Getting lost in the infinite world of #foodtok on TikTok can be a foodie’s worst nightmare — trends like NyQuil chicken might seem like an embarrassment to the culinary community — but every once in a while, the fads fade to the background and we encounter a mesmerizing recipe we can’t get enough of. When 25-year-old Edith Gálvez, better known as @edithxbella, made her first TikTok documenting a blueberry pancake recipe in her kitchen last August, many members of the foodie community responded by giving her a bombardment of likes, follows, and comments.
Gálvez joined the social media platform in hopes of creating videos showcasing her cooking, which was a coping mechanism for her at the time. The beloved recipes she whips up in her videos vary from traditional Mexican dishes like chile rellenos to easy breakfast hacks like two-ingredient pancakes. Her TikTok account now has 2.4 million followers who enjoy her ASMR cooking compilations, homemade recipes, or the occasional GRWM video.
“Cooking is my passion,” Gálvez said to Spoon University in an interview. “The reason it all started was because I suffer from anxiety and depression. I did suffer from an eating disorder during that time. I kind of see it as just love right now for me, and learning how to love food."
Through experimenting with food, Gálvez said she’s cultivated a new relationship with food, one that has helped improve her mental health. Her content reflects that ethos — it often emphasizes the value of a good, home-cooked meal and provides a sense of comfort by showing the steps of her methodical cooking process. Gálvez told Spoon that some followers reach out to her personally and express gratitude for her videos in ways she could’ve never imagined.
“I’ve seen comments like ‘I watch your videos, and they somehow just relax me and help me with my anxiety,’” Gálvez said. “That means a lot to me because I suffer from anxiety, and I'm just glad I'm able to give back in some way.”
What was once a soothing hobby is now a full-time job and passion. Beyond her success on TikTok, Gálvez started an Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube where her followers can keep tabs on what she’s up to and what her favorite food-related products are. As far as brand collaborations, Gálvez created videos featuring Bloom Nutrition’s supplement products, opening up packages from the ramen company Maruchan, and enjoying cookies from Last Crumb.
But it wasn’t always this easy. Before gaining the millions of followers she now has, Gálvez had to stay true to herself and put out the cooking content she was proud of without the same following. Despite the rapid growth of her social media following, Gálvez’s priority lies with cooking slowly for her own personal benefit and exploring her skills in the kitchen.
“It was really tough in the beginning, but I just feel like you have to have really thick skin to be in the social media eye,” Gálvez said. “But you always have your supporters there with you. People will continue to support you and follow you."
For Gálvez, cheffing up beloved Latinx recipes is her way of translating that love by connecting with her Mexican roots. It doesn’t hurt that there’s clearly an appetite for more Latinx creators on TikTok; Gálvez’s recipe videos on chile rellenos, pupusas, and birria tacos, for instance, have amassed more than 20 million views combined. By crafting a niche for herself rather than following TikTok food trends, Gálvez has created a sense of community for her Latinx followers, who often ask and answer questions relating to ingredients of traditional recipes. These interactions have created a safe learning space in the comment section to spread knowledge about the recipes from Gálvez’s Mexican heritage.
“I'm just glad I'm able to share my traditional recipes as a Latina,” Gálvez said. “I just feel like we should still stay in touch with our roots. It's so crazy to see that almost each of my videos have gone viral, it literally motivates me to do more traditional recipes.”
Outside of her videos, Gálvez is a mom and wife. Many of the dishes she cooks are enjoyed by her family. Gálvez’s daughter was featured in her first TikTok video ever and is often in the kitchen while she cooks and records videos.
“I feel like she's the reason behind all this cooking,” Gálvez said. “She loves to bake and she is the reason why I am where I am today.”
And it seems that two million followers is only the beginning for Gálvez’s social media and cooking journey — her videos now receive millions of views every time she posts, from a migas recipe to a chocolatey brownie ASMR video.
“If you're taking your time and having patience towards your food, it's just going to come out tasting so much better,” Gálvez said. “You always need to put one serving of love into your food.”