Shot in a farmhouse kitchen — the aubergine charred to ash on the outside, sweet and collapsing within. Styled for editorial, consumed afterward.
The brief was simple: one ingredient, no garnish, no props beyond what was already on the table. Matheus chose the berinjela — the aubergine — and cooked it directly over an open flame until the skin blistered and turned to carbon. The flesh inside had no idea what had happened.
The images were shot over two days in a farmhouse kitchen in the Alentejo region of Portugal, using only natural window light. The photographer was Lisbon-based. The food was cooked, styled, and served by Matheus alone. No assistants.
Published in a Portuguese food quarterly. The brief asked for three images. Twelve were delivered. All twelve ran.