Samantha, let’s start at the beginning. Please tell us a little about yourself and what motivated you to document your journey through Instagram and to start your blog?
SD: Sure, I’m Samantha. Hi! I’m an actor and voice over artist originally from outside Washington DC, now living in Los Angeles. I went to college at the University of Miami (go Canes!), which is where @the_starving_actor began. I was in a very intense theater conservatory program there—I had classes with the same 16 people every day from 9am-6pm, an hour break for dinner, and then rehearsal till 11pm if I was in a show. So, you can imagine I needed something non-theater related in my life. During my senior year, I started writing for a local food blog and exploring the amazing food scene Miami had to offer. I figured my friends didn’t really care about seeing food pics on my personal insta feed, and @the_starving_actor was born. When I moved to LA after graduation, it became a great way to explore a new city once again.
How would you describe your personal brand?
SD: Positive and fun for sure. And @the_starving_actor is a great way for me to maintain balance in my life. And I hope others looking at my page can be inspired by that, too. I work in an industry that is so superficial. Appearances mean so much—for better or worse. With that said, I LOVE sweets and fried foods, and I will almost never say no to trying something that looks delicious. So, it is always about finding balance. I don’t tell myself I can’t have things, but I listen to my body and eat intuitively. And I make an effort to eat healthy foods when I’m not trying new restaurants. Plus, I know I’m lucky that I LIKE working out.
When did you realize that your hobbies of food and photography could become a career?
SD: I guess over the last year or two, this insta/food hobby has transformed from something that gave me a nice break from work into work itself, in the best way possible.
What has been the most exciting event/moment you’ve experience since becoming a food blogger?
SD: When I was still living in Miami, I got to cover the SOBEWFF, which was just a real pinch-me moment as a senior in college. One of the events I attended was a dessert themed party held at the Versace Mansion. Seriously so cool. I try to remember that feeling on days I’m stressed or not feeling motivated—the absolute joy I felt just to be there.
How do you think food and travel go hand in hand? What about the two that so relevant and similar?
SD: Food is one of my favorite ways to explore new places. And when I moved to LA, getting to know the restaurant scene definitely made me feel more at home. When I go to a new city, I always make a list of places I want to eat or types of local cuisine I want to try, the same way people might make a list of museums they want to tour. Food can teach us so much about a place and the people who live there.
What is your stance on influencers being paid to post about brands? Should influencers be transparent regarding payment for posts?
SD: I think it is totally fine for influencers to be paid to post. Creating content is work, and we need to be paid accordingly. There are exceptions to this, but for the most part, when influencers accept brand partnerships for free or for a budget lower than what they are worth, it hurts our entire industry. With that said, yes, influencers need to be transparent by marking sponsored posts as such.
How do you think the rise of influencer accounts on Instagram has impacted on the way that people discover restaurants/chefs/bar/and food?
SD: Personally, when I am trying to decide where to eat, rather than checking yelp or googling, I’m more likely to go to a restaurant’s location tag on Insta to see what the food looks like, how people dressed there, what the vibe is like etc. Influencers and non-influencers who just enjoy posting food on their pages, impact my decisions of where to eat weekly. Also, if I see lots of people I follow and trust the opinions of posting at the same place, it makes me want to try it.
Do you think the food influencer scene could reach a point of saturation where users “switch off”?, And if so, how far off do you think we are?
SD: I think it is harder to break into it by just posting “food-porn” the way you could back in 2016. But I think if you are creating content you care about, others will care about it, too.
General words of wisdom you live by?
SD: Two things my mom taught me that I think about every day:
- The worst they can say is no. Ask for what you want.
- Happy people have no reason to be mean. If someone is unkind, it is not a reflection of you, but rather of them.
If you could collab with any brand, who would it be and why?
SD: Ben & Jerry’s! I love their ice cream (Half Baked is my fave!) and I love the social justice movements they fight for.
Do you think every restaurant should have a presence on Social Media?
SD: Yes, I think it is definitely beneficial. If you’re looking for someone to help you out, hit me up 🙂
