It’s not quite often that we hear a story of someone pursuing something they hate, but Malak Shouman, 24, used to hate food as a child, until suddenly that hate turned to love and a full-time career.
Shouman can’t remember when she started loving food, but her family swears she hated it, “I’d cry when I enter any restaurant. My dad had to carry me outside until my mum finishes eating then they’d switch because if I saw food being served, I’d get furious. I wasn’t a naughty child, but I just despised food.”
The TV Effect
The only thing she remembers about that turning point is that she liked recreating foreign dishes she saw on television. She started small by mixing and melting chocolate for her brother and making breakfast and salads. “As I grew older, cooking became part of my personality, not just a hobby. I took it as a challenge to create dishes for my family to eat as they watched TV.”
She considered going to a culinary school abroad but thought of it as an expensive process, and then decided to study Graphic Design at the American University in Cairo (AUC). “I wasn’t that sure of it (cooking) then, now my mum wonders why I never told them, I think it’s because I used to say ,‘I want to travel and become a chef,’ but never really looked into how it could happen.”
After graduating, Shouman worked in graphic design and as an art director for a while then decided to put design as her second-degree job. “I couldn’t work as a chef because I needed the right certification. So, I started applying for jobs as a graphic designer in companies that are related to food. I once sent a message that was straight up-front, ‘I want to work for you’ and the owner was so sweet and agreed to meet.” The owner was looking for a graphic designer and Shouman offered to trade designs in return for hands-on operational culinary experience.
The Future Cook
Feeling hyped after getting one step closer to her dream, Shouman thought about doing a blog but had a condition: she needs to get a design to start fresh and organized. But one day, she recorded herself cooking for her parents and posted it on her personal Instagram, “when my friends saw it, they told me I should make a blog. And I did on that same day, and it’s been three months.” The aspiring cook has decided to dedicate all her time to her blog, the place where she gets to interact with people and talk about food; her two favorite things.
The blog not only altered her present but also changed the way Shouman looks at her future. “I have to say, my fiancé, Karim Helmi, has been encouraging me big time. He’s a workaholic and likes setting future plans for his career and so I started doing the same.” Her ultimate goal is to have her own restaurant, and she already has two options for names and themes.
Christmas Chronicles
As a way of practicing for her restaurant, Shouman often cooks for her friends and family. “The biggest number of people I’ve cooked for was 30, and this year’s Christmas dinner has 26 people. I’m making two turkeys, mashed potatoes and everything!” This year though, Malak was encouraged by her fiancé to produce content out of it. “We always wanted to do something together for Christmas, but I was waiting for things to kick in, but we decided to go for it this time.”
This year is Shouman’s first year cooking the Christmas turkey, and made sure to also record its recipe.“I did the cooking and Karim took care of the filming, directing, the music and everything visual.” So, for everyone wondering how to pamper their turkeys this year, wait for that video!
