Famous Udaipur Food Blogger, Shehdil Thaiyam aka Globe On My Plate walks us through his Journey of Food Blogging. Shehdil Thaiyam, a medical student is a food and photography enthusiast. He also tries his hands on music and loves Drumming.
Born in house of Gujarati mother and Rajasthani dad, his taste buds have justice amount of flavor attacks of sweet and spicy dishes.
He started blogging as he had seen his mom cooking for hours, following every rule for authentic dishes. Pondering on each point be it aroma or garnish. He likes to bring the authenticity of the food on the table and discourages to overhype the high-end restaurants that are not worth it. And that is how he started blogging.
What is your definition of a Food Blogger? How did you stumble upon Food Blogging as a career option?
Food blogging is an interweaving between a “cook” a “photographer” and a “writer”. it can be about new recipes, reviewing restaurants, traveling for local cuisine, etc. So to be a “food blogger” you ought to have knowledge about cooking, taking good pictures and writing. it’s not just about clicking a few food pics and uploading them on social sites.
As a career, blogging if used correctly can be a marketing tool. In food blogging, you have a scope of reviewing or writing about restaurants, food products, catering companies. Food is something in which interests overlaps, be a restaurant a chef or just a person with food and cooking as hobbies, will instinctively be interested in food products, local cuisine, good restaurants, etc.
So as a career or word I will use an influencer, you’ll need basic knowledge, patience until u started to get noticed.
Take us through the thought behind the name
” GLOBE ON MY PLATE” is not just a blog name, it’s more of my dream title. I actually want to travel to a lot of places, know local people, traditions, food and put them out in form of blogs that I can actually define my name as “GLOBE ON MY PLATE”.
You have been in the Food Blogging space for quite some time, tell us more about your milestones in this journey and how have things changed over the years
I started my blog in nearly April of 2015, I have been nearly 4 years in this space. Few things I have learned that milestone is when people start to respect your work. it is not your first triple-digit or four digit followers or meeting someone famous or even your first paid post. it is achieved when people actually start calling u a ” Food Blogger”.
What constitutes a day in your life as a Food Blogger?
So, it is not every day you are out as a food blogger. Normal days, normal routine. But when it is a blogging day, it’s exciting. Checking equipment, making sure they are ready, or if its studio shoot then cooking, making food props, etc are ready and when that is completed, detailing the food, editing the pics, and writing an article on it.
Do you still find it difficult to tell people that Blogging is a legit profession? Weirdest reactions from people around you
Yes! People still think it is a digital fancy scrapbooking. It is a serious hobby that turns into the profession. The weirdest reaction is ” You get paid to eat?’.
What is the one thing you love and hate about this profession?
The one thing I hate and love about being a food blogger is being honest, going to restaurants and not finding the food up to the mark, or writing a product review that was average or below. The worst is giving bad reviews to a place that has been hyped or has an emotional attachment to someone. It feels horrible to let people know it not worth it, but it feels good letting people know it’s not worth it.
The Whackiest Client Brief or request received
So till today, I have never received any whackiest client request or briefing, but in routine, I get restaurants, Product sellers asking to give a good review even if it is not worth and especially the dialogue ” we are paying” or “we will pay”. People need to understand food blogging isn’t about advertising but about being honest.
If given a chance to go back in time and fix, what is that one mistake you would like to undo?
Actually nothing, pretty happy with my blogging space.
Looking back at the journey, what made it worth your while?
People enjoying reading, finding new things, places to go and enjoying them because of us, makes it all worth the effort.
How often did you post when you started off as opposed to now.
We learn as we proceed, as a novice, I used to post any time, some times multiple times a day, sometimes no posts at all for a long time. But now, it is all about managing your posts. What time you get the most visitors, or when are the most number of people free to read your posts. Also, it has to be combined with quality over quantity. Good posts are worth many bad posts.
What according to you is the best way to increase traffic to your food blog?
Good content, good photography, going with the latest trends, know what to upload and when. You as a blogger is about feeding people’s curiosity and hence you need to know what they are interested in. It is always about variety, quality, and honesty. That’s all is needed to get good traffic.
Quick Five
Favorite Food / Cuisine – Pizza
Favorite Café / Restaurant – The Bake Affairs, Udaipur
Order of preference Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Niche Platform- Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, Niche Platform
Order of preference Static Images, Stories, Long Form Videos- Static Images, Stories, Long Form Videos
Pet Peeve against Brands, Agencies and Fellow Bloggers-
Food Blogging doesn’t mean free food and free work.
Fellow Bloggers: Slow down. Blogging isn’t about followers. It is more about being honest and having quality in it.
Five Tips for Budding Food Bloggers out there
1) Quality over Quantity.
2) Always be honest
3) Need lots of patience
4) If you think you are correct, then hold your stand.
5) Barter is bullshit.
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