Being a foodie doesn’t mean you only indulge. Karina Matalon, the

founder of Karina’s Kitchen, wears many hats in the food department; she is a

food stylist, food photographer and a recipe developer.

Matalon explained that her business was born because she wanted to share

her beautiful dishes with others.

“I’d always cook at home and take pictures of the food, and it looked

great so I figured other people might want to see it too. That’s when I started

the Instagram page,” Karina said.

And she said that the crispy clean photography skills displayed on her

Instagram page (@KarinasKitchenja) and website (karinaskitchen.com) will only make

people eager to try her food.

“We eat with our eyes first, and people like food that looks good. So,

creating the right aesthetic, theme, and carefully thought-out photos for

social media is key for engagement,” explained the 25-year-old.

While some people might only use social media for fun, Karina said that

social media has opened many doors for her.

“I now work with major companies, and I also do cooking videos and

photography for clients,” she said.

Having been in the food business for a little more than a year, Karina said

that she is overwhelmed with the abundance of support, as she is constantly

being asked when she will open a physical location. Although she is not sure

when that will be, the bar is set high for the final-year Norman Manley Law

School student. In the meantime, though, the public can keep an eye out for a

cookbook and a YouTube channel demonstrating how things are done the Karina’s

Kitchen way.

—Written by Shania Hanchard