Janny Wu of @sf_fooddiver is an instagram food blogger based in San Francisco California

Food Blogger Spotlight: Exclusive Interview with Janny

Name: Janny Wu
Location: San Francisco, California
IG username: @sf_fooddiver
Followers: 5k

What inspired you to start blogging the foods you eat on IG?

I’ve always loved taking pictures of everything I eat. My phone has more pictures of food than selfies! The rule is, the camera always eats first!

What kinds of foods did you grow up eating?

As an Chinese American, I grew up eating a lot of traditional Chinese dishes with a mix of Taishan and Hong Kong cuisines. Some of my all time favorite dishes are beef with bittermelon and steamed spare ribs with black bean sauce. Family meals are always important in our household. Since we didn't eat a lot of prepared foods or fast food, most of our meals are heavily influenced by my parent’s cultural backgrounds.

Favorite snack growing up?

Favorite snack now? Few of my favorite snacks growing up were Pocky sticks and NongShim onion rings! My current favorite snack is XXX Hot Flamin' Hot Cheetos and I always keep it in stock in my pantry.

What’s your favorite thing about being a foodie blogger?

Introducing delicious foods in the food community and having the pleasure of bringing exposures to companies by promoting their products.

What do you dislike about being a foodie blogger?

Self disciple and time management. Since I am the one that has full control of my blog, I have days where I don't feel motivated.

What are some interesting things you learned through the process of blogging about food?

No matter what our cultural background is, we can always use food to connect with people from all over the world.

What’s one of your favorite foods and drinks you’ve posted on?

One of my favorite food posts is the “braised short rib with cheese” from DaeHo in Japan town and my favorite drink is definitely iced Hong Kong milktea from Australia Dairy Company in Hong Kong! PS: they also have the best scrambled egg toast!

When did your IG start to gain more attention from people? And what do you think triggered it?

The traffic picked up when the pandemic started. People became more drawn to their devices which led to more active users on IG.

What inspired your style of posting content on your IG?

My biggest inspiration is from my fellow foodies here on IG!

We love your work! How do you plan for food/drink photoshoots? What kind of equipment do you use?

Currently, I am only using an iPhone X and I am looking into investing a DSLR soon! Natural lighting is key when taking good photos!

What is your full-time job?

I work in the hospitality industry with the wonderful hotel giant, Marriott! I am definitely a people person so I love working in customer service!

What does a typical day look like for you?

Due to the pandemic, life has been very routined. I’ve been helping my brother with babysitting since the start of pandemic with reduced work hours from my job.

What are some challenges you encountered to get to where you are at today (as a food blogger with 5k followers)?

Retaining my followers has always been a challenge. I think building a genuine connection and engaging with your followers is what will keep them in the long haul.

What is your long term goal with food blogging?

I would love to challenge myself to make more videos and upload reels on my blog.

Any advice for people who want to start a food blog?

I think being authentic and showing your enthusiasm with food is very important! Also connecting and cultivating friendships with other foodies within the community is key.

 

 

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