OMAR FOSTER
I’m Omar, a chef, writer and food stylist. Food has always been a big part of my life my mum is a brilliant home cook but I only really got into it about five years ago, becoming obsessed with cookbooks and different cuisines. I've always loved MasterChef; I used to watch the OG Lloyd Grossman show with my nan as a kid. After a push from my husband, I applied and ended up finishing as runner-up way better than I ever expected.
The show gave me the confidence to go all in. Now, I work as a food stylist, run supper clubs, write for food magazines, and have my own creative studio, collaborating with brands on experiences. No two weeks are the same, which is what I love long gone are the days of 9–5 at a desk.
Even though I cook for work, I still love experimenting at home. Eating out is a huge inspiration too there’s always something new to learn in food, and that keeps me going.
When you’re not in the kitchen, what are you doing?
Sunday is usually my only day off most weeks, so it always starts with a leisurely morning in bed with the papers and endless mugs of matcha—I hate rising before midday. We then usually meet some friends for a big walk, ending up somewhere for a coma-inducing lunch before a cosy cinema evening. We got an Everyman membership for Christmas, and it is the perfect way to fend off the Sunday dread.
If
you weren’t in food, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
Before I worked in food, I used to run toy development for Happy Meal at McDonald’s, which I absolutely loved. It was basically living every five-year-old’s dream every day, so I would no doubt happily still be doing that.
Is there a dish that instantly takes you back to childhood?
I am half Pakistani, and my mum makes the most beautiful Karahi curry—melt-in-the-mouth chicken stewed with layers upon layers of flavour for hours on end. The smell of it immediately transports me back to being a kid.
Is there a piece of advice that has stuck with you throughout your journey?
The biggest thing I have learnt is just to have no fear and go after everything you want—nothing comes from taking a backseat and watching the world pass you by. You never know what’s round the corner, so make the most of every delicious moment you have.
