5 Food Bloggers Share Their Culinary Journeys
The world of food blogging is populated by chefs, foodies, and culinary enthusiasts from many different walks of life. Some have deep roots in the foodservice industry, and others discovered the joy of cooking later on. Below, you can meet five food bloggers and learn more about their stories and experiences in this unique field.
Betty Becca, the Betty Crocker-Inspired Blogger Who Didn't Know How to Cook
Meet Becca Ary, the food blogger who isn't too big on cooking. That's right: When she began her blog, it was actually to help get over the fear of the kitchen. Over the past four years, her blog has been her outlet for venting her kitchen frustrations as she learns to put a hearty meal on the table for her family. Follow along with Becca's culinary journey at Betty Becca.
Years of Experience: My first post was in January 2011.
Normal hours worked weekly: I work full time and blog on the weekends. My best workflow is writing out drafts on a Sunday afternoon. Then, I go back and add details, edit, add photos, and publish later on.
Best part of your job: Meeting other bloggers!
Worst part of your job: Photography... it's definitely something I'm working on.
Inspiration behind starting your blog: When I stepped out into "the real world," I didn’t know how to cook at all. The premise of my blog is to showcase how I got over my fear and lack of skill to feed my family...and even be known around my office and circle of friends as Betty Crocker (where my blog got its name).
What readers should know about your blog: My goal with my blog is to write like I’m talking to a friend and helping them learn more about being in the kitchen or entertaining in a non-intimidating way.
How you feel you fit into the food community: I take everything much less seriously than others seem to. I'm just here to have fun, share a meal with friends, and maybe learn something new that I can pass on.
Most fun thing about food blogging: Meeting other food-crazy people like me!
Super Dad Brian Mellott Brings Kitchen Know-How to the Web
When he's not chasing his three kids or developing new recipes, you'll find Brian Mellott hard at work on his blog, This Cookin' Dad. A stay-at-home father of three, Brian took to documenting his weekly cooking adventures several years back to focus on the process that goes into a good family meal.
Years of Experience: Three
Normal hours worked weekly: 20 to 25
Best part of your job: I love capturing the story of food. In writing or in still images, stories are powerful and I consider myself fortunate to be able to travel and experience those special moments and to talk with the people who carry these incredible stories.
Worst part of your job: There is a reason that I find myself behind the camera. I'm not the most forward person and I don't particularly care for talking about myself, so the marketing and PR side of food writing and photography are very far outside of my comfort zone. I just want to write and take photos! My greatest difficulty has been trying to create content while trying to manage young kids at home.
Inspiration behind starting your blog: My wife started a blog about eight years ago and asked me to come on board for the food side about three years ago. After attending a conference in late 2012, I realized that I had my own story to share. The art of cooking was not passed down to a large part of my generation and, as I spend time better learning the craft, I want to make sure that my kids gain the skills to be able to prepare their own food from scratch. I also want to broaden their palettes, so I am always excited to bring food and recipes from other areas so that I can expose them to places that I can't take them yet. I thought that others might want to share in that journey.
What readers should know about your blog: This Cookin' Dad is my place to share food stories, recreating those stories in my home to share with family, friends, and readers.
Quirkiest part of your job: I am regularly putting dinner on hold so that I can take photos. My kids get impatient sometimes, but have learned that this is part of Daddy's job.
How you feel you fit into the food community: I am sharing my experiences in a way that allows home cooks to participate. I am an entryway for home cooks. While I am all for fresh, organic, free-range, etc. ingredients, I am not one to preach that message. I would much prefer families to eat at home, preparing meals with ingredients that they can afford. Once they have that control, I believe that they will start choosing better ingredients and bring down the cost for all of us.
Funniest experience to result from your job: Kids have a way of reminding you how far you have taken something. It cracks me up when I see them playing with their plastic food toys and setting up the plate and background for a photo.
Chef Charles Blogs His Way Through the Industry
Meet Chef Charles Hunter III. The Southern chef inspired by heritage-rich ingredients and traditional French preparation, he's blogging his way through the industry from food trucks to formal fare. Explore his beautiful photography as you work your way through one of his many self-developed recipes. Inspired by his little corner of the world in Nashville, Tennessee, The Salted Table offers spectacular takes on Southern classics and new twists inspired by his lifelong passion for learning new ways.
Years of Experience: I've been in the restaurant industry for about 18 years. I began as a teenager working for my cousin's barbecue food truck in Oak Ridge, Tenn., followed by my first corporate job at Panera Bread as a sophomore in high school. I currently work as a Sous Chef at Mangia Nashville and a line cook at Sixth & Pine in Nordstrom in Nashville, Tenn.
Normal hours worked weekly: I work anywhere from 50 to 60 hours weekly. When the holiday season comes into play, I easily clock 70 hours weekly. This doesn’t include the time I put into my blog.
Best part of your job: Being around food and seeing the joy of people enjoying the product you create. I also really appreciate the opportunity I have to express myself creatively through my blog, The Local Forkful.
