It is enough to take a look at Instagram or TikTok to realize that food is everywhere.
In the recently released first season of Young MasterChef, the new version of the popular British cooking contest, it has become clear that social networks play a fundamental role in the way young chefs share their creations with the world.
Now that the digital sphere is key for novice chefs to make a name for themselves, how do you become a creator of gastronomic content?
Poppy O’Toole, a judge on the reality show and self-described “Queen of Potatoes,” explained how she managed to be a Michelin-recognized chef while gaining 3.4 million followers on TikTok.
“It was kind of being at the right time in the right place,” he said.
“Be creative [de contenido] Gastronomy is an interesting career, because it can occupy 24 hours of your day. 24 hours of your day can be filled with content,” she added.
O’Toole affirmed that his career on the internet really took off “during the confinement” against the covid-19 and asserted that there is a “method” to get users of social networks “hooked” on gastronomic content.
“A finished, finished plate looks amazing, so I always use it at the beginning of my videos. It’s the first thing people see,” he explained.
“Then, I explain the method of how to do it, but people are already hooked, look to see how to get to the delicious dish,” he said.
Although most of O’Toole’s content on social media focuses on preparing different types of potatoes, the author did not hesitate to state that a specific niche is not essential to becoming a successful food content creator.
“I think all it takes is a passion for cooking. You can find a style along the way,” she said.
Kerth Gumbs, another of the Young MasterChef judges, agreed that chefs should not feel the need to focus only on one aspect of the kitchen, because with training and experience they will learn that “what resonates is their personality and identity.” .
“Over time, everyone will discover their own style and their style will constantly evolve. Everyone will find their own way,” he concluded.
O’Toole’s best advice to aspiring influencers is to “be authentic.”
“Some people might tell me to slow down my videos and that I’m too chaotic, but I also think that’s a reason other people enjoy my videos. It’s all about finding what works for you,” she said.
But the Young MasterChef judge is not the only one who gave this recommendation to those who start in these conflicts.
Calum Harris, a 23-year-old vegan food creator, suggested potential new producers “be themselves.”
“It’s so easy to make an excuse for why you shouldn’t do it,” Harris said.
“People say the market is too saturated, other people are already doing what you want to do, or you don’t have enough time. But if you want to do it, you should just start!” he added.
Like O’Toole, Harris already had a passion for cooking before realizing there was a gap in the market and began publishing online.
“I had been a vegan for a year, but I realized that there were not many vegan accounts that met my need. I wanted vegan recipes that were healthy, quick and easy to make. I started my page on that basis,” he said.
Today Harris’s Instagram account has 166,000 followers. “It’s complete madness. It’s a total whirlwind. This is now my job,” she commented, though he admitted it took time to get to this point.
“At first I did it because I loved it. I didn’t expect it to come to this. I gave myself a year to see how it went. At the beginning I also had another job and published videos in my spare time (…) I wanted to have a job in case everything went wrong “, he commented.
Even as his cooking career has really started to take off, Harris says it’s important “not to compare yourself to those around you.”
“I try to have a tunnel vision,” he said, because “there is always going to be someone, in terms of numbers, who does it better than you.”
The cook suggested to the new creators that they take a similar stance. “Comparing yourself to others will exhaust you. Be yourself. Be confident that you are building something different,” he justified.
Today Harris spends much of his time honing his craft.
“About 90% of the recipes I put out I try beforehand,” he said, explaining, “A lot of the recipes that have gone wrong in the past have been the ones I haven’t tried right.”
Seema Pankhania began her career as a chef at one of controversial British chef Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants and later joined Mob, an online food platform that has more than 1 million followers on Instagram.
At Mob, the cook learned to edit and came up with new recipes to share via video.
However, Pankhania left the platform to focus on her own personal content and now makes most of her money on TikTok, where she is working on a series where she prepares each country’s national dish.
“It’s a great project,” he said with a smile. “I love the freedom this job gives me, I can get up whenever I want and work all afternoon,” she added.
Pankhania spends a lot of time trying new dishes. “Sometimes I do a recipe seven or eight times before I film it well, because people realize that if you improvise, the videos don’t turn out as well,” she explained.
The cook recommended that potential new creators look for people who are already making videos and copy her format.
“Not copying its exact content, of course. But it’s a great way to find your own way of doing things,” he said.
“Nobody’s first video is going to be perfect, so you have to keep practicing,” he said.
For his part, Harris launched some recommendations so that cooking videos look good.
“Don’t forget to clean the lens, that’s easy,” he said, before adding that shooting in the morning will improve the end result.
“Ideally, the sky should be blue,” agreed Pankhania, who also recommended that “the dishes have a lot of color. Always think about the garnish: cilantro, parsley or another bright herb to finish.”
Looking ahead, all three agree that chefs on social media are the future of cooking.
“People used to aspire to be TV chefs, now we aspire to be big on TikTok,” Harris said.
“Social networks change so fast that you have to keep up to date,” added Pankhania.
“But right now I don’t see myself doing anything else. I love sharing my recipes and I love the idea that I could be helping people make new food,” he concluded.
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