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JEDDAH: In the Kingdom's culinary arts, food styling, although a key ingredient, remains a niche career. However, one culinary artist is quickly making a name for herself with style.

Ravan Schoumann's interest in food styling—the process of making food look as attractive and attractive as possible for photos and videos—started during her university days, shortly before the global pandemic, when she decided to help a photographer friend.

“Having a passion for cooking and photography made the style seem natural,” she told Arab News.

​​​​​​While a culinary background is not mandatory for the style, it proved to be a bonus in the case of Shouman. “Knowing the language of the chef and the language of the photographer is very important for communication,” she said.

Showman said she's “always loved cooking and photography, so the style felt comfortable because it combined both.”

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

Showman invested the money she earned as a stylist in specialized equipment for photography and videography.

But with the food style being relatively new to the Kingdom, she faced challenges to establish herself at a professional level.

“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 in restaurants or on commercial sites, where I hire a chef for my team,” Showman said. “With their culinary skills, my stylish tricks and vision, we design the most beautiful end products.”

Every project is different and has its own needs and budget. The work of the stylist ends at the end of the shoot, but the showman also takes part in the preparation and post-production.

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

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

When creating a visually appealing food design, she takes into account textures, props for layers and fabrics.

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

Ravan ShowmanFood stylist

She said that Santos Lu, a food stylist in Los Angeles, “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 the pursuit of perfection, but now there is a trend towards a more natural aesthetic.

“Victoria Granoff (a food stylist from the US) is someone who started to challenge these rules, and her style is now more accepted and sought after,” added Showman.

The Saudi stylist follows artists she admires and browses cookbooks, magazines and websites.

“We're artists, we create trends, we don't have 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 service. She also advocates working ethically with less food waste, as well as finding and creating edible substitutes for chemicals commonly used in styling.

Shuman is happy that creative people in the industry have the opportunity to show their talents, and adds that the field needs to be expanded.

Food photo shoots “happen every day,” but unfortunately, the style isn't always required due to budgets and the “what you see is what you get” approach, she said.

Showman has collaborated with many leading figures, studios, businesses and hotels, as well as with local and international brands, including Al-Osra sugar, Wister, Rustic Grill, IKEA, Lallo Restaurant, Plan Burger, Savola, Nespresso and Haagen-Dazs.

Showman sees food styling as an essential ingredient in Saudi Arabia's growing culinary landscape.

“As our food industry evolves, it needs to be presented in a way that attracts attention and demonstrates its uniqueness,” she said. “That's where food styling comes in…it helps convey the story of the dish, increasing its appeal and drawing people in.”

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

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

Showman makes sure to document his ideas, even if they aren't immediately applicable, believing it to be a valuable exercise for the creative mind.

One of the defining moments in her career was a project that took her out of her comfort zone. “I started doing photography and videography,” she recalled, “and my usual employees were gone.” I had to rely on my skills and resourcefulness to complete the project. This experience taught me a lot about adaptability and independence.”

This anecdote illuminates the career of a food stylist—a constant pursuit of learning, growth, and creative expression.