Will Sarault really board a flight back to Syria in the next few days?
Anyone trying to keep up with the life and escapades of Chantal Sarault had better have quick reflexes. The influencer known online as Foodie Beauty may seem to lack motivation when it comes to physical activity, but she more than makes up for it with her constantly changing plans. She currently wants to return to Syria, though her viewers fear she may not be healthy enough to make the trip.
Scandal, Escape and Denial: Foodie Beauty
From the bizarre beginnings of her internet career, when she offered to dance on camera in exchange for expensive cheese, to a donation scandal involving money she claimed to be raising for cats in Kuwait, and even her reinterpretation of Islamic beliefs, Sarault has been through so many different phases that it is hard to believe they all belong to the same person.
Her critics, however, see her alleged lies and scams as the reason for the constant upheaval in her life. At times, she presents herself as a devout Muslim to accuse critics of Islamophobia; at others, she says she wore the headscarf mainly because of pressure from her ex-husband's family. One moment she wants to raise money for a girl in Syria; the next, she wants an electric scooter for herself so she no longer has to walk.
When confronted about alleged lies or her unhealthy lifestyle, Sarault appears to tune it out, and that seems to be the case this time, too.
Too Unhealthy to Return to Syria?
Foodie Beauty is determined to go back to Syria. The Canadian-born influencer previously lived there with her ex-husband, though she was repeatedly accused of poverty tourism. After their separation, she moved back to Canada.
Her viewers, most of whom are admittedly also her critics, are strongly urging her not to go, citing her physical condition. Their main piece of recent evidence is a new video in which Foodie Beauty lounges in front of the camera. When she rests her face on her hand, the skin on her cheek appears to turn a pale purple within seconds, and the color soon seems to spread across her face. Some online viewers take this as clear evidence that her weight makes her unfit to fly.
In their view, if her body reacts this way to such a simple movement and the pressure of her own hand, Sarault should not board a plane.
No End to the Scandal-Filled Chaos in Sight
There are at least a few possible reasons why Sarault wants to return to Syria despite the warnings: She feels lonely in Canada, her ex-husband Salah has given her hope that they might still have a life together, and he still has her cat Julia. The cost of living is also much lower in the war-torn country. For her, the return may be less about starting a new life than trying to find her way back to an old one.
Whether she ultimately boards a flight to Syria or changes her mind again remains to be seen. Neither would be surprising for Foodie Beauty. What is certain is that this journey already fits the pattern of an unsettled, often bizarre life in which every seemingly final decision is soon followed by another twist.