Innovation has no boundary and the pandemic has pushed all of us in many ways to bring out that hidden talent and make the world a beautiful place. Jordanian chef, food artist and taste manufacturer Omar Sartawi has crafted a ‘leather’ face mask out of aubergine skin which has taken food and fashion to another level. Omar Sartawi Sartawirecently collaborated with local designers to give the leather mask a dose of fashion. In his words, it is a way to create a material that was alive but also frozen in time. TMM got it in touch with Omar Sartawi to understand the nuances of amalgamation of fashion, food and art.
How did the idea of making a sustainable mask with eggplant happen to you?
I created new leather made out of aubergine skin and I wanted to make a dress with it, but then Corona came and all fashion shows were cancelled. So I thought we change the ugliness of this pandemic to a fashion statement and that is when Eggplant Leather Mask came into life. I was inspired by the ancient Inca chuño technique, a complex procedure that alternates between drastic hot and cold temperatures to come up with freeze-dried potatoes.
Tell us about the process of making these masks.
It’s a combination of ancient and modern techniques where we freeze the ageing and deterioration of the aubergine leather, so it stays soft and durable. It takes from a week to 15 days to make the leather depending on the aubergine and temperature and heat. In this process, we use salting, dehydrating and underwater cooking to give it that perfect shape and texture. I drew inspiration from a modern technique used in some of the top Michelin star restaurants: The French sous vide method, which consists in cooking food under pressure underwater at a precise temperature for specific periods of time. Finally, I used the memories from his childhood, reminiscing how my grandmother used to sundry tomatoes in the heat of Jordan’s summers.
You are working with local designers in giving it a shape and Princess Nejla Asem is adding embellishments to your creation. How is the experience of working with such talented people?
Princess Nejla is amazing, she added a lot of value to the work and she was pleasant to work with. Her persona reflects grace and class and the same reflects in her work too. I remember when I met her for the first time and was amazed by the shine and perfection of her jewellery. And that is when the idea of merging both the craft happened and the result is in front of you.
Your social media account looks pretty creative as a chef. What do you love the most about your profession?
I have a background in design, so, I am trying to create a new genre of art, where food is the medium. Food art attracts me, so I use food to express concepts and ideas, where everything I do is totally edible. Some might not be enjoyable to eat but it is still food grade and edible.
One thing that you love the most about Indian food.
I worked in Dubai for years with many amazing Indian friends. I love the variety of food from region to region and how much passion goes into the food and presenting it. Indian food is my favourite and I love exploring every bit of it.
What are your future plans in terms of creative works that you love to do?
I collaborate with amazing professionals around the region and international. At present, I am working with a great mind, who is an amazing architect of Raba Beiruti region, she is the Director of Amman Design Week, where I worked with support to create an edible replica of the oldest statue known to the man found in Jordan. The statue is called Ayn Ghazal and its 10.000 years old and it is on display now in the Louvre Abu Dhabi. I am also working on other new projects with a British company called Banquet of Hoshana to create an immersive dining experience where I have created the flavour of the universe in a bite with them and many more projects. Also, I am looking forward to connecting with people in India and it would be a dream to make a project based on Indian history and culture merged with its rich food.
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