As a child, Omar Sartawi was often told not to play with food at the dinner table. Yet today, what was once frowned upon has become his life’s calling. That playful rebellion has grown into an entirely new genre: Food Art. What started as a mischievous act has now taken him from the streets of Amman to the world stage, where he proudly represents Jordan, the Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
Omar Sartawi has proven that sometimes, the very things we are told not to do can become the spark for greatness. By reimagining heritage dishes and using food as a medium of artistic expression, he is challenging perceptions, blending cultures, and building the future of creativity from the Middle East.
A Wrong Turn That Led to the Right Path
Omar Sartawi ’s journey was anything but straightforward. Trained as an engineer, he first dabbled in construction, marketing, and design. But life had other plans. He describes his path with humor and wisdom: “By taking a wrong turn, I think the best routes in life we discover by taking a wrong tour.”
This philosophy shaped his entire career. For Omar, mistakes are not failures, they are opportunities. His willingness to experiment, to push boundaries, and to redefine what food can be, has led him to create experiences that merge science, culture, and storytelling.
Today, Omar prefers to describe himself not as a chef, but as a cook of ideas. A chef feeds people, he says, but he makes people hungry for new ways of thinking. That hunger is what keeps him evolving.
Inventing a New Genre: Food Art
Food Art is more than cooking. It is a fusion of molecular gastronomy, design, heritage, and creativity. Omar uses food not only as something to eat, but as a canvas, a building block, and even a political message. His works are architectural, wearable, and emotional, stretching far beyond the traditional plate.
From turning Jordan’s beloved jameed into chocolate, to crafting luxury handbags out of aubergine skin, Omar continuously proves that art has no limits. He reimagines food not as a temporary experience but as something that can tell a story, carry heritage, and spark conversation.
Through his projects, he invites people to see culture in a new light, one that is modern, bold, and ready to be shared with the world.
Representing the Region on the Global Stage
Over the years, Omar Sartawi has been honored to represent Jordan, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia at some of the world’s most prestigious platforms. His work has appeared at UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage showcases, international design weeks, Expo, COP 28, and many more events that celebrate innovation and sustainability.
For him, these moments are more than personal milestones. They are opportunities to showcase the richness of Middle Eastern heritage to global audiences. In his words: “We are building the future, today, from this region. The future is being built here, and it will be exported to the world.”
Turning Heritage into Innovation
At the heart of Omar’s work is a deep respect for heritage. His mission is to embrace tradition, modernize it, and take it global. Many of his projects reflect this philosophy.
Jameed Chocolate and Jameed Concrete
Jameed, the dried yogurt that forms the base of Jordan’s national dish mansaf, has long been a symbol of culture and hospitality. Omar took this centuries-old ingredient and transformed it into Jameed Chocolate, blending it with white chocolate to create something entirely new.
He also crafted Jameed Concrete, edible replicas of the ancient Ain Ghazal statues, linking Jordan’s past with its present through food.
Aubergine Leather and Orange Peel Creations
Omar’s curiosity often leads him beyond the kitchen. In 2019, he developed a vegan leather made from aubergine skin, which he used to design masks, bags, and even a floating tent installation. His work with orange peel, transformed into sustainable leather-like material, resulted in handbags and fashion pieces that blur the line between food, art, and sustainability.
Tears of Beirut
One of his most striking works, Tears of Beirut, was a bottled creation that mimicked the salinity and feel of human tears. With labels in Arabic, English, and Phoenician, it was not meant to be consumed but to provoke thought, a powerful commentary on human emotions and political realities.
Jareesh Chocolate: A Sweet New Chapter
Among his many innovations, one of Omar’s most exciting projects is the Jareesh Chocolate. Jareesh, a traditional Saudi dish made from cracked wheat, is deeply embedded in the culinary heritage of the Kingdom and neighboring countries. By reimagining it as a chocolate, Omar bridges the gap between tradition and modern indulgence.
He often asks: “How do you take a 2,000-year-old ingredient and make it modern?” His answer is Jareesh Chocolate, an edible celebration of Saudi culture that people can enjoy and share.
This creation is more than a sweet treat, it is a cultural symbol. It shows how heritage can be transformed into something contemporary, without losing its essence. Omar believes projects like this are shaping the narrative of a region that is proud of its past but determined to create its future.
Building the Future Today
Omar’s philosophy is simple yet powerful: always be hungry and keep evolving. He believes that innovation is never complete, it is a constant journey of exploration. The future, he insists, is being built in the Middle East right now, and it will not only serve the region but inspire the world.
His projects may begin with food, but they extend to fashion, sustainability, and even social commentary. From a dinner table in Amman to international platforms, his vision is to prove that creativity knows no borders.
The Struggles Behind the Art
Behind every success story lies struggle, and Omar is open about the challenges of his path. It has not been easy to carve out a new genre in a world where traditions run deep and expectations are fixed. But his advice is to be patient and persistent: “It’s not easy, but bear with it. Things will be fine at the end, and it will be worth it.”
This perseverance has carried him through doubts, experiments, and setbacks, turning every obstacle into a stepping stone toward his vision.
A Message for the World
Omar Sartawi’s story is not only about food, it is about daring to think differently. It is about questioning what we take for granted and reshaping it into something new. It is about taking pride in where we come from while having the courage to present it to the world in fresh, innovative ways.
For him, the dinner table is not just a place to eat, it is a stage for creativity, a bridge to culture, and a platform for building the future. His journey is proof that sometimes, the wrong turn is exactly what leads us to where we are meant to be.
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