Tell us about your journey. How did you recognize your passion for cooking and trying new foods and decide to share it through YouTube?
Well, my deep love for food has always been there, from savoring flavors to understanding the story behind each dish. Cooking was something that was really personal to me, and sharing it on a platform like YouTube allowed me to connect with others rooting for the same passion.
Could you walk us through your content creation process? What steps do you take from conceptualizing an idea to posting the final video?
Picking the recipe is just the start. After that, it’s about sourcing the ingredients, preparing and cooking the food, filming the process with the right visual appeal and editing it in a way that it becomes simple for my followers to understand and replicate at home.
In your journey as a YouTuber, how have you focused on connecting with your audience and building a community?
For me, it’s about being authentic, responding to my audience’s feedback and queries, and making them part of my YouTube journey. That’s why I regularly interact with them through comments, social media conversations, and even meet-and-greets when possible.
What are your future plans with your channel? Do you have any new exciting endeavors coming up?
Absolutely. I have plans to bring in more diverse recipes and explore cuisines from different parts of the world. I believe food is a great way to connect cultures and I want to bring that to my viewers.
Has the growing fame you’ve experienced through YouTube caused any anxiety or fear? If so, how do you deal with it?
Certainly. Being a public figure brings a share of anxiety. Sometimes, it’s overwhelming thinking about the number of people watching and judging your content. I try to deal with it by focusing on my passion for food and cooking, and remembering why I started in the first place–to share what I love.
Can you share your experience with your partnership with charities such as Catholic charities and Ronald McDonald House?
I’ve always believed in giving back to the community and working with these charities has been a heartwarming experience. Be it cook-off events or charity dinners, we aim to use food as a medium to bring joy and make a difference in people’s lives.
What motivated your commitment to these charity causes?
I grew up seeing my parents engage in charity, and that had a profound impact on me. As I ventured into YouTube and built my own platform, I realized I could do my part too and have since then strived to use my influence for good causes.
Of all the recipes that you’ve learned and prepared while working on your YouTube channel, which one holds a special place in your heart and why?
That would be my mom’s Kimchi recipe. Not only does it taste amazing, but it also connects me to my roots and brings a sense of nostalgia. Every time I prepare it, I feel like I’m putting a piece of my heritage on the plate.
What was the biggest challenge you faced while preparing your all-time favorite recipe for your channel?
The biggest challenge was definitely ensuring that the taste remains authentic while making it accessible and easy to cook for my viewers. It involved a lot of trials and tweaks to get it just right.
How does it feel when people try out your recipes and give positive feedback about them?
It’s probably the best part of what I do. Knowing that my viewers trust my recipes and enjoy what they cook following them is really gratifying. It’s both a humbling and rewarding experience.