Maya Akhil tells us about her food blog and what it takes to make it popular
Food is an invincible part of our life. For a foodie, if there is anything more satisfying than relishing an appetizing meal, it is curating one. And today, to every foodie’s delight, social media offers a platform to share your love for food, your unique curations, restaurant reviews, recipes, tips and tricks in cooking, baking, sugarcraft and much more. Read on to know how popular Keralite food bloggers across the globe started out with their blogs and what it takes to have a successful blog!
Complied By: Riya Sonny Datson
Maya Akhil
Blog: Yummy O Yummy
Insta page: http://instagram.com/maya_yummyoyummy
How did you start food blogging?
I was passionate about food from a very young age. I loved being around my mother whenever she was making delicious dishes to catch the aroma and to taste the food. My mother never let me cook so once I got a kitchen of my own I just dived into cooking. Only then did I realize that I was excited about not just eating, but the cooking part as well.
The blog happened in 2010 because my husband thought it was a good idea to have a place for all my recipes since I wanted to share them with friends. Most of our family recipes are passed down to the next generation by word of mouth. My blog is also a humble attempt to document these before they are lost forever.
What is the one thing you like about blogging?
It would be the response from my readers. It gives me immense gratification to know that people are trying and enjoying my recipes.
What do you think are the key elements to a successful blog?
Passion, good content and consistency. When you start, you might have very few readers which is very disheartening but keep on posting. People will ultimately discover your blog. Blogging requires a lot of time and the financial returns are not great at least during the initial years, so you need to be devoted if you are looking to succeed.
Does your blog tie up with food brands for reviews?
I have been getting requests but I have never tried so far.
Most memorable food experience:
It would be from our Europe trip. Most memorable would be the breakfast from a local French bakery in Paris with Fresh croissants, hot chocolate and freshly squeezed orange juice. Though it was very simple, we loved the experience. We stayed in a non-touristy place and got to enjoy the Parisian way of life.
A Chef you follow like an Idol:
I don’t have a Chef Idol but I do enjoy Gordon Ramsay’s cooking style.
A food show you never miss:
I used to love watching Antony Bourdain travel around the world, tasting different cuisines on the travel and living channel. And then later I watched a lot of MasterChef series.
One dish or meal that you enjoy cooking and why?
I love the whole process of making a biriyani. Cooking the aromatic rice, masala, frying the onion, cashews and raisins, the chopped herbs, and then the layering – I just love all the steps involved in making a biriyani. Such an intricate blend of ingredients and technique resulting in this fragrant, mouth-watering dish!
One dish or meal that you relish having and why?
It would be nadan food – Kerala rice with fish curry, thoran and moru curry. I can have it every day but still never get bored.
Your philosophy on food:
I believe in the power of food to bring people together. My food philosophy is all about balance – eating what you love but still be responsible to oneself. Having unrealistic food goals will not lead to a healthy, sustainable lifestyle instead I suggest having everything in moderation. Food is not just physical nourishment, but it nourishes the mind and soul as well. Lets make our mealtimes the happiest of all.
