable,” Shouman added.

The Saudi stylist makes sure to keep up to date with the latest trends and techniques by following artists she admires and checking cookbooks, magazines and websites.

“We're artists, we create trends, we don't need to follow them, if you know what I mean,” she said.

Like a painter, her techniques and styles depend on the mood and feelings at the time of creating the plate or set. He is also an advocate of working ethically with less food waste, as well as finding and creating edible substitutes for the chemicals typically used in styling.

Shouman is happy that creatives in the industry have a chance to showcase their talent, adding that it is necessary for the industry to expand.

Food photography “happens every day,” but unfortunately, styling isn't always required due to budget and a “what you see is what you get,” she said.

Shouman has worked with many leading personalities, studios, businesses and hotels, as well as local and international brands, including Al-Osra Sugar, Wister, Rustic Grill, IKEA, Lallo Restaurant, Plan Burger, Savola, Nespresso and Haagen-Dazs. .

Shouman sees food styling as an essential component of Saudi Arabia's growing culinary scene.

“As our food industry evolves, it needs to be presented in a way that captures attention and showcases its uniqueness,” she said. “This is where food styling comes in… it helps tell the story of the dish, enhances its appeal and draws people in.”

When asked about her future projects and plans, Shouman said, “I'm always excited about the next project, meeting new people and collaborating on creative endeavors. I'm not one to follow rigid plans, I prefer to accept new challenges and let my inspiration guide my work.”

She added: “Inspiration is everywhere; just be curious and open to it. I like to think in series – coming up with concepts, titles and ideas for food photography and video shoots. I find inspiration in nature, movies, podcasts and even in seemingly unrelated fields such as car photography or fashion shows.”

Shouman makes sure to document her ideas, even if they aren't immediately applicable, because she believes it's valuable practice for the creative mind.

One of the defining moments in her career was a project that pushed her out of her comfort zone. “I started taking pictures and making videos,” she recalled, “and my usual collaborators weren't available. I had to rely on my skills and ingenuity to complete the project. This experience taught me a lot about adaptability and independence.”

This anecdote highlights the career path of a food stylist – a constant pursuit of learning, growth and creative expression.