The Brief
A Culinary Tribute to the Mediterranean
At Soleil Brasserie, the vibrant essence of Mediterranean cuisine is brought to life through the artistry of the chef, who expertly blends tradition with innovation. Using the freshest locally sourced ingredients, each dish is thoughtfully crafted to highlight the authentic flavours, aromas, and textures of the region. From sun-ripened vegetables and fragrant herbs to expertly prepared seafood and premium cuts of meat, every plate reflects the Mediterranean’s rich culinary heritage, reimagined with a modern touch.
Soleil Brasserie sits inside Hotel Claude, the first boutique hotel in Marbella, which meant the brief carried two identities at once: a restaurant that needed to stand on its own as a dining destination, and a hotel amenity that had to read as part of Hotel Claude’s wider Andalusian character. As a restaurant photographer working on a live hotel property, the shoot moved between kitchen, terrace and plate in a single continuous session, timed around real service rather than a closed set.
The Process
Chef portraiture in the kitchen
Chef Vova and the Soleil Brasserie kitchen were photographed on their own ground, service in motion rather than a posed studio session. For food and restaurant photography, this matters: a chef photographed mid-service reads as authority earned in that kitchen, not borrowed for the camera.
A Mediterranean menu, plate by plate
The food photography followed the menu’s own arc, from starters through tartar, cannelloni, fish, meat and dessert, each dish lit and composed to hold its own as a single image while still reading as part of one consistent Mediterranean table. Colour and texture, sun-ripened vegetables, fresh seafood, herbs, carried as much of the story as composition.
Terrace and dining room, together
Soleil Brasserie’s terrace looks out over Marbella’s old town, and that view is as much a part of the brand as the food. The shoot moved between the covered dining room and the open terrace across the day, capturing both the intimacy of an indoor table and the golden hour atmosphere the terrace is built for.
The Result
The shoot produced a complete restaurant photography library for Soleil Brasserie, chef portraiture, plated dishes across the full menu, and terrace and dining room atmosphere, now in use across Hotel Claude’s website, social channels and booking platforms. Together, the images give the brasserie its own identity within the hotel, a Mediterranean dining destination guests can picture before they arrive.
As with our other work at Hotel Claude, the photography had to serve the restaurant and the property at once: strong enough to stand alone in a menu or a magazine feature, consistent enough to sit beside the rest of the hotel’s visual identity.
Chef portraiture — Vova, in the kitchen
Plated dishes across the Mediterranean menu
Terrace and dining room atmosphere
Behind-the-scenes kitchen photography
High-resolution files for web, menu and social
