Hi, I’m Safa (pronounced saf-fah), an amateur recipe developer, food photographer, and the creator of Shakumaku.
Through this blog, I share carefully tested recipes inspired by traditional Middle Eastern cooking, with a strong focus on Iraqi dishes. My goal is to transform recipes that are often taught through instinct and “a pinch of this, a handful of that” into clear, reliable instructions that anyone can follow with confidence.
Many of the dishes I share are not necessarily quick or easy — instead, they are recipes that deserve attention, care, and proper documentation. These are the dishes many of us grew up loving but might hesitate to cook because they feel too complex or time-consuming.
With a designer’s eye and an architect’s mindset, I approach food the same way I approach design: thoughtfully, structurally, and with attention to detail. I love presenting traditional Iraqi and Middle Eastern food in a way that feels elevated — something you might imagine seeing in an upscale restaurant — while still staying true to the original flavors and techniques.
Shakumaku is also where I celebrate beautiful food presentation and photography, with the hope of bringing more Iraqi cuisine into visual spaces like Pinterest and food media.
What I Do
Recipe Development
Transforming traditional Middle Eastern recipes into clear, structured, and reliable instructions.
Food Styling & Plating
Presenting traditional dishes with thoughtful plating inspired by restaurant-style presentation.
Food Photography
Capturing Iraqi and Middle Eastern food in a way that highlights its beauty and cultural richness.
Content Creation
Sharing recipes, cooking insights, and visual storytelling across digital platforms.
Background & Experience
Although food is my passion, my professional background is actually in architecture and design.
I hold a BA in Architecture from the University of Westminster and have worked as an architectural designer for over five years. My experience includes projects across:
- Cultural and heritage architecture
- Public sector developments
- Sports architecture, including Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games
- International sporting venues and public infrastructure
My architectural training shaped the way I approach cooking: with precision, planning, creativity, and attention to detail.
Today I balance my career as an architectural designer with building Shakumaku, which has become my creative outlet outside the architecture industry.
How Shakumaku Started
Shakumaku began in March 2026.
After changing jobs earlier this year, I suddenly had more time outside of work. I had already been collecting and developing recipes, and I needed a place to properly document them.
Starting a blog felt like the perfect solution.
What began as a simple way to organise my recipes quickly became something bigger: a space to share my love for Iraqi cooking, beautiful plating, and food photography.
After eight years working in architecture and developing creative skills as a designer, Shakumaku became the place where I could finally channel those skills into building something entirely my own.
My Cooking Journey
Interestingly, I didn’t grow up loving to cook.
In fact, until university I had very little interest in the kitchen. I might try baking a cake once or twice a year, but that was about it. When I did cook, I rarely followed recipes — I preferred to trust my instincts, which didn’t always lead to edible results!
My real cooking journey started during the summer of 2020, after submitting my second year project during COVID. I had spent months working nonstop and realised I needed to reset my lifestyle.
I became focused on nutrition, fitness, and understanding what I was eating. I began tracking calories, macros, learning about ingredients, and cooking more meals myself.
That was the moment everything changed.
Cooking went from being something I rarely did to something I genuinely enjoyed exploring and improving at. Over time, that curiosity turned into a passion for developing recipes and presenting food beautifully.
A Few Fun Facts About Me
- I’m Iraqi-British, from a Feyli Kurdish background. My family is originally from Diyala, though they have lived in Baghdad for generations.
- I speak Iraqi Arabic, though it’s getting more broken the longer I live in the UK.
- After the first year working full-time in the architecture industry I realised it wasn’t quite the right fit for me. I took a year out to study coding in the hope of transitioning into the tech industry, but I found it difficult to break into the sector. I’m now working in the public sector within architecture — and I absolutely love it!
- When I was in primary school, I really wanted to break a bone just so I could get a pink cast and have everyone sign it.
- Toothpaste makes me want to throw up. When I was in Year 1, our teacher did a blind taste test with different foods. The person before me got jam, so I was convinced I’d get jam too — but instead she gave me toothpaste to taste. I’ve been disgusted by the artificial mint taste ever since. (yesyes I still brush my teeth)
📍 Location: London, United Kingdom
If you’d like to follow along with my recipes, photography, and food inspiration, you can find more from me through Shakumaku and across my social media platforms.