Hi, I'm Fay!
I'm part Lebanese and part Egyptian. I spent 13 years living in the Middle East and grew up around an incredibly authentic variety of eastern cuisines. Whether I was eating kushari out of a copper plate in an old mom and pop shop on the side of the road in the middle of a loud market in Cairo-Egypt, dining the authentic maza spread in an ancient palace courtyard turned restaurant in Damascus-Syria, or eating a freshly baked mankoushe in the Broumana mountains of Lebanon where I lived, one thing is for sure, food in these places with the people I loved produced the most "present" moments I've ever experienced. So, as the inevitable would have it, food would follow me down the path of my education and career.
What God says about food
“Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food." Genesis 1:29
When I read this verse it tells me that God originally intended for our diet to be "plant based". As time went on and environmental catastrophes limited food options He permitted humans to partake of animals and animal products, but originally speaking, it was all about plants.
How do I perceive food?
Food to me is so much more than taste and smell; it’s about reading the intent of the presentation and taking a moment to observe how it makes you feel. Food is also about YOU. It has the power to heal and bring life to your body. I believe healthy food has a divine responsibility to look and taste as good as it can be for you. I believe that what we put in our body has a direct affect on our mind and in turn our spirituality. My mission here is to show how easy and meaningful healthy food preparation can be!
Food Photography
A little over two years ago (in the midst of the grueling demands of a PhD program, running a clinical trial, and juggling 3 jobs) I discovered an insatiable love for food photography and began my quest of defining my unique style and trying to understand the difference between ISO and Aperture :) Food photography also played a big role as a form of recreation and therapy for me during this high-stress season of my life.
Food styling soon followed and before I knew it I was absorbed in the world of aesthetics and presentation which I am convinced plays an important role in the overall health and wellbeing of lifestyle medicine practices. After all, we eat with our eyes first! All the pictures of food on this website I've personally taken. That goes the same for all of the content in my cookbook. The food photography you will see here is very personal and I went to great lengths to ensure I directed each part and told you the story through my lens as I would want it to be read.
Where food is taking me...
As a registered dietitian with 7 years of nutrition education and recently completing a PhD in Rehabilitation Science I feel a deep need to explore the arts of photography and styling as a form of self-expression. In addition, through my study of gut-microbiome and the connecting links between many of today's chronic diseases I've developed a strategic program to introduce practical plant based techniques to help empower individuals to create sustainable and improved lifestyle eating habits. I've also authored and designed a cookbook containing over 100 of my favorite plant based recipes that are free of overly processed vegan alternatives, low in sugar and oils, and high in nutrient dense ingredients!
It's been such a blessing to let my creative juices flow through food photography, cooking workshops, and consulting!
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Cheers and thanks for stopping by!
Dr. K / TheEarthyCanvas