Worst part of your job: The long hours and repetition are rough. I'm a creative type and doing the same thing constantly can really wear on you.
Inspiration behind starting your blog: It was a combination of my passion for food and the joy I find in the opportunity to teach and learn from others. Food encompasses such a vast pool of knowledge that no one can contain all of its information. In creating my blog, I’ve created a virtual space for the food community to come together to share and learn.
What readers should know about your blog: I spent a lot of my youth with my grandmother and great grandmother. They shared their generous knowledge of Southern food and in their absence I hope to share that same knowledge with my readers. I enjoy simple, approachable cooking that allows the ingredients to shine in their natural form. It’s true, I am still trying to find my voice but the beauty of a blog is it allows you the time and space to do that. If nothing else, readers can rely on heartfelt stories, honest recipes, and a little something that doesn’t quite "fit into a box."
Toughest part of your job: Dealing with all the different personality types in the restaurant industry can be a challenge. You have to be on guard but firm in who you are. It’s important to be confident in your self-identity or you’ll get lost. It's a scary place sometimes.
Meet Lynda Self, the Voice Behind Southern Kissed
Much like others we've talked with, Lynda Self of Southern Kissed was drawn to the world of food despite a successful career in a different industry.
Years of Experience: Almost two
Normal hours worked weekly: That really varies. Since I don't have set hours and I am able to work around family obligations, it is difficult to gauge. Plus, I find a lot of it enjoyable, so that makes it difficult to count as "work," right? If I had to guess, it’s probably about 20 to 30 hours per week.
Best part of your job: Being able to work when I want to or when I am able. I like "being there" for my family when they need me. I also like to eat, and since it is more-or-less a food blog, I get to do a lot of it.
Worst part of your job: Weight gain.
Inspiration behind starting your blog: At the time I had recently quit working as a nurse and found myself with a lot of spare time. My children were in school and I was home alone – just my computer and me. My mother told me about a blogger who was doing quite well making some income and I thought that it might be fun to do, plus earning a little cash while playing around wouldn't be so bad.
What readers should know about your blog: It is perpetually a work in progress. Because I am feeling convicted, I will start posting more paleo and primal-friendly recipes.
How you feel you fit into the food community: I am getting there. I am no longer a newbie and have figured out a few things. I am working on developing a plan to keep the blog focused.
Funniest experience to result from your job: I can't really say that I have had a "funniest" experience. I have had a lot of great experiences, like when I attended Food Blog Forum in Asheville recently. Six restaurants in one night. Six!
Sheila Thigpen of Life, Love and Good Food
Meet Sheila Thigpen, the writer behind the food blog Life, Love, and Good Food. Her blog is best described as a well-curated collection of approachable recipes. When visiting, you'll find a good combination of recipes she came to love from her childhood lessons with her Mamaw B, the writings of other food bloggers, original recipes of her own, and of course, several from her vast collection of cookbooks.
Years of Experience: Blogging since November 2013, but I’ve worked in the publishing industry for 30 years.
Normal hours worked weekly: Since I work full-time, cooking and photography for my blog happens on weekends. I try to post at least twice a week, so I'm writing and editing 2 or 3 evenings a week.
Best part of your job: I love cooking and good food! Through my food blog, I've been able to share my love of food with readers who expand beyond my immediate family and circle of friends, and it's been amazing and rewarding to get positive feedback from people I've never even met!
Worst part of your job: I get really frustrated when I've cooked something that's delicious, but I'm not able to adequately capture its goodness in a photograph. People taste with their eyes, and if it doesn't look good, then I'm not likely to convince them to try my recipe!
Inspiration behind starting your blog: I've always loved cooking and have a pretty decent collection of cookbooks. Through the years, I've enjoyed having friends over to our home for meals and sharing recipes with friends and family. Most recently, I started sharing my weekend cooking adventures through Instagram and Facebook posts. My friends started telling me, "You should start a blog!" and so it began.
What readers should know about your blog: My blog is simply a little about my life, a bit about the things I love, but mostly about good food. I share some of my favorite recipes from my family, my friends, my cookbook collection, and other awesome food bloggers, and strive to only include recipes that every home cook can replicate in their own kitchen.
Quirkiest part of your job: Food photography can be challenging, especially since we eat everything that I cook for the blog. My husband is my sous chef and very supportive of my new adventure, but bless his heart, the photo comes first and that means that by the time I've gotten a decent shot, the food has gotten cold. It's still good, but would be much better immediately after it had been plated!
How you feel you fit into the food community: Before I attended the Food Blog Forum in Asheville last month, I never really considered or even thought of myself as a part of the food community. But now, after making some wonderful new food blogging friends at the Forum, I believe that I really have an entire network of like-minded creative food friends. It's awesome!
Funniest experience to result from your job: There are a few "blackmail" photos taken by my husband and daughters of me shooting food photos while in my pajamas, with my hair a mess, and crouched in awkward positions just to get the right shot. I'm holding my breath…
