They say the dining experience starts with the eyes.
Online, that experience starts with enterprising and talented food vloggers who have extended the pleasure of food with their videos in social media drawing in the curious and the foodies to loiter, and often to make an online purchase.
As we celebrate Nutrition Month, let’s review what two food vloggers have learned from the trade, and what consumers have taken home as food for thought, or food delivered by an efficient rider.
Social media changed the dining landscape during the pandemic when restrictions banned dining out and even discouraged dining together.
Chef John Joseph Viel, known by most everyone as JJ, was one of the earliest who turned to social media to provide meal ideas to people restricted to stay at home.
Chef John Joseph Viel (Manila Bulletin file photo)
“I wanted to focus on customers recalling my brand. So I went all out on social media marketing,” said the chef who, from owning an Italian restaurant (Cucina Rusticana) and food kiosks in various fairs, turned to having what you can call an “online restaurant.”
It was easy for Chef JJ to attract more customers since he already had a market, offering the larger party or family trays of his popular Italian bestsellers: Cerveza Negra Beef Pot Roast, Osso Buco, Spinacci Al Formaggio, and Oven-Roasted Herb Prosciutto Chicken.
Chef John Joseph Viel (Photo from official Instagram)
Stepping into the TikTok platform, Chef JJ presented short videos of him cooking his different specialties like spinach scallop risotto or fresh pasta; and quick-and-easy recipes such as his “Tinapa Fried Rice” and “Ginisang Kamatis” video.
“It really appealed to the local market and continues to garner views despite it being over a year and a couple of months old,” he said.
A video that went viral was called “Bulaga!” which Chef JJ said was a play on the words “Bulalo” and “Nilaga.” He said that was “a dish that my mom and I playfully did in the kitchen. I thought it would be nice to share it to the world,” he said.
When Manila Bulletin talked to him, Chef JJ had recorded over 156,600 followers and 1.8 million likes on his TikTok page alone.
That kind of following soon got big brands interested in collaborating with him which he counts as memorable experiences that strengthened his career. “As a content creator, it was when I began doing collaborations with big brands, one of them Jollibee. This further put the spotlight on me, especially with the Filipino market.
As a chef, an experience that boosted his career was being featured in F&B World magazine. “That was something that I used to dream of back when I was still a culinary student. Never thought I’d make it to their pages. More so at the age of 25 at that time.”
From musician to food vlogger
There are food vloggers who didn’t start as chefs. One of them is Mike Dizon, who came from the world of music, who found cooking and social media as the venue for his creativity during the pandemic.
Mike is a known as the drummer of Filipino rock bands ‘Teeth,’ ‘Pedicab,’ and ‘Sandwich’. He started producing food vlogs in February 2021.
Mike Dizon (Photo from Official Instagram)
“I started doing it because I needed to do something creative,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino, referring to a time when lockdowns prevented him from performing with the band.
He started his vlog with what he called a mission to be an authentic consumer and give a consumer’s point of view – to put soul in every episode.
For him, making a vlog is “like making a song – it needs to be a masterpiece.”
Mike Dizon (Photo from Official Instagram)
He has garnered 38,700-plus YouTube subscribers, and almost nine million cumulative views since his first pilot episode.
“I want us to be proud of our own cuisine and our language,” he said. His content focuses on “not-so-famous” Filipino food like “buro” or “itik na kinulob” – common in the provinces – while speaking in deep Filipino.
From the other side of the food vlog is the audience, people who are drawn to watch this kind of videos as entertainment or information – every day.
One of them is James Pascua, 23, who said he watches food vlogs “on a daily basis.”
“I watch food vlogs because it’s a form of entertainment for me,” he said.
Pascua said watching the videos of food vloggers has influenced his restaurant choices.
“I’m curious as to where the featured restaurants are located and I invite my friends to go with me,” he said.
“It’s more encouraging for me to try out new food places because of the work of vloggers,” he added.
Food is a way for people to come together. And watching a video on how ingredients come together to make a delicious meal now draws more people to come together as viewers of those who take time to share the food experience. (Pancho Parian)