With the current COVID-19 still largely at play and with isolation drawing on for months now, days have become long and monotonous. If you’re like me, you are probably starting to feel quite bored, restless, and lacking the motivation to even do anything. On a more positive note, we have YouTube to thank for times such as these. Here is a compiled list of food YouTubers that have kept me inspired. If you are in need of cinematic food aesthetics (combined with some good old ASMR) to soothe any restlessness, nutritious dishes to keep yourself in shape, or interesting videos that will help spark some cooking inspiration, you’ve come to the right place! This list will cover every form of cabin fever that there is.
1. Peaceful Cuisine
There’s no name more perfectly suited for this channel. Peaceful indeed. With his intricately captured shots, and a soothing background music (paired with ASMR) to accompany his films, Ryoya Takashima offers an immersive experience for his viewers. There is no dialogue in this channel - and for good reason. Rather than focusing on laying out the instructional aspect of his recipes, Ryoya creates art as he reveals the process and precision behind his cooking. These videos will leave you feeling calm, while at the same time, inspire you to cook for the simple sake of creating and experiencing the present moment.
2. Erwan Heussaff
Creator and host Erwan Heussaff is informative, yet easy going in his videos. With his personable personality, it will seem as if you are watching a friend who happens to be knowledgeable about food and cooking. Erwan’s recipes are easy to follow through - perfect for beginners, amateurs, and any person looking to keep their cooking simple.
3. Pick Up Limes
Pick Up Limes may very well be one of my favorite YouTube channels. In her blog, dietician Sadia Badiel states that her focus is simple: to “live a vibrant and uncomplicated life fueled by plant-based foods.” Her channel does full justice to these words. Sadia embraces simplicity and takes on an informative, yet creative approach. This can be seen through her nutritional vegan recipes accompanied with visually-stunning shots. Aside from healthy and wholesome recipes, you will also find other videos related to mental health wellness, such as developing healthy habits and mindset tips.
4. Fit Men Cook
Kevin Curry widens the perspective of his viewers as he introduces healthy and delicious dishes among different cultures. Mediterranean, Asian, Caribbean, and Tex Mex are a few examples of cuisines featured in this channel. Whether you are looking to broaden your cooking style with different cultures, or you are in need of nutritious and scrumptious recipes to try out, Kevin’s got you covered.
5. maji마지
Light, airy, and natural - this lifestyle food channel will help you appreciate the simple joys of daily life. Maji focuses on nutritious meals which are easy to make and well-suited for homebodies - or, in today’s case, perfectly suited for any person looking to keep a healthy diet while stuck at home. Maji’s food vlogs are aesthetic, relaxing, and can even help ease any tension or worries you may have during quarantine. English subtitles are available for viewing.
6. Food Wishes
This channel is the ultimate source of every meal recipe to ever exist. Chef John is knowledgeable about cooking, features a vast array of dishes, and he uses ingredients that are fairly accessible. Despite the level of difficulty, he's able to demonstrate his dishes that are simple and easy to understand. Definitely give this channel a visit if you are willing to try out new recipes and improve your cooking skills. Or if you are just starting out in cooking, these basic step-by-step food tutorials will surely help.
7. Binging with Babish
The list wouldn’t be complete without this well-known gem! From SpongeBob’s Krabby Patty to the Game of Thrones’ lemon cake, Creator and host Andrew Rea brings fictional dishes of all kinds to life, while also featuring basic recipes. Thanks to Andrew’s witty and comedic narration, each video showcases a charm of its own. Binging with Babish is everything that you’ll ever want and need in a food channel.
Cabin fever can look differently to every individual. Others may feel restless and anxious, while some people may feel downright lazy and bored. Hopefully, these recommendations will help provide relaxation and entertainment. But most importantly, I hope that these videos will encourage us to head to the kitchen, ourselves. Whether that may be learning how to cook, trying out a new recipe with family, or keeping yourself productive during isolation, cooking truly has the power to inspire, to uplift, and to bond loved-ones together.