How it started:

My love for cooking and baking can be accredited to my mother. My mom attended a culinary school, Johnson and Wales University, in Rhode Island. There she studied hospitality management as well as learned how to cook. Her brother also studied at the University, to become a chef. So, naturally, I grew up around amazing food. Home-cooked meals were a regular while eating out was a rarity.

I consider all this both a blessing and a curse. I am a food snob. There I said it. While many Americans find toaster waffles delicious for breakfast or enjoy fast food for dinner, I would rather make clementine ricotta waffles from scratch and whip up some pumpkin gnocchi with maple Canadian bacon and sage walnut sauce for dinner.

The idea to start my own food instagram account all started with peanut butter. I was sitting at the lunch table with my friends and I had some apples with peanut butter. I had to laugh when my one friend asked me why my peanut butter was so runny compared to hers. I then explained that hers probably had sugar, salt and some other additives to make it thicker while mine was made from just roasted peanuts. She then looked at me in disbelief and i spent the rest of the lunch period trying to convince her that peanut butter could be made with just peanuts.

I then made it my mission to share recipes and my love for food so that people can learn how to cook and about the food they put into their bodies. Since creating my account, I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing brands and create some delicious recipes!

What I like:

One of the best things about starting my own professional Instagram account is that I am able to dictate what content I create and truly express my passions. I like being able to integrate myself in a community that shares a passion for food as well. I think it is extraordinary how social media can connect people.

What I have learned:

In this position I learned that I enjoy working with a variety of businesses and working on both marketing and content creation. This role helped me decide to pursue these fields by working towards a dual degree in marketing and design.

Skills developed:

I have developed the skills to effectively captivate viewers’ attention through food photography composition. I have practiced my photography skills through taking classes at a local community college and investing in a camera. I have progressed my capability to market myself and content on Instagram. I have also developed my skills to network and collaborate with businesses.