What inspired you to start blogging the foods you eat on IG?
I’ve always loved taking photos of my food but never really thought to share them with anyone except on my private IG story. One day my friend suggested I make a food IG and ever since then, I’ve been using my IG as my food diary. It’s been so fun thus far and I get so excited to share the different types of food/drinks I try.
What kinds of foods did you grow up eating?
I grew up eating Vietnamese food. That’s literally all I knew growing up until I started school. Even then, I’m never tired of eating Vietnamese food. My mother made the best dishes & I’m so thankful for that because now I have a strong appreciation for my culture! My favorite food that she makes is pho ap chao, which is a Vietnamese pan-fried rice noodles sautéed with beef. It’s honestly SOOOO good! Highly recommend everyone try it if you haven’t already.
Favorite snack growing up? Favorite snack now?
My favorite snack growing up would be the Meiji Strawberry Yan Yan. Any time I went grocery shopping with my mom, that was the one treat I always got. Still love that snack till this day!
My favorite snack now honestly ranges on what I’m craving. I love both savory and sweet snacks so it really depends! I’m a huge gelato fan so catch me eating ice cream even during the coldest days!
What’s your favorite thing about being a foodie blogger?
Making new friends! I’ve met so many wonderful individuals from all over the world and to be able to share our love for food together is just amazing! I also love that my food blog has allowed me to help small local businesses thrive! I’m all about supporting local businesses so being able to share their story & the wonderful food/drinks they produce has brought so much joy to me. During these tough times, it’s always best to support your local businesses!
What do you dislike about being a foodie blogger?
The only con I can think of is how time consuming it can be running a food blog. I have a full time job so I’m constantly working Monday-Friday, so the only time I have to really engage and interact with my foodie community is during lunch or after work hours. It’s especially hard now because of the pandemic so I’m not always able to go out & enjoy all the delicious places in the Bay. Regardless, it is super exciting and I love everything about being a food blogger so I’m not complaining. It’s all a part of the excitement!
What are some interesting things you learned through the process of blogging about food?
I learned how to take better photos of my food. I don’t really have an artistic eye when it comes to these things so I’m constantly learning and improving my skills. I think I’ve grown a lot from when I first started so it’s exciting to see how my photos turn out each time I take photos/edit them!
What’s one of your favorite foods and drinks you’ve posted on?
One of my favorite foods I’ve posted would probably be Alfonso's Catering! The person who I spoke with is helping their uncle run their IG page and have been struggling during this pandemic since they’re a small local business. I’m huge on supporting local businesses so when I heard about their food + story, I was super eager to try! Amazing food & hardworking owners! These are the types of businesses I LOVE supporting! My favorite drink that I posted would be N7! Also a local business in San Jose. Personally, I think their drinks are so delicious & fresh. It’s my go to boba spot when I’m craving something sweet! Seriously can’t go wrong with their drinks.
When did your IG start to gain more attention from people? And what do you think triggered it?
I started my Instagram in August 2020 and after a couple of posts of homemade food, my page really took off. I think people love seeing home cooked content a lot. I was posting a lot of that in the beginning which I really need to get back to because I’ve been eating so much home cooked meals.
What inspired your style of posting content on your IG?
I’m definitely inspired by other foodies. I love seeing vibrant colors on my page so I always try to take photos with the best lighting to ensure it captures the beautiful colors of the food/drinks I try. I love taking photos that focus on the items so portrait mode has always been my best friend when it comes to taking photos!
We love your work! How do you plan for food/drink photoshoots? What kind of equipment do you use?
Any time I go anywhere to eat or to grab a drink, I always try to go when it’s still bright outside. I love taking photos in natural lighting because then I always get the most beautiful shots! Currently, I’m only using my iPhone XS but hoping to get a camera soon because I love taking photos overall.
What is your full-time job?
I work full time as a Sourcer. For anyone who doesn’t know what a Sourcer is, it’s my job to find top talent for specific roles within my company. In simpler terms, I'm in recruiting! :)
What does a typical day look like for you?
My typical day starts at 8:30am. Because we’re in a pandemic, I work from home Monday - Friday. I’ll get up, make myself a cup of coffee, take Miso (my pup) out to do her business, then get my work day started. I usually finish work at around 5:30-6:00pm. I’ll then go and prepare dinner and just spend the remainder of my time relaxing, editing my food photos, engaging with my foodie friends, and catch up on some Korean drama until it’s time for bed.
What are some challenges you encountered to get to where you are at today (as a food blogger with 1.6K followers)?
I haven’t really faced many challenges running my food blog. I do sometimes feel like I put way too much time in my food blog that I forget about what’s happening around me. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in social media so I always remind myself that it’s ok to take a step back and just relax.
What is your long term goal with food blogging?
My long term goal with food blogging is to eventually extend my blogging to other social media platforms. Believe it or not, I’ve always wanted to start up a YouTube channel so eventually when time permits, I hope I can do that down the road. I also hope to partner up with more local restaurants to spread awareness on their business.
As I mentioned before, I love supporting local businesses in the Bay Area, so it’s definitely a goal of mine to one day support as many local businesses as I can! My page has always been a place for me to share my love for food so I’m extremely thankful for all the wonderful people I’ve met on here and all the businesses I’ve gotten to know and love!
Any advice for people who want to start a food blog?
The one advice I have for people who want to start a food blog is to just be yourself & have fun with it! There is no right or wrong way when starting a food blog!
