With a staggering 174.6 billion views to its name, FoodTok is cooking up a storm - bringing together a global community of foodies, recipe creators and even the odd celebrity chef.
Food has always been an incredibly popular topic on social media, but the lockdowns of 2020 caused a significant spike in the number of people engaging with and creating food-related content.
@ellaisadora99 its the ratchet pan and broken spatula for me💀🤚🏼 #baking #ASOSinthebag #VeryBlackFriday #lockdown #bakery #london #brownies #foodtok #food ♬ Around Me - Brent Faiyaz
With restaurants shut down across the globe, chefs, bakers, and even casual home cooks suddenly had the time and opportunity to share their love of cooking with the world and learn a few new skills along the way.
And, just like that, FoodTok came into its own.
@veganiina It doesn’t get any better than this😮💨 #foodtok #vegantiktok #veganrecipes #easyrecipe #chocolatelover #snackideas ♬ PAINT THE TOWN RED - DojaFantasy
Spanning a vast variety of sub-sub-genres including Mukbang (eating shows), ASMR, Ramen, Masterclasses and What I Eat in a Day, FoodTok truly has something for everybody.
For the amateur cook, it is an endless source of easy-to-follow recipes, cookery classes, and ‘Food Porn’.
For professionals in the food industry, it’s a way to show off their skills, reach new customers for their restaurants/bakeries/food shops, and raise their individual profiles.
A win-win across the board.
@_cookwithmi Replying to @Macarena honestly crave this all the time …. 😭 #fyp #fypシ #ramen #spicyramen #ricecake #korean #koreanfood #asianfood #kdrama #foodie #foodtiktok #cooking #recipe #easyrecipe #noodles #cookwithme ♬ Cute bright hip hop(1018707) - hope music
So, who are the key players?
Some of the key players in the genre include @Notorious_Foodie, @tommywinkler and @cassyeungmoney - who collectively have amassed almost 700 million likes and countless more views for their recipes, food hacks and other food-related videos.
@cassyeungmoney This was always my go to takeout order #orangechicken #chinesetakeout ♬ Mind Yo Business - Lakeyah
Chef Gordon Ramsey is also a powerhouse on the platform with almost 40 million followers and an impressive view count of almost 10 billion for the hashtag #ramseyreacts - where he rates culinary creations in his typical in-your-face manner.
@bestfood_tok Gordon Ramsay Makes an All American Burger #gordonramsay #kitchennightmares #gordonramsayofficial #fyp #foodtok #cooking #beef #burger #america ♬ original sound - Best Food Tok
Many successful FoodTokers have been able to use the platform to launch their own culinary careers outside of social media, such as Carleigh Bodrug (@plantyou), a vegan cook who is now a New York Times bestselling cookbook author thanks to her TikTok popularity.
Is FoodTok here to stay?
Although talent, skill and a little bit of algorithm luck certainly have something to do with their success, a lot of the attraction to FoodTok stems from the simplicity and rawness that comes with it and it looks like it's here to stay.
Unlike traditional cookery media - with its clean, staged kitchens, professional lighting and perfect execution - FoodTok is all about being a safe space where even the most inexperienced cooks feel confident enough to join in on the fun.
Content creators no longer have to rely on connections, costly set-ups and sponsorships to become successful; their hard work, dedication and love for their craft is, for once, enough and we're loving it!
