Capturing the Beauty of Food, CIA Student Starts a Photography Club
Author Madeleine White ’29 is a Food Business Management major.
CIA opens doors for all students, embracing all of their passions. Personally, I love nutrition and sustainability. I have friends who love drawing, history, and science. One friend stands out when I think of passions coming together to create a dream. That friend is Abdulrahman; I met him through mutuals who started posting beautiful professional headshots. Then I got to know him further after he started his own club on campus called the Photo Dojo Club. I will let him tell his story of mixing his love for photography and culinary arts.
My name is Abdulrahman Yousef, I’m from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, and I’m currently a Culinary Arts major here at CIA. I’ve always considered myself a cook first, but over time, photography became a way for me to express the beauty of food. I’m especially drawn to food styling and portraits. Capturing the elegance of a chef jacket and the professionalism behind it is something I learned to value deeply from my two years at the Ritz-Carlton.
When I first came to CIA, I was looking for a photography club and couldn’t find one, so I started my own: the Photo Dojo Club. It’s all about building a community where students can explore visual storytelling and document their culinary journey. Starting it from scratch was challenging but so rewarding, and it’s now a space where creativity and passion come together.
For any new students: Don’t be afraid to blend your passions. Cooking, photography, fashion—whatever drives you. Use it to tell your story. You never know what doors it might open.
Get Involved Outside the Classroom
Find a club that catches your interest and expand your network of friends.