Name: Christine Fang
IG username: @chrisi.eats
Followers: 7k
Location: San Francisco
What inspired you to start blogging the foods you eat on IG?
I had been taking photos of food for a while. Eventually, there were just too many photos on my phone to not put them somewhere.
What kinds of foods did you grow up eating?
I was super lucky to have home cooked Chinese food every night. Every weekend, my parents would make dumplings from scratch (the dough as well) and it's still what I look forward to whenever I go home.
Favorite snack growing up? Favorite snack now?
Hot Cheetos growing up. Now, I eat the XXTRA hot Cheetos because I like the burn <3
What’s your favorite thing about being a foodie blogger?
I've loved building relationships with everyone :) All of the friends I've made, the companies/restaurants I've worked with. It's so much connecting with different people.
What do you dislike about being a foodie blogger?
A lot of people don't realize how much time it takes to create posts/captions/stories.
What are some interesting things you learned through the process of blogging about food?
The covid quarantine period really forced me to learn how to style food at home. It's still a work in progress, but it's been super fun. I had to buy a lot of new plates and cutlery, for the sole purpose of being aesthetic.
What’s one of your favorite foods and drinks you’ve posted on?
I LOVE noodle photoshoots. The noodle pulls. The noodle twirls. So much fun haha. Other than that, I love anything with color. Colorful drinks, pretty poke bowls, the list goes on.
When did your IG start to gain more attention from people? And what do you think triggered it?
A few months into my food IG, I started really connecting with fellow food bloggers in Boston. I had just moved out of CA for school, and was looking for friendship in any way possible. Luckily, I've found a lovely group of fellow foodies here who continue to inspire me.
What inspired your style of posting content on your IG?
I like cute bright things.
We love your work! How do you plan for food/drink photoshoots? What kind of equipment do you use?
Until recently, I've used my trusty iPhone and a light I got off Amazon. I got a Sony a7 III over the holidays, and I'm slowly learning how to use it!
What is your full-time job?
I'm a Physician Assistant (PA) student, currently doing rotations in various hospitals/clinics.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Go to rotation all day. Study in the evening. I'm usually on Instagram during my lunch break or right before bed where I catch up on everyone's posts and post my own content! Weekends are typically dedicated to creating/editing content, because they're the only days where I'm at home in the daylight. They’re also the only days where I have enough energy to go to go outside.
What are some challenges you encountered to get to where you are at today (as a food blogger with 7k followers)?
I don't really know if I've had big challenges. It was never really about the numbers for me, so I just post what I like and hope that people like it. :)
What is your long term goal with food blogging?
I've loved working with restaurants and companies, and would like to continue doing that. I don't really have a long term goal, but I would like to start incorporating more home cooked Chinese recipes into my blog.
Any advice for people who want to start a food blog?
Be kind! Be active in the food blog community. And make friends.
