Welcome to Reel Round-Up, a weekly column where Kennedy Dierks highlights the top Instagram Reels creators. 

Happy September!!

Professional chefs, food bloggers, and home cooks alike have all found a home with Instagram Reels and the Reels Explore page, which provides a new(ish) tool to showcase their culinary skill and interact with followers on a more intimate level. Content creators have jumped on the many trends, kitchen hacks, and foodie must-haves that social media has to offer, and continue to use Instagram as a “home base” to share photos AND videos while growing their community thanks to the Instagram Explore page.

Here are eight Instagrammers whose Reels have made me scroll-crazy this week:

1. @everything_delish

Jamie is a former-teacher-turned-creator who travels the world to bring the most delicious content possible to your feed. With bright videography and original recipes that cover ALL the bases — trending-on-TikTok pasta, three-ingredient cookies, air-fryer friendly salmon — you’re sure to find something that’s both stunning and satisfying.

2. @lindseyeats

A photographer at heart, Lindsey took her passion for food and photography and created LindseyEatsLA. Lindsey’s Reels offer favorite recipes that fit all types of diets, “fun sounds” (consider yourself warned if you don’t do ASMR), and gorgeous videography.

3. @ariandthefoodie

Based in NYC, Sandra posts mouth-watering Reels from all of her favorite foodie haunts. Sandra’s feed is #foodporn goals — you won’t be able to stop scrolling through the monster burgers, cheesy pasta, and fried chicken in both sandwich and finger form.

4. @soundsyum_

Not a finsta, but a food-sta. What started as a hobby for Andy has quickly evolved into Reels that feature recipes from the Pacific Islands, as well as modern takes with traditional Asian ingredients; and, most recently, his Date Night Dishes series.

P.S. Remember @tiffy.cooks? Dy’s a fan of her sticky pork belly, and even made it into Bao buns!

5. @breadbyelise

Focaccia, babkas, and sandwich breads — oh my! Elise is a 22-year-old self-taught baker based in Oslo, Norway who fell in love with the world of sourdoughs when she started baking at 17. Today, Elise develops recipes for all levels of bakers, from baking beginner to sourdough pro.

6. @brooklynbitess

Sabrina & Giuseppe are an NYC-based couple who used their Instagram following to support Brooklyn’s local restaurants during the height of the pandemic. Their Reels continue to highlight the borough’s must-haves, as well as traditional Italian cooking and favorite desserts.

7. @carlsdonutslv

Have you ever wondered how your favorite treats get from the bakery to the shelves of your local grocery store? Carl’s Donuts in Las Vegas takes you behind-the-scenes of your favorite bakery treats, from donuts to fritters to cinnamon rolls. Old-Fashioned, anyone?

8. @succulentbite

Nico’s page is, as he puts it, a “mouth-watering experience of flavors and stories”. The Succulent Bite is a marketing company that works with global companies and local restaurants to entice viewers with delicious product recommendations, copycat recipes, brand partnerships, and favorite restaurants. No matter the content, Nico’s page promises “A Story in Every Bite.”

I hope this list helps you find your foodie muse! Or, at the bare minimum, gives you more material to procrastinate with the rest of the week…Don’t worry, I’ll be right there with you, dreaming about the maple bars, pull-apart bread, and super-sized desserts of the weekend.

Until next week!!