Thursday 18 / April / 2024
The art of fruit carving has been around for many years, inspiring artists to use their skills at crafting to transform an edible, colourful treat into a beautiful ornament full of colours and fruity scents.
In Oman, we have our very own fruit carver, Sulaiman Al Harrasi, an acclaimed Omani artist who mastered this ancient Thai art.
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Sulaiman was born in 1985, and has always been passionate about culinary arts. He studied at the Oman Tourism College before working in the Ministry of Defence’s culinary department, where he began as a sous chef and climbed the ladder.
Sulaiman’s love for culinary art led him to master the art of food styling. He became a salad specialist and acquired the required skills for making the perfect salad, where skills such as chopping, slicing, and dicing are involved.
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Soon he began exploring YouTube and developing his craft in art. It was then that he found his true passion lies in transforming fruits into works of art. “Working at the ministry offered me a lot of free time, so I spent it in reading about art and poetry,” he said. He added that he continued to watch videos to understand this art, and experiment with it. “I’d put the knowledge of art in my fruit design,” he explained.
Being a perfectionist, he does not leave a single detail unattained when handling any project. He ensures the usage of fresh, high quality produce, which he selects himself, as well as developing themes that fit the desired needs of clients. “I ask every detail when preparing an ornate arrangement for an event, so that appears as a one-piece corner that blends in well with the other things at the event,” said Sulaiman.
Starting from carving a piece of fruit, moving on to crafting an entire basket, and pushing the envelope further by handling a section in an event, Sulaiman could not be happier as he’s living his dream, and the best part is that he can simply turn any concept or vision into a ‘fruit-ful’ reality with artsy touches such as lights and setting the mood just right for the viewer.
Music plays a major role in Sulaiman’s creative process as he pumps up the reggae music’s volume while working on his pieces. “This type of music preaching human kindness and love will bring out the artist in you,” said Sulaiman. “It sets the mood for a perfect carving session,” he added.
The artist has held countless workshops on fruit carving, from universities and colleges, to charity events. And he does customised pieces for a variety of events. Being a fruit carver is truly a wonderful talent as it is not an easy art, and watching Sulaiman’s work inspire youngsters in Oman is truly admirable.
