What do you get when you mix a firecracker and a spunky personality who loves food, you get @dandyeats, a social foodie influencer from the Bay Area, CA. Her interview is fresh, fun and just all around informative. Support small influencers, as they make the #foodie feed drool worthy!
Kimberly, 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?
KDC: Hi, there! I’m Kimberly, the foodie behind Dandy Eats. I’m based in the Bay Area, CA but I was born and raised in San Diego and lived a few years in LA. Ha-ha California forever.
I created my Instagram account in 2011. It first started out as a personal page, but I posted a lot of food pictures. Since 2011, I’ve lived up and down California and I have always been down to try out new food and restaurants. Some people might actually remember me as “kimdandy.” Every time I posted about food, I would playfully hashtag it “#dandyeats.” Dandy was a nickname from high school, and I don’t really remember how I got it, but it stuck haha.
In 2015, I saw another dandyeats Instagram account and saw that they also had a dandyeats email. So real quick, I went from kimdandy to dandy.eats. I started to take my blog more seriously and in 2016, I bought the dandyeats.com domain. Summer 2016 was when I had the first brand reach out to me about sending me product and not too long after, I was being invited to tastings at restaurants… And it hasn’t slowed down since then.
How would you describe your personal brand?
KDC: It’s fun, silly, and adventurous.
When did you realize that your hobbies of food and photography could become a career?
KDC: When a restaurant wanted to pay me and asked me if they should write the check out to Dandy Eats. I started all of this as a hobby and had no goals to make money, so it’s still kind of crazy to me.
What has been the most exciting event/moment you’ve experience since becoming a food blogger?
KDC: When I got flown out to Vegas for a restaurant opening. I got the email and was like, “me???” I never thought that I would ever have that kind of opportunity.
How do you think food and travel go hand in hand? What about the two that so relevant and similar?
KDC: You can’t do one without the other, unless you’re making food in your kitchen. Every time I travel or go to a new place, my entire trip revolves around food. Sometimes, I’ll go to five restaurants in a day and eat small portions so I can get a taste of everything. For me, the best part about food and travel is trying the local brands and restaurants. That’s the best way to experience a new place.
What is your stance on influencers being paid to post about brands? Should influencers be transparent regarding payment for posts?
KDC: According to the FTC, influencers must disclose when they’ve been paid. Influencers should always be transparent about when they’re doing a sponsored post but what I value most, is that they truly enjoy the product or restaurant too.
How do you think the rise of influencer accounts on Instagram has impacted on the way that people discover restaurants/chefs/bar/and food?
KDC: It’s definitely changed the game. It’s a lot easier to discover new places to eat and drink, and food to buy. It’s also nice to see what other people are saying about the business and it’s another great way to get to know them quickly. Instagram is a fast way to see what a business is all about, where they’re located, what they do, etc.
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?
KDC: I don’t think users will switch off. People always got to eat, and food influencers are another resource to find your next meal. On the other hand, I feel like the saturation of food influencers will cause brands and restaurants to not pay them anymore because there will always be someone who will do it for free.
Give us some great spots that are on the low key that are worthwhile to try at least once in the Bay Area?
KDC: One of the first restaurants I fell in love with when I first came to the Bay is Burma Superstar (Oakland and San Francisco). It’s the first place that I’ve had Burmese food and no other place comes close. I believe they have a few other sister restaurants and they’re all pretty good. Another small restaurant that I like is Chai Thai Noodles in Hayward. They also have a location in Oakland, but I haven’t been to that one. I’m slowly working my way through the menu and I’m super obsessed with their khao piek sen, pretty much the Lao version of chicken noodle soup.
Do you think every restaurant should have a presence on Social Media?
KDC: Yes! Even if they don’t have a ton of followers or likes or have super professional photos. It’s the best way for people to discover them. And for food bloggers like me, it’s easy for me to link or tag them so that my followers can get more information on the business.
General words of wisdom you live by….
KDC: I feel like this is really cliché, but you got to live life to the fullest! Enjoy every moment (or meal) like it’s your last and try everything at least once. Life is too short to be hungry.